Data centre efficiency to improve with sensors

Data centre efficiency to improve with sensors

Cloud computing as a whole could become more efficient through a new practice of adding sensors to server chips in data centres.

As demand for data centre space continues to rise, Intel has announced plans to add new sensors to its server chips in order to prolong the life of equipment in data centres and ultimately lower operating costs. To achieve this, the company will measure the inlet and outlet sensors on servers and the airflow passing through the systems, while power consumption is already being measured, senior solution architect with Intel’s high-density cloud computing division, Jay Vincent, explained.

An increasing number of companies are looking to take advantage of cloud computing options. However, this is putting pressure on data centres to provide the service and costs are being gradually pushed up. Cooling equipment is responsible for a substantial proportion of operating costs, ultimately impacting the end price to cloud computing users. Working to visualise the airflow and cooling systems could go some way to improving efficiency and lowering expenses all round.

Intel has already tested its latest set up using a proof-of-concept project. The system involved filling a rack with servers and keeping it in a typical data hall but isolated from the rest of the room. Platform-based airflow and temperature sensors were affixed to the rack and data was collected in realtime.

By using the information provided from this setup, Intel’s team was able to increase supply air temperature, as well as dynamically adjust the cooling vent to change airflow and temperature.

Mr Vincent summarised the results at the DatacenterDynamics conference last month. Speaking at the event with Future Facilities engineering and product manager, Akhil Docca - who helped provide the computational fluid dynamics software for the research - he said, “A dynamic data centre cooling environment reacts to the server requirements allowing higher ambient temperatures and lower fan speeds, therefore reducing running costs without impact to IT resilience.”

Businesses looking to move services into the cloud should evaluate the performance of their existing network and consider setting up a leased line or MPLS network.