In my post, “Dark Data Centers: Dream or Reality?”, I discussed how dim data centers remain a sought-after solution for IT professionals and users, and an attainable design goal for most companies.
One of our readers requested examples of solutions which can help to achieve a dim data center. As such, here are some key things to consider:
1. Move supporting infrastructure (power and cooling) out of the computer room space. Doing so reduces the likelihood that people will need to have access to the most critical space and can accomplish their tasks (replace batteries on UPS, perform thermographic scanning, replace AC filters, etc.) outside of the critical environment.
2. Utilize appropriate remote IP and serial access tools to control servers and network devices, including virtual disk interface technologies such that media can be installed remotely.
3. Install remote monitoring hardware and software to provide remote ‘snapshots’ as well as trending of the power and environmental performance of the space.
Thursday, May 13, 2010
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I completely agree with the objective and desirability of achieving a dim data center. The first step of removing all of the support infrastructure out of the data center is key. By doing so, you can operate and maintain the infrastructure without needing to send technicians inside the more sensitive IT areas. Also, the shift to virtualization can really drive improvements in achieving the dim data center since servers can be “provisioned” remotely and you can move loads as needed.
ReplyDeleteExcellent points. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteAt the risk of sounding a little self-serving, I think that smart PDUs like Racktivity's Rack Controller can help achieve the goal of a dark datacenter. Our device gives detailed REMOTE feedback on power usage, environmental conditions and other variables. It gives the same kind of reporting and control over the infrastructure layer that you would get with remote access to servers. It's much more than 'snapshots' because, with the right software, it can take preventative action to stop problems before they happen.
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