In Review:

Growing a Greener Data Center: Is the Data Really Greener on the Other Side?

Growing a Greener Data Center
Author: Douglas Alger
Publisher: Cisco Press
Publication Date: 2009
Length: 336 pages
Price: $40.50 in paperback
ISBN-13: 978-1-58705-990-2
Source: www.ciscopress.com

Denyse Griffith

The existence and operations of large data centers are transparent to most people who do not work in information technology management, but these facilities lie at the heart of many processes, applications, and conveniences that we take for granted in the 21st century. Although data centers may not occupy a prominent place in our collective consciousness, the impact they have on the environment is significant. Grow a Greener Data Center by Douglas Alger provides an in-depth analysis of the issues related to the planning, design, construction, and operation of a data center that has less negative environmental impact than existing data centers.

In addition to considering the physical changes that can be made, Alger also addresses the changes in IT strategies, such as consolidation, virtualization, and automation, that allow more efficient and effective use of IT resources. This book could serve as a valuable reference tool for stakeholders involved in developing and implementing new data center projects. It is structured to enable readers to obtain in-depth information about their specific areas of concern or expertise, while also allowing them to gain insight into other aspects that need to be considered.

Quantifying the Greener Side of Data Centers

In the first chapter, Alger provides an overview of the impact of data centers on the environment and the rationale for moving to the construction and operation of greener facilities, and he discusses the business, regulatory, and environmental factors that are relevant to the decision-making process.

This chapter includes an evaluation of the current state of green construction and certification programs, as well as near-term anticipated changes and developments. The author does an excellent job of referencing examples from a wide cross-section of industries and around the world, which enables the reader to understand the importance of the subject matter and provide context for the proposed development of data centers with decreased negative environmental impact.

While many companies are going green to meet the expectations of their customers and clients, it is not often clear what this means or what the quantifiable positive outcome is. In the second chapter, Alger addresses metrics – how to measure the greenness of a data center – and includes various measurements and calculations used around the world to evaluate how green a building is. This is particularly useful to individuals who are required to conduct cost-benefit analyses and to quantify the positive impact on the environment. The metrics discussed include energy usage, carbon footprint, and other elements, such as the consumption of water and pollution by backup generators.

Painting a Greener Data Center

Alger addresses the components of a data center’s construction and operation that can have the most environmental impact. Most important among these is power consumption. Alger reports the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency projects that without efficiency improvements, power consumption by U.S. data centers will reach 100 billion kilowatt hours by 2011. This exponential increase in power consumption has followed the overall trend of increased usage and ubiquitous presence of technology and the Internet in the 21st century.

The power requirements of data centers are driven not only by the equipment installed in them, but by the substantial cooling requirements to ensure the equipment functions optimally. Alger discusses the decisions that can be made regarding equipment selection and utilization to reduce the power requirements of the data center. The way an organization responds to demands for IT resources is directly related to the physical components that are installed in a data center, and the author advocates for a paradigm shift from having dedicated resources and applications for each business process to having shared resources and using service-oriented applications.

Embracing a Greener Methodology

One of the strengths of Alger’s book is that it addresses the concerns of individuals involved in the design and construction of the facility, as well as those who will operate and maintain it. This holistic approach allows the data center to be designed and constructed with the needs of the enduser in mind and is more likely to produce a positive end result. However, at times it is very apparent the author’s area of expertise is information technology management, and the concepts discussed in later chapters, in particular Chapter 9: “Greening Your Data Center Through Consolidation, Virtualization, and Automation,” can be difficult to understand for individuals who are unfamiliar with the subject matter.

Download the PDF version here.

Denyse Griffith can be contacted at nyse75@cox.net.

From May - June 2010