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Intel Data Center Power Reduced with Russian Air
By Susan J. Campbell TMCnet Contributing Editor
Throughout the data center space, there is an intense focus on the consumption of data center power. The driving force behind this intensified focus is the fact that companies today are generating and storing more data than they ever have in the past. This puts more pressure on the data center to house the necessary equipment, yet still keep data center power in check. Achieving the right balance can be a challenge.
Intel (News 
- Alert) may have identified one of the best methods for achieving that balance by using Russian cool air to reduce its data center power consumption. The video captured here provides a personal tour of the Intel data center in Russia, the nation’s largest. This data center houses roughly 1,000 servers to support all IT staff in that country.
To optimize its use of data center power, Intel uses the external cold air to cool the data center during the winter in Russia. The waste heat generated by the servers is used to warm the office area. This optimal use of data center power demonstrates how companies can make the best use of their resources to optimize performance and reduce the overall cost of operations.
While you may be disappointed that data center manager Leonid Shishlov, who provides a tour of the facility, is not one of the Blue Man Group we normally associate with Intel, his quick summary of this innovative data center is still worth the view. As you take the journey into the Intel approach to data center power, you will learn that this particular data center has two zones in the room: one for low density equipment and one for high density servers.
The data center has four chillers to generate chilled water to support 10 SC units. This system distributes cold air through the floor to the server racks. Hot and cold air designs are included in this system, and each server rack has independent power connections, UPS1 connectivity protection and independent power feeds.
A generator is also on hand that can support the data center for 12 hours to ensure there is no single point of failure. The air economizer allows Intel to shut down the air chillers in the winter to capitalize on that cool Russian air. The heat recycling system to uses the waste heat in the winter time to heat the offices.
As data center power consumption is hotly monitored within the enterprise, data center managers are constantly on the prowl to identify ways to reduce overall power consumption. And, while it may appear to be a “green” approach to doing business, it really is about saving money and cost, according to Server Technology’s (News - Alert) Senior Director of Software and Firmware Engineering Calvin Nicholson.
Server Technology works to design, develop and provide power management products and systems, striving to be the best in the industry. The company has noticed that in the data center today, there is a large amount of cooling through crack units, which is driving up the temperature that is allowed to go into those servers.
With increasing densities and temperatures, a failure can be critical much faster. As a result, Server Technology has heightened its focus on monitoring of data center power to ensure optimal performance at all times. Taking a page from Server Technology practices could enable other companies to optimize on their data center power consumption, and get a better handle on costs.
Susan J. Campbell is a contributing editor for TMCnet and has also written for eastbiz.com. To read more of Susan’s articles, please visit her columnist page.
Edited by Carrie Schmelkin
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