Case2: Google Data Center Efficiency Best

Practices
What is PUE, and why is it an important place to start when
considering how to reduce data center power consumption? What
value of PUE should data center managers strive for?
Power usage efficiency (PUE) is a form of measuring how efficient a data
center is in using energy. PUE can be determined by a ratio of amount of
power entering the data center by the amount of power used to run the
computer equipment (PUE = Total Facility Energy/IT Equipment Energy).
PUE provides the tool to measure how effective a data center is in utilizing
energy to cool its computers equipment. Data center managers strive for a
PEU of 1.0. As the PUE increases over 1.0 the less efficient the data center is
in using energy to cool its computer equipment which could be very costly
for the company since its overhead cost will rise. According to Kevin Dolder,
PE senior data center manager of Google, a typical data center in 2006 used
a PUE of 2.0. For a data center is extremely important to reduce the data
center power consumption because it will reduce overhead cost which could
be significant for a company that is looking to lower operation cost.
Describe the five methods recommended by Google for reducing
power consumption.
Google is looking to reduce its overhead cost; therefore, over the years it had
implemented five methods to reduce power consumption of its data centers
which has saved Google millions of dollars. One of the methods used by
Google is to constantly measure the PUE of its data centers. Mr. Dolder states
the more often the PUE is measured the more meaningful the results become
and the PUE should be measure over a course of year or a quarter. Google
incorporate the measurements of PUE to its Building Management System so
the management could have easy access of how efficient were the data

centers in using energy. Over the last twelve months Googles PUE has
being 1.16. The other method use by Google is to manage the airflow. It can
be managed by identifying the hot spots of data center and delivering a cool
air flow to those spots. Google use the Computational Fluid Dynamic (CFD)
analysis to identify where the hot spots are and how to deliver the cool air
flow to those spots. Google spent twenty five thousand dollars in parts to
deliver the cool air flow to those hot areas. A repair that has saved Google
over sixty five thousand dollars per year
Another method that Google recommends is to adjust the thermostat to
eighty degrees as it is recommended by American Society of Heating,
Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineering. According to Erik Teetzel the
technical program manager for Google, data center operators believe the
temperature should be kept cold so the computer equipment can run
efficient. Which is not correct because a data center can run efficient at a
temperature of eighty degrees? Following the recommendations of
www.ashrae.org, Google increased the temperature from seventy to eighty
degrees which has help the company save thousands of dollars. As well
Google recommends utilizing free cooling in which exterior air and water is
used to cool data centers instead of a mechanical cooling system. When the
exterior temperature drops, a modulating valve opens and allows the
exterior cold water to overpass the existing chiller and flow through the
cooling system; thus, using less power. However, free cooling is not
completely free since the chiller is still operating in most cases; nevertheless,
at a lower level. Google has being able to run two data centers in Europe
without chillers, they rely solely on the exterior air and water to cool the data
centers. Lastly, Google recommends to use optimize power distribution
which consists of minimizing the conversion stages of AC to DC which
requires a lot of electric power. Google recommends to eliminate as much of
those conversion stages so less electric power is use; consequently, saving
the thousands of dollars in overhead cost.

How much of the worlds global greenhouse gases are the result of
computing? List several factors that will tend to retard or accelerate
data center power consumption both globally and in the United
States.
Erik Teetzel states that the Information and Communication Technology
sector is responsible for about two percent of global greenhouse emission
and of the two percent the data centers are responsible for about fifteen
percent. While the large internet data centers use five percent of the two
percent. The growth of computing and stream of music and videos will
accelerate power consumptions since there will be required for more data
centers to be built to meet the demand. According to the Google article a
recent research found that demand of power for data centers grew by fiftysix percent worldwide and thirty-six percent in the United States. Companies
are trying several methods to reduce energy consumption. One method is to
place data centers in regions with low temperature so they can utilize free
cooling. As well using virtualization which consists of servers performing
multiple tasks so fewer servers are used
Where do you suspect that data-center power consumption will be
greatest: developing and emerging economies or already developed
economies? Why?
The power consumption will be greater in developing and emerging
economies since the merging of new companies may not have the resource
to purchase the latest technology available to help them reduce power
consumption. The new technology will help them reduce the consumption of
energy; however, it may be very costly for a starting company. On the other
hand, on already developed economies the companies are already establish
and have more resources to purchase the new technology that lowers energy
consumption.

Imagine that a company has developed an advanced technology

that allows it to reduce its data-center requirements by an
unprecedented amount, and creates a competitive advantage for
the company in the data center market? Why should it share that
technology with other data enter firms? If this firm does not share
its techniques the rest of the industry will continue to operate less
efficient centers and increase global emissions of greenhouses
gases above what they would otherwise be
A company which has developed a technology that allows it to reduce global
emissions of greenhouse gasses may want to share the information with
other companies. Since sharing the information will make the company look
good with its shareholders; hence, representing itself as a responsible
company that cares about reducing the gas emission effect. This move may
increase patronage from its customers since customers may perceive the
company as a responsible company.

Should the government or an industry association regulate the

carbon emissions of the data center industry as they do the airline
industry? Or automobile industry? Or is it sufficient to rely on the
completive market place to drives down energy consumption in data
enters?
The government should regulate the carbon emission of the data centers
since this will force them to meet the requirements set by the government.
Relying on competitive market to drive down energy consumption may not
be enough because some companies may not be willing to make the effort to
do it on their own. Since the companies may assume that the cost of

remodeling their data centers to reduce energy consumption may

overweight the cost of the saved energy