The Green Data Center - DC Power For Efficiency And Lowered Cost
In recent years, the computer data center has become one of the most conspicuous large consumers of electric power.
Faster servers and higher density equipment, such as blade servers, have combined to create large issues for traditional data centers, as well as increasing costs for data center customers.
In the traditional data center, power is brought in as commercial AC from the local power utility.
The power is then converted to DC in the uninterruptible power supply for it's batteries, then converted back to AC for distribution to the servers and other equipment.
In the equipment, the AC is once again converted back to DC for the use of the equipment.
Each of these conversions from AC to DC or DC to AC adds an extra layer of complication and inefficiency to the process.
Every conversion wastes power and the power is wasted as heat, which requires more power to remove it from the data center.
All of this adds cost directly to the bottom line which gets passed on as higher prices to the customer.
Many traditional data centers have reached the point that they force the customer to buy more space than they need to get the power they need or simply leave large portions of their floor space idle because their antiquated AC power distribution lacks the capacity to supply or their HVAC systems lack the capacity to remove the extra heat.
Data centers that are designed from the beginning with the capacity for DC power distribution give a very efficient design, since they're not attempting to retrofit an existing data center, and provide adequate capacity for all available space with room to grow to meet the requirements of the next generation of equipment.
This also means less waste of power and less power spent removing the waste heat and this translates directly into cost savings for the customer.
This also translates directly into environmental benefits.
Less power consumption means less greenhouse gases created in generating the power and less waste heat released into the environment from operating inefficiently.
Faster servers and higher density equipment, such as blade servers, have combined to create large issues for traditional data centers, as well as increasing costs for data center customers.
In the traditional data center, power is brought in as commercial AC from the local power utility.
The power is then converted to DC in the uninterruptible power supply for it's batteries, then converted back to AC for distribution to the servers and other equipment.
In the equipment, the AC is once again converted back to DC for the use of the equipment.
Each of these conversions from AC to DC or DC to AC adds an extra layer of complication and inefficiency to the process.
Every conversion wastes power and the power is wasted as heat, which requires more power to remove it from the data center.
All of this adds cost directly to the bottom line which gets passed on as higher prices to the customer.
Many traditional data centers have reached the point that they force the customer to buy more space than they need to get the power they need or simply leave large portions of their floor space idle because their antiquated AC power distribution lacks the capacity to supply or their HVAC systems lack the capacity to remove the extra heat.
Data centers that are designed from the beginning with the capacity for DC power distribution give a very efficient design, since they're not attempting to retrofit an existing data center, and provide adequate capacity for all available space with room to grow to meet the requirements of the next generation of equipment.
This also means less waste of power and less power spent removing the waste heat and this translates directly into cost savings for the customer.
This also translates directly into environmental benefits.
Less power consumption means less greenhouse gases created in generating the power and less waste heat released into the environment from operating inefficiently.
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