Powering the Cloud

Cloud computing is impacting every size and type of organisation, providing instant scalability and revolutionising how IT is used. Whilst its capabilities are undeniable, as the rate of cloud adoption continues to increase, how the cloud is powered does present a significant challenge to data centre providers, at a time where efficiency and sustainability are the buzzwords in the data centre industry.

The recent Cisco Global Cloud Index highlighted how cloud traffic is only going to further dominate data centres. For instance, it revealed that in 2012, cloud traffic was 46 percent of total data centre traffic, however, by 2017 it will be 69 percent of total data centre traffic.

By 2017 it is also forecast that approximately 17 percent of data centre traffic will be fuelled by users accessing clouds for web browsing, consuming video on demand and so on. This increase will in turn impact the worldwide data centre industry power draw which currently accounts for between 1.1% and 1.5% of total worldwide electricity use, depending on your source.

Powering this proliferation in cloud efficiently from a data centre perspective is undeniably a significant challenge, and IT decision makers are fully aware of this.

Often the issue of sustainability is seen in the context of the replacement of ageing and environmentally unfriendly power sources by cleaner or “greener” methods. However, it should also be a desire to reduce overall growth in the levels of production, thus reducing the pressure on all sources of energy, and in the process reducing operating costs, which is of course always welcomed.

Manufacturers of data centre infrastructure equipment for power and cooling are doing an extremely good job of producing equipment which is highly efficient. However, it’s how we choose to implement that equipment which is more crucial as we cope with the growth and demand for cloud.
When it comes to data centre efficiency there is no ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach. It’s a marathon, not a sprint, and the best data centre managers tend to balance thinking outside the box with a common sense approach. Below are three simple but significant areas all data centre managers should take into account when ensuring their data centre is powering the cloud as sustainably as possible.

Important to test
As outlined, powering the cloud with green technology is important; however this must be balanced with a return on investment. Continuously testing various smaller energy efficient ideas which may or may not come to fruition is imperative, crucially, it is important to test and try to answer the ‘what if’ questions, as the industry continues to push boundaries and challenge assumptions about the data centre environment. When testing, all variables must be assessed, including: temperature, humidity, air pressure and data centre design.

To test these variables, we are now seeing companies have specific incubator programs within their operating data centres, where secluded R&D testing is administered. Generally tests take place over a period of six to 12 months and help develop an ecosystem of innovative technologies within the data centre.

Meet the demand when it is needed
The cloud demands faster levels of scalability than any previous delivery model, with the need for sufficient bandwith and processing power to meet the surges in demand, and then reduce resources when traffic peaks have passed, to ensure energy efficiency is maximised.

Be creative
Whilst the likes of Facebook and Google have understandably moved their data centres to the colder regions of the world, to minimise cooling costs, this is not always possible or practical. Therefore, when developing sustainable solutions for the data centre, it is important to think outside the box.
For example, to maximise free cooling at our London hosting centre, based in Canary Wharf, we are developing creative evaporative cooling techniques from the external environment as an energy-efficient way to cool instead. Soon we intend to draw cold water from the River Thames to cool the centre and in the long run, reduce electricity costs.

Moving inside the data centre, the creative solutions to energy efficiency can continue, for example using a smoke machine to make airflow visible and assess patterns, and making walls and ceilings adjustable to increase or decrease floor space.