data centers challenges in optimizing data center utilization
TRANSCRIPT
Data CentersChallenges in optimizing data center utilization
About Héctor
• Héctor R. Díaz• Principal, Diaz Consulting• Board of Directors, Data Center Institute• President, AFCOM Denver Chapter• M: 720.346.4446
Market demand for data centers
• According to Microsoft, global construction will increase from about $50 billion today to about $78 billion by 2020
Data centers are expensive to build
• A 10MW 35,000 ft2 commercial data center will cost about $110M to build.
• That is about $3,100 / ft2
• Compare that to $100 - $150 / ft2 for a custom home in Denver
Data centers are expensive to operate
• The monthly electric power bill for a 10MW data center is about $551k ($6.6M/yr.)
• Network charges are very high as well.
• Data center infrastructure is the fastest growing cost of deploying IT
Optimization Challenges
• Cost accounting
• Space & power utilization
• Capacity planning
• Energy management
• Outsourcing
Cost Accounting
• You probably don’t know how much it is costing you!
Cost accounting strategies
• Boil everything down to MRC in $/KW @ Tier level
• Know this number for every data center you own and for every colocation vendor you use.
• Easier to compute for dedicated data centers.
• More difficult but possible to compute for shared use buildings.
Cost accounting issues
• $/KW is not constant over time
• Seasonal variations for cooling loads
• More expensive for an empty data center
Typical cost of compute
• For a large Enterprise (economies of scale apply) Tier III
• $235 - $300 / kW MRC
• For small / medium Enterprise (no economies of scale) Tier II
• $300 - $400 /kW MRC; much higher for Tier III which is unlikely
Space & Power Utilization
• You don’t know how much you are using!
Space & power utilizationstrategies
• Measure and publish utilization over time (both space and power)
• Know your metrics: (avg. kW/rack, avg ft2/rack)
• Set-up a space & power governance program
• Must pre-authorize HW intake to data center
• Must follow-through with decommissioning equipment
• No orphaned servers!
Typical space & power utilization
• 25 - 30 ft2 of floor space/rack equivalent unit
• Typical data centers consume 3 - 5 kW/Rack
• Some higher density designs 8kW/Rack up to 16 - 20 kW/Rack
Capacity Planning
• You probably don’t know how much you are going to need!
Capacity planningstrategies
• Detailed quarterly forecast (new and decommissioned HW)
• Project 2-3 years
• Publish a dashboard
• Add feedback loop (actual vs. forecast)
• Enforce decommissioning! (avoid orphan HW)
Capacity planning example
Capacity planning benefits
• Improved quality of forecast over time
• Reduced CAPEX if you can delay build out of new data center
• Better decision support
Energy Management
• You are probably spending too much!
• You probably don’t know your PUE (Power Utilization Efficiency)
• You are probably running too cold!
Energy management strategies
• Measure and track your PUE
• Use ASHRAE’s new recommended operating temperatures.
• See Green Greed paper on ROI of cooling sys improvements
Energy Management ROI
• Generally speaking, for every 1.8°F that you raise the temperature in your data center, you save 2-4% of your total energy bill.
Green Grid Recommendations
• Install OEM variable speed drives (VSDs) in all computer room air handlers (CRAHs). Upgrade older CRAH units with newer more efficient models.
• Improve rack airflow management by adding baffles and blanking panels, which improve isolation of hot and cold air aisles.
• Reposition the CRAH temperature/humidity sensors from the inlets of the CRAHs to the front of the IT equipment racks.
• Adjust the temperature set-points of the CRAH sensors and the chiller units.
Outsourcing
• You are probably not benefiting from outsourcing!
Outsourcing strategies
• Consider colocation
• You cannot build and operate anything smaller than a 2MW data center for less than what you would pay for colocation. (For the same Tier & service levels)
• Consider other outsourcing options
The outsourcing spectrum
Application
Middleware
Operating System
IT Physical Infrastructur
e
Virtual Infrastructur
e
Physical Hardware
Data Center Environment
BYODC Colocation Managed Hosting SaaSPaaSIaaS
Cost of Colocation
Location $/kW MRC
Boston $300 - 400
Chicago $225 - 425
Dallas $200 - 500
NY/NJ $275 - 510
No VA $250 - 400
No CA $275 - 450
So CA $300 - 650
