How DCIM Software Can Help Data Centres Achieve Sustainability Goals
New and emerging technologies like AI and machine learning are leading the way for new technology. But at what cost?
To keep up with data demands, computing capacity has had to increase, and continues to do so. Alongside increased computing capacity comes a host of environmental issues, particularly increased carbon emissions. In fact, it is estimated that data centres generate the same amount of carbon emissions as the global airline industry.
Optimum efficiency and environmental friendliness is at the front of all data centre’s agendas, especially in recent years since zero carbon goals have come into force. And fortunately, Data Centre Infrastructure Management (DCIM) is here to help achieve these goals.
Why Should Data Centres Go Green?
Since 2021, data centres now hold an environmental responsibility to reduce their carbon footprint, following the IPCC Report from the UN which advised that critical and drastic measures need to be taken against our effect on climate change.
Regulatory operators in the industry have set clear goals to be carbon neutral by 2030. It may seem there is a long way to go for data centres to reach this goal, but fortunately there are steps to be taken to reduce wasted energy and enhance energy usage.
Intelligent Data Centre Infrastructure Management (DCIM) monitors environmental factors such as temperature and humidity in order to prevent unexpected outages or irregularities that can cause damaging downtime or data loss.
How Can DCIM Help Date Centres Reach Net-Zero Environmental Goals?
Data centres are already going green but tracking and reporting these changes and ticking all the right boxes can be tricky. Effective DCIM can help data centres prove their green credentials with effective and accurate monitoring of activity, while also offering the ability to report on energy saving and sustainability activity.
Real-Time Charts and Reports
Data centres need a way of acting quickly when a server or cooling system malfunctions in order to prevent overheating and energy wastage.
Knowing real-time conditions using DCIM helps data centre staff take immediate corrective measures before a small problem becomes a serious issue.
Plus, with a dynamic dashboard for instant data review and planning, data centres can set data standards, see at a glance their renewable energy sources and track sustainability goals.
Accurate, real-time data not only empowers data centres to make future-proofed decisions but also can fully optimise their energy usage and give back full control over the entire data centre space.
Efficient Cooling Processes
DCIM introduces the opportunity to reduce energy wastage through efficient cooling processes.
Operators will receive an alert when a threshold has been reached. For example, if one of the fan’s cooling a server malfunctions, DCIM will alert the relevant staff that the server is at risk of overheating, allowing maintenance staff to fix the fault before it leads to server failure and expensive downtime.
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In terms of sustainability, preventing such issues as well as preventing overcooling of equipment saves unnecessary wasted energy being used.
Compliance with Sustainability Initiatives
Whilst DCIM assists data centres to maintain the highest standards of performance possible, it also allows compliance with industry regulations through close monitoring which informs when necessary adjustments to be made.
Measure and Reduce Energy Consumption
The top objective for many data centres to aim for, and also the quickest, easiest and best value ways to realistically achieve climate neutrality and sustainability, is by significantly improving energy efficiency.
Innovative DCIM software seeks out the source of wasted energy and offers smart alternatives.
Identify Idle and Obsolete Servers
In a data centre full of rows upon rows of servers, it’s not always possible to identify power hogs. That is, unless DCIM is implemented to seek out redundant servers that can be replaced with more efficient equipment.
Today’s Leaders in Data Centre Sustainability
Google is proud to be one of the first tech giants to have carbon neutral data centres since 2007, before official regulations came into play. Their current goal is to reach zero carbon by 2030 and they plan to do this by shifting complex computing tasks to times of the day when power on the grid is ‘cleanest. They are also developing one of the world’s largest solar projects that can cover outages and other times of need. Machine learning is also being implemented to optimise how their wind farms deliver power.
Microsoft
Just as impressive is Microsoft’s data centres which have been carbon neutral since 2012. They also intend to be completely green by 2030 by supporting significant renewable energy projects. What’s more, once they reach net-zero, they plan to remove all carbon from the atmosphere that they have ever emitted.
Apple
Apple’s data centres reached carbon neutrality in 2014. They have partnered up with local wind farms and solar power providers as well as constructing new data centres intended to run on 100% renewable energy.
Most recent to reach carbon neutral are Facebook’s data centres in 2021. However, they plan to reach net-zero by 2030 using machine learning to monitor, predict and optimise efficiency based on capacity, weather and seasonality. Their liquid cooling system also uses 50% less water and their hyper efficient servers can operate in higher temperatures.
Sustainability is Full (Carbon Zero) Steam Ahead
There’s not long to go until 2030. Sustainability can’t be achieved without accurate data. With innovative DCIM by your side and optimising every step of the way, with an efficient way to collect and maintain accurate data to start measuring, planning and optimising for a more sustainable future, net-zero is possible.
Assetspire’s next-gen DCIM makes staying ahead of the competition in an ever evolving IT landscape easy. Monitor your assets and detect any potential issues before they become problems, minimise damaging downtime and data loss and achieve a fully efficient and optimised data centre. But most importantly, reduce energy waste and reach those all important and imminent environmental targets. We see only green days ahead.
