The history of the modernization of a single data center: almost twice the reduction of PUE and other advantages of modern solutions

Many organizations are faced with the fact that outdated data center is difficult to control, and the power consumption of inefficient systems becomes too expensive. In this post we will talk about the project at the National University of Taiwan, where the modernization of the engineering systems of the data center allowed both to achieve energy savings and increase the reliability of the infrastructure as a whole. Details - under the cut.

Like many universities around the world, the Taiwanese NUU gradually increased its server infrastructure and, in the recent past, “ran into” the limits of available electrical power, and also faced the problem of high electricity supply costs. It turned out that the organization spends from 20 to 30% of electricity in its data center, which seriously undermined the financial capabilities of the university.

The current situation was a prerequisite for analyzing the state of the data center, which immediately revealed a number of problems:

Firstly, the structured cable network was not so structured. The lack of clear and reliable connections often caused interruptions in the provision of services to end users.

Secondly, a significant part of the electricity consumption was not accounted for by IT equipment. The PUE (Power Usage Effectiveness) parameter, which is defined as the ratio of total energy consumption to the actual consumption of IT systems, was almost 3! The reputation of the data center was saved only by one hundredth - the actual PUE was determined at 2.99. This means that for every useful kilowatt * hour there was still 2 kWh of energy spent on cooling, ventilation and lost in electrical networks, transformers and UPS.

Equipment upgrade

To help NUU bring its data center in order and reduce the PUE level, we proposed a six-step strategy:

• Redistribution of server loads on the existing premises.
• Streamline cable management to increase reliability and reduce airway obstructions.
• The use of special racks with perforated walls for the organization of "hot" and "cold" corridors.
• Use row air conditioners RowCool, which provide a more optimal air movement.
• Installation of high-performance power distribution cabinets that can minimize losses and equalize the load.
• As well as the use of modular UPS with a high level of efficiency up to 96% and low losses.

As you can see in the diagram, NUU managed to place all the equipment in such a way as not only to organize “hot” and “cold” corridors, but even to allocate additional space to accommodate loads in the future.

In order not to interfere with the movement of air, not to create additional heating in the server room and not to take up space that can be used for efficient server placement, UPSs reserved according to the 1 + 1 scheme were moved to a separate room.

This is what the cable infrastructure at NUU now looks like. Thanks to the ordering of cables in racks, as well as additional trays for mounting the SCS, it was possible to guarantee reliable (and sometimes even backup) connection of servers.

PUE 1.6 and Delta Solutions

After all upgrades, the PUE level decreased from 2.99 to 1.6, so that engineering equipment did not consume 200% of the energy from IT systems, but only 60%. This approach has allowed the university to save almost $ 135,000 US dollars per year, as well as to provide power to install at least the same amount of equipment for the future. That is, now the data center can be doubled without additional power supply!

Such results were achieved through the use of the following Delta Electronics solutions:

• Delta PDC Power Distribution Cabinets allow you to distribute the load between racks, switch it to different phases (in the case of three-phase power) and help administrators monitor changes in the power profiles of different components.
• Modulon DPH series modular UPSs show an efficiency of 96% at half load and reduce the level of power conversion losses. At the same time, the capacity of the modules can be increased by adding additional batteries in order to extend the battery life of critical infrastructure elements.
• Special racks Delta do not interfere with the movement of air, since 70% of their surface is perforation, and the cables fit into the channels and do not interfere with the circulation.
• In-line Delta RowCool air conditioners with high cooling capacity direct cold air directly to the equipment. Installed two in each row and connected to a central control system, they allow to provide the necessary cooling precisely at the moments of peak loads or on hot days.
• The DCIM class software — Delta InfraSuite — helped the customer analyze the energy consumption and heat release profile to maximize the efficiency of the cooling and ventilation systems. By the way, the system continues to work in real time and allows you to correct the imbalance.
• A closed hot corridor and a controlled ventilation system prevent hot air from getting back into the server room. All the allocated heat effectively goes to the street.

Improved energy efficiency and other benefits

In addition to improving the energy efficiency of the data center as a whole, NUU was able to monitor the stability of the power supply, monitor deviations in the operation of equipment, and also perform temperature monitoring of the data center in real time.

A good result of reducing PUE was achieved in NUU through the use of an integrated solution. If you have experience in improving PUE due to a partial upgrade, we would appreciate if you share it in the comments.