Data Center Knowledge Center
By Rich Miller
/datacenterknowledge.com/ — There’s a saying in data center circles that “you can’t manage what you can’t measure.” That’s why monitoring and analysis are key components of a data center energy efficiency program. Here’s a look at several approaches to monitoring the data center environment to detect problems and implement improvements.
Wireless monitoring is valuable in data centers because it allows company to retrofit existing data centers to detect “hot spots” where cooling may not be reaching servers. Fine-tuning cooling systems allows data centers to make more efficient use of the energy used by cooling systems, which often consume as much energy as IT equipment. In a wireless monitoring setup, sensors are placed throughout the data center – typically at both the top and bottom of racks – where they record temperature data, which is then transmitted wirelessly to a software management system. The use of wireless sensors avoids the need to run additional cabling in your data center.
At the other end of the spectrum is data center thermal modeling using Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD), a tool for analyzing the effectiveness of cooling within the racks and aisles. CFD is used to generate flow simulations with the help of computers, and provides companies with a detailed 3-D analysis of how cold air is moving through a data center, identifying potential hot spots where equipment is receiving too little airflow. Thermal mapping can also find areas in a data center that are receiving more cold air than needed, wasting cooling and energy. CFD is also useful for modeling airflow under a raised floor, which is helpful in designing solutions.
If you’re actively looking for ways to optimize the airflow within your Data Center to reduce energy costs, kindly contact Megagenix CFD Consulting at +65 9658 8117 or email jay.megagenix@gmail.com and we’ll be in touch with you.