Sometimes the most easy fix to a problem is the most overlooked and conserving power in the data center is perhaps no different. There are five easy and inexpensive ways for you to improve your data center’s energy efficiency and reduce power consumption. 

“These are easy fixes anyone can do that can save 10% to 15% on energy consumption in the first week,” says Jim Smith, vice president of engineering for Digital Realty Trust, a data center design firm in Dallas.

1. The old hot-aisle, cold-aisle

 Everyone knows that a hot-aisle, cold-aisle layout of computer equipment is the best method for assuring that a data center is properly cooled. In this layout, cool air flows through the aisles where it is taken in by the servers and other equipment and the heated air is exhausted out of the back of the system to the hot aisles and to the air conditioner return ducts.

Even though there is more to benefit to be received from hot-aisle, cold-aisle design than any other data center design issue, IT needs to watch for gear that exhausts air differently than out the back. You need ways for handling the hot exhaust from devices that are side- or top-ventilated. Cisco gear, for example, uses side ventilation; in Verari servers and blades and some HP gear, hot air is exhausted through the top of the equipment.

To maximize the hot-aisle, cold-aisle configuration, these devices should be placed in their own part of the data center where all exhaust air can be directed to a hot aisle or intermixed with rear-exhausting equipment and placed in a rack such as from Chatsworth that re-direct side-ventilated exhaust to the back of the cabinet.

Racks should also be positioned perpendicular to air conditioning to allow the unobstructed of heated air.

2. Ready, set, go airflow

 Establish the right set points in configuring data center temperature and humidity. "Most people have the perception that the data center should be cold, says Smith.

"In reality, the data center should be slightly warm and slightly humid. If you look at the American Society of Heating, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Engineers [ASHRAE] TC9.9, the mid-point of their range is 74 degrees and 50% humidity," says Smith.

That's the ideal environment for data center operation, says Smith.