Some Thoughts on Sustainability

As the amount of data being stored and processed continues to grow exponentially, the sustainability of data centers has become an increasingly critical issue. Data centers consume a significant amount of energy, and the demand for computing resources will grow at an accelerated rate. At the same time, sustainability calls for the carbon footprint to decrease while computing demand grows.

An essential tool in addressing the sustainability of data centers is through the use of data center infrastructure management (DCIM) software. DCIM software is a tool that helps data center managers monitor and optimize the performance of their data center’s infrastructure, including its power, cooling, and physical space. PUE (Power Utilization Efficiency) and DCiE (Data Center Infrastructure Efficiency) are vital tools in this effort.

One of the primary benefits of DCIM software is its ability to identify opportunities to improve energy efficiency. A quality DCIM solution provides visibility at a high level by monitoring PUE and DCiE. It reaches all the way to the lowest level by monitoring the power usage of individual servers and other IT devices. As a result, data center managers can identify and address inefficiencies. This can include shutting down unused servers or consolidating workloads onto fewer, more efficient servers.

DCIM software can also help data center managers optimize the cooling of their facilities. By monitoring temperature and humidity levels, data center managers can ensure that their cooling systems operate efficiently. This not only helps to reduce energy consumption but also improves the overall reliability and lifespan of the data center equipment. This simultaneously can solve the challenge of data transparency for data centers that host hyperscalers with contractual transparency requirements.

In addition to its energy-saving opportunities, DCIM software can also help data center managers optimize the utilization of their physical space. By tracking the location and usage of each device in the data center, data center managers can identify any underutilized areas and repurpose them for more effective use. This can reduce the overall physical footprint of the data center, which can lead to significant cost savings and improve energy utilization.

Monitoring is an industry-standard, and almost any tool can collect and store data, but an exceptional tool can correlate, trend, and alarm on complex factors that enable the optimization of
your infrastructure. Advanced Analytics is the key to success.

Beyond reactive handling of challenges and optimization is the (golden chalice item) of planning and comparative scenarios analysis. An advanced planning module that can create what-if scenarios and do a side-by-side comparison of approaches from power distribution to equipment replacement. A good DCIM will let you leap ahead with the ability to build out fully detailed and realized deployments and changes that create an entire virtualized scenario. A tool that will allow you to see overall effects, from a server model change to distribution changes to a fully defined data center built, complete with power distribution, load calculations and utilization metrics.

Overall, DCIM software is an essential tool for improving the sustainability of data centers (the “E” in ESG”). By helping data center managers monitor and optimize their infrastructure, DCIM software can help to reduce energy consumption, improve cooling efficiency, and optimize the utilization of physical space. As the demand for data storage and processing continues to grow, the importance of sustainable data centers will only increase, making DCIM software an increasingly valuable asset.

At Modius, we have been delivering real-world DCIM solutions since 2007. Our flagship product OpenData now has 12 modules covering the vast majority of what you need to run your data center out of the box. Our solution delivers outstanding real-time data, analytics, asset management and more; get in touch. We would be happy to show you how our OpenData solution can help you build a more sustainable data center today. You can reach us at sales@modius.com or 1-888.323.0066.