Data Center Standards Still Green

By Jeff Feinman

May 9, 2008 —  (Page 1 of 2)
A vast majority of data center companies believe there should be an industry standard outlining how to achieve effective power usage, according to figures from Digital Realty Trust.

The San Francisco-based company, which runs 70 data centers, claimed that 94 percent of respondents in a survey conducted in April called for a standard for efficient operation. Additionally, 83 percent agreed that a clear benchmark should be in place to outline how to use HVAC systems for more efficient energy use.

“Companies are looking for leadership and clarity on how to define a green data center, how to design their green data center plans and how to put them into action,” said Jim Smith, Digital Realty Trust’s vice president of engineering. “In the past, the question may have been how to convince companies of the value of green data centers. The good news is that is no longer a problem. The challenge now is that the data center industry needs to show the way with clear standards.”

“I do agree with the fact that there has to be some standard metrics available out there,” said Ashish Moondra, a product manager with Avocent, a maker of data center products. “If you don’t have a metric, it’s tough to depict to the whole world that you have a very efficient data center.”

Some of the main reasons as to why standards haven’t been instituted yet are a lack of consensus about what defines a green data center and the absence of an overarching group to deliver a unified message about it, Smith said. He noted that the Green Grid, an organization made up of technology companies, is taking a good approach to defining such standards and is becoming that singular voice.

Another stoppage to standard creation is limited understanding around the general issue even with the buzz around green IT, said Smith. There is still much education left for decision makers in data center operations.

Additionally, there is a fear of the results of data center assessments. “The measurement process can cause apprehension about how the results of that assessment will reflect on the people responsible for managing the datacenter,” Smith said.

Related Search Term(s): Data centers, power

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