Data-center giant Equinix has found a low-tech solution to high data-center electric expenses: show up the thermostat.Guidance from the American
Society of Heat, Refrigerating, and Air Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) suggests a temperature level variety for data-center servers from 59 ° F( 15 ° C) to as high as 89 ° F(31.6 ° C). Equinix is looking at setting the temperature level at 80 ° F(26.6 ° C), up from the current setting of 73 ° F (22.7 ° C).
This will not happen overnight. Equinix called it a multi-year job, and says it will examine all of its 200+ information centers worldwide first. Equinix kept in mind that ASHRAE’s guidance is more than twenty years old and was created around mainframes, not rows of x86 racks with hot aisles and cold aisles.
“It was simpler to simply flood the space with cold air. Then you could ensure that all of your devices was going to be safe, no matter where it was located. As we’ve progressed with our designs, specifically around data-center designs, we’ve gotten far better about [air flow management],” said Jon Lin, executive vice president and basic supervisor of Data Center Services for Equinix.He added that the
hot air in information centers is mostly confined to hot aisles where it is directed into the air-conditioning system, and it can likewise be included by walls that block air flow.The other reason Equinix is comfortable letting the temperature rise is that modern-day equipment can take the heat.”Devices makers have been have essentially been creating and making sure that their equipment can deal with much higher ranges than that temperature level for the much better part of twenty years, “Lin stated.”The equipment that’s currently in our information centers has actually been well developed and well tested under higher operating temperature levels.”In addition to running at higher ambient temperatures, Equinix plans to make greater use of
pumping in cool outside air when practical to minimize making use of air conditioning.Cutting power use likewise cuts operating expenses, however Lin said this task originated from an increased focus around sustainability,
and just minimizing power isn’t enough, Equinix wishes to better use it.” It’s inadequate to simply say we’re purchasing green energy. We likewise need to look at how are we using that energy and make sure that we’re sort of like delivering both maximum
worth for our customers however also that we’re that we’re kind of using just possible,” he said. Copyright © 2022 IDG Communications, Inc. Source
