How to curb run-away power in the data center
Data centers represent a skyrocketing component of any enterprise's energy budget, and therefore a major share of operational costs. Best energy management practices can help contain these costs, and simultaneously put IT and facilities teams on an environmentally responsible path that aligns the corporate data centers with EPA energy standards. The Scope of the Problem -- and the Opportunity Surveys of all sizes and types of data centers identify many categories of wasted energy. For example, approximately 10 to 15 percent of all data center servers are idle (i.e., not processing useful work). An average server draws about 400 watts of power, for an annual cost of $800 or more. This adds up to billions of dollars of wasted energy, cooling, and management costs every year in the U.S. alone.
