Green IT for Data Centers: Efficiencies through modeling, hardware selection and virtualization When the United States Geological Survey asked for ways to expand their storage needs, computing power, and overall service capacity to make their Earth Resources Observation and Science (EROS) Center a Tier II (Uptime Institute) facility in the frozen plains of South Dakota, most people thought the costs would be enormous. However, through the smart use of software modeling, hardware selection, and virtualization, our team was able to provide one of the largest computer complexes in the Department of the Interior with a series of short-term, long-term, low-cost, and capital improvement overhaul options. The presentation will be a case study of how to use graphic static flow modeling to optimize cooling efficiencies to save energy and operating costs, as well as looking at energy conscious substitutions of hardware and how virtualization can help increase the bottom line. This presentation is geared for anyone that owns or operates a data center and wants to reduce their costs, increase their efficiency, and provide solid evidence with some golly-gee-whiz pictures to impress their bosses to open the purse strings for new projects.

1. Green IT Data Center Case Study:
Modeling, Selection, and Virtualization
Or “What I learned on summer vacation in The Matrix...”

2. Presentation Summary

Status Quo
 Reduction Pressures
 Growth Pressures
 Modeling
 TileFlow
 Low-Cost/No-Cost Changes
 Phased Approach Placement
 Hardware Selection
 Energy Star
 Right-sizing – Cost/TB
 Virtualization
 3:1 or 15:14
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3. Red pill or Blue Pill?
Status Quo – A Place to Start, not end




Existing
 157 racks – 485 kW (99% heat steady state)
 Tier 1 Data Center
Constraints
 UPS
 Electrical
 Mechanical
 Space
PATH OF LEAST RESISTANCE
 Extrapolation
 Cost/sf ~ kW/sf
 Expansion – Add 230 racks
 Loss of mission?
 Reliability?
What EROS got instead
 Reduction
 638kW avoided - $202,881 saved annually
 $615k cost avoidance
 Tier 2 Data center
 Master plan
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4. Am I Bill or Ted? Wait, nope, I am Neo…
TileFlow Modeling
 Investigation
 Understanding constraints, needs, and existing conditions
 Modeling
 Input status quo into system
 Determine “Hot Spots”
 Average Temperature range
 Under Floor Velocities
 What happens if redundant unit fails?
 Shift racks
 Increase plenum space
 Increase/decrease floor perforations
 Install Overhead Return air
 Install CRAC unit redundancy software
 Hypothesize additional rack space
 Engineer highly likely variables and confirm (WAG)
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5. Am I an Elf or An Agent?: Agent Elrond
Phased Approach
 Lessen Mission Impact
 Reduce First Costs
 “Just-In-Time” or Extra Redundancy
 Depending on Expectations and Budgets
 Allows technology improvements
 Phase 0 – Low-cost/No-cost (Buys Time)
 Phase 1 – Replace small HVAC (Prepare for Upswing)
 Phase 2 – Move CRACs (Let projects finish, then move)
 Phase 3 – Upgrade large HVAC (Big savings)
 Phase 4 – Install “nice to haves” (additional savings/reliability)
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6. Loop it!
Hardware Selections and Virtualization
 Energy Star Rated Hardware
 75% percentile
 80% more efficiency minimum
– Idle Power Consumption – 50% standard
– Operational Power Consumption – Drop-in replacements for older power
 Solid State Drive (SSD)Technologies
 Multi-Cell Levels
 Enterprise Management Systems
 Virtualization
 3:1 ratio potential
 15:14; due to accounting/project constraints
 Right Sizing
 Cost/PB
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7. Mr. Anderson
Existing
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8. My name is Neo
Proposed
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9. Difference between knowing the path and walking the path
Other avenues
 Set house in order
 Tighten up envelope
 Infiltration
 Reflectivity
 Get Reliability Up
 Then think about options
 Solar
 Hydro
 Wind
 Human Potential
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10. Was Ist Lost? Soul Patrol…. Free your mind
Conclusion
 Status Quo
 Reduction Pressures
 Growth Pressures
 Modeling
 TileFlow
 Low-Cost/No-Cost Changes
 Phased Approach Placement
 Hardware Selection
 Energy Star
 Right-sizing – Cost/TB
 Virtualization
 3:1 or 15:14
Meet Goals, Expectations, change the world, or at least you little piece of it.
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11. What we do now is
up to you…
jeff.riegle@amec.com
612-252-3667
Any More
Questions?
Hang around
after.
Thanks to Innovative
Research, StellCo
Industries, and the EROS
Data Center Staff
Shaping the Future