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Embracing
traditional
data
services and the burgeoning
requirements of the Internet
of Things (IoT), the Internet of
Everything (IoE), as it isnowbeing
referred to, is adding considerably
to the pressure being applied to
data communication networks
and the storage capabilities of
data centers. With the inevitable
growth in this infrastructure that
this rising demand is driving, the
energy efficiency of these various
Cloud services is inevitably
and deservedly coming under
increased scrutiny. Any measure
that realizes valuable energy
savings, including efficiency
improvements in the supply of
power to the many, many servers
in these data centers, will not
only help operators keep costs
down but will also benefit the
environment.
Collaboration
between leading companies
in the power space, with each
bringing to bear their own unique
experiences, is one initiative that
is providing a way forward.
Introduction:
An Imminent Explosion
of Data
Retail operations already generate
significant volumes of data - according
to Cisco, a large store may collect
10GB of data every hour and transmit
1GB of that to a data center. Industrial
operations can generate vastly higher
levels of data, for example, automated
manufacturing plants can generate
1TB per hour while a large mining
operation can easily exceed 100TB per
hour. With the addition of connected
“Things”, such as sensors and controls
enabling infrastructure management
and security applications in commercial
and residential properties, a veritable
explosion of data is imminent.
Capturing all this data continuously
is the easy part. Transforming it into
useful information is what really counts
and is where Cloud services are key.
Data centers are at the heart of Cloud
services and while their processing and
storage capabilities continue to benefit
from improvements in technology,
it is their energy consumption that
has increasingly become a matter
of public concern. Over the typical
three-year life of a server, the cost of
powering it can exceed its purchase
price. On top of this is the energy
cost for running the cooling systems
needed to maintain safe operating
temperatures for all the electronic
equipment. This is why there is now
a major industry trend to siting new
data centers in cooler climates, even
undersea, and also close to plentiful
sources of renewable energy such as
hydroelectric power plants.
Energy-Efficiency is Key to Cloud Services
for the Internet of Everything
Mark Adams, AMP Group
42 l New-Tech Magazine Europe