Data Center Utilization Report – March 2012

What was installed:

Cluster Support:

• Approximately 18.2kW

Business Systems:

• No new systems

What was removed:

Cluster Support:

• Approximately 2kW

Business Systems:

• None

March average Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE): 1.46

• Average Power Consumption:
  • 410kW IT
  • 1kw Lighting
  • 23.0kW Building and IT Losses
  • 165kW Cooling Power – unknown due to sensor error
• Average Cooling Load: 116.5 tons

Data Center Efficiency Progress:

The DOE national average PUE for data centers is 1.75. 50B-1275 data center has evolved from an average PUE of 1.65 (calculated in 2009) to today’s 1.47. Getting there, staying there, and further improving the PUE is an ongoing effort.

Key highlights for this month include:

• Updates were suspended the last two months due to sensor read out failures.  A water temperature sensor was replaced and a IT load electrical meter failed.  The meter is expected to be replaced within the next week.  Manual readings from the meter were taken and entered into the calculations to establish proper PUE.
• The new VFD software to automatically control air handler air flow is in final testing and expected to be installed soon.  The current software is disabled.
• Testing using the current software revealed problems with two of the 15 ton air handlers.  Bot have hot gas expansion valves fluctuate which make it difficult to control the air handlers.  Two valves in one of the units are currently being replaced.
• In November we reported raising the room temperature slightly.  The resulting affect has been continued failure of floor tiles, which become delaminated.