How to deal with the impact of the climate crisis on data centers?

People need to understand the impact of the climate crisis on data centers and what people can do about it.

It is an observable fact that the average temperature of the Earth's surface is increasing today. How humans process this information today will directly affect the quality of life and infrastructure in the future.

In 2022, global data center operating costs will reach US$212 billion, and data center spending in multiple industries has seen double-digit growth, including healthcare and pharmaceuticals (13%) and education (13%) and computing and IT services (11%) lead the way. Other noteworthy projects include finance and banking (8%) and engineering and construction (7%).

In fact, most industries rely on constant access to data centers to function. What does rising Earth temperatures mean for the future of data centers? What can people do about this symptom of the larger climate crisis?

Examples of climate change impacting data centers

2022 Several climate-related data center shutdowns have occurred:

• In July 2022, Google acknowledged a temperature-related cooling system failure at its Europe-west2-a regional data center. The outage left dozens of its services unavailable.

•Also in July, Oracle issued a memo stating that multiple services in its southern UK (London) service area were unavailable. Engineers attributed the outage to extreme temperatures.

•In September 2022, Twitter lost data redundancy due to high temperatures that prevented Twitter from connecting to its main data center in California.

These are high-profile examples, but small businesses that rely on on-premises, cloud or hybrid data centers need to be even more secure. Companies like Google and Oracle provide the data storage and processing backbone for much of the Internet and thousands of small and medium-sized businesses.

Businesses of all sizes that rely on data center storage must consider the budgetary requirements required to protect internal and customer data. Cyber ​​liability insurance can keep businesses with problematic data governance afloat, but not every policy will work for every business or every situation. The world still needs data centers that can withstand current and future climate changes.

Is it possible to combat the impact of the climate crisis on data centers? The answer is yes, but it requires knowledge, initiative and strategic investment.

1. Make data centers more energy efficient

The most important step is to make all data centers more energy efficient. According to a 2022 survey collected by the company Statista, observed data center power usage efficiency is rising. Data center builders and owners should continue to look for improvements to continue this trend. As people collectively reduce their reliance on the grid during temperature spikes, data center cooling systems are less likely to fail and systems become unresponsive.

Energy Star, part of the U.S. Department of Energy's program, recommends taking the following steps:

•Consolidate server resources that are used in small amounts or intermittently.

•Seek out technologies such as advanced processors to reduce power consumption during idle times or low usage.

•Install a power distribution unit (PDU) to reduce power loss and monitor energy usage in real time. According to Energy Star, modern power distribution units (PDUs) are 2-3% more efficient than previous generations.

•Consult experts to fine-tune airflow and insulation to achieve as much passive cooling as possible. Inexpensive airflow management technology can save a single facility $360,000 in annual cooling costs. This is usually as simple as adding insulation between the cold and hot areas.

•Switch from a mechanical chiller to a cooling tower and save 70% compared to chilled water chillers and enjoy the energy savings that come with it.

According to the Uptime Institute, 45% of data centers in the United States have experienced struggles trying to stay operational during extreme weather events. Making your facility more energy efficient is a great start, but you may need to take further steps to protect it.

2. Migrate data centers elsewhere

Unfortunately, as previously reliably cool areas of the planet become less cool, moving some data centers Travel elsewhere may be necessary. Microsoft Corp. is exploring the potential of placing data centers underwater to take advantage of relatively cold temperatures, an architectural feat reserved only for large companies. Of course, doing so also brings with it a host of other engineering challenges, such as waterproofing.

3. Use dynamic cooling systems

Data centers power and benefit from the Internet of Things. More and more data centers are installing smart sensors to read temperatures in real time, adjust cooling systems to mitigate temperature creep, and reduce power demands when not necessary.

4. Use artificial intelligence to throttle

Artificial intelligence can help data center operators dynamically reduce parts of the data center by using data analysis and logic, and Proactively shift data loads from one location to another when high temperatures may impact high-demand servers. Artificial intelligence can also play a role in cost saving in information security and other related fields.

5. Cooling system redesign

HVAC experts recommend other modifications to the cooling system, including installing larger condensers for chillers and using evaporative cooling technology. to escape the sweltering heat without burdening the power grid. Liquid cooling systems would also be a major help, but IT teams haven't used them yet because of the expertise required to install them. However, they are efficient and effective, so the learning curve is worth it.

Preparing for Resilient Data Centers

The Earth does adhere to certain long-term climate cycles, but current trends exceed expected boundaries and plunge into man-made disruption. But before the worst happens, Twitter will be lost. It might not bother you, but what if Oracle, Google, Amazon, or Microsoft lose their share of the World Wide Web? These companies all help you keep your favorite websites, day-trading apps, ride-hailing services, and Streaming channels run on demand.

Human infrastructure is now primarily digital. Data center professionals need to follow the lead of climate scientists and climate-aware technologists to maintain the integrity of their infrastructure while everyone works to protect the planet from the worst impacts of climate change.

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