Data Centers Challenges in optimizing data center utilization.

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

Questions?

• Hector R. Diaz• [email protected]• W: 720.346.4446

Thank you!