Data Center Power

Data Center Power Demanding Closer Focus in New Economic Times

By Susan J. Campbell TMCnet Contributing Editor

In corporate America today, there is an evident change in the atmosphere as compared with pre-recession times. Even for those companies that have been able to keep revenue flowing and are enjoying the recovery, there is a tighter hold on budgets, and spending has yet to reach former levels. This is especially true in the data center as managers in this space have had to justify and reduce their overall IT spending.

This concept of data center power was explored in a recent Information Week report. As the data center manager’s budget accounts for the large chunk of the overall IT budget, it has been difficult for him to keep a low profile in today’s corporate climate. While the increased focus on data center power has made some managers cringe, it has enabled other organizations to get a better handle on their spending, while also reducing their environmental impact.

The pressure intensified last year, however, as data center power was a key focus within the corporate environment. Companies were generating and storing more data, yet giving their data center managers the same or fewer dollars to spend on managing that data. According to an Information Week survey, only 30 percent of 370 respondents in a data center survey reported that they would see larger budgets for 2010 as compared with 2009. At the same time, at least half of these individuals expected their resource demands to increase.

The good news for those in charge of data center power, however, is that there are advances in the market that can enable the data center manager and the CIO to extend the lives of their data centers with the help of efficient operations. One method being deployed by Virginia Tech University is to implement server virtualization and consolidation as a way of handling some of the issues in relation to physical space and electrical power. The organization is also reviewing old equipment to determine where they can make replacements that fit with their budget and data center power goals.

It is interesting that in the data center power space, the financial climate has turned the spotlight on data centers with results that are nothing less than ironic. For years, according to one IT consultant, data centers were the forgotten tower of IT. Now, the move toward virtualization, cloud computing and environmental trends is making data center power the center of examination. Those responsible for managing these spaces are taking an almost “I told you so” kind of approach as many have been asking for this type of focus for years, only to have their budgets cut and their resources minimized.

With this renewed focus on data center resources, managers in this space finally have the tools they need to make the changes they want to truly drive innovation for their organizations.