For businesses looking to go green, investing in a highly efficient data centre can have a significant return on investment.
This is according to Xolani Ndlovu, country manager for Panduit SA, who notes that going green not only boosts brand credentials, but can also lead to long-term savings, adding that improving data centre efficiency, not cloud, should be a focus area.
"Cloud can be an effective tool in the drive to green IT, since efficiencies can be obtained in a multi-tenant, highly scaled environment. However, it is essential that the cloud provider adopts a green IT policy as well," he explains.
Most businesses use a combination of cloud services and their own data centres, which run core business applications and store sensitive data, he adds. For these data centres, thorough planning can pave the way for long-term savings.
"The data centre is by far the biggest consumer of power, and the power used to cool the equipment can be as much as the power to run the networking, compute and storage devices. By designing the overall data centre layout - and within the equipment racks themselves - for optimal cooling, it is possible to raise the temperature a couple of degrees and potentially save over 30% in cooling unit usage and associated costs," he explains, adding that, given the rising cost of power, such an investment will pay for itself over its lifespan.
While power usage is the obvious candidate for green plans, other factors should be considered, according to Ndlovu. These include choosing manufacturers that minimise packaging, disposing of faulty or obsolete equipment, efficiently using rack space, and actively monitoring and managing power.
It is important to recognise when expertise is needed, Ndlovu notes. "A decision needs to be made if the design is to be handled in-house or if consultants are to be retained. If the former, then the design team needs to have appropriate design expertise and qualifications." Mechanical and electrical elements may necessitate particular expertise, he adds.
Essentially, it all comes down to planning, he explains. "This must be carried out as a key part of the implementation, and incorporate all teams associated with the installation to ensure all needs are met - and efficiency is foremost."
"A poor or truncated planning cycle results in a design that will not deliver as expected and will cause continual problems as remedial work is carried out, he concludes. "Without an underlying architectural approach to the network and supporting physical infrastructure, efficiency and flexibility are compromised. It is essential that all aspects of future expansion are considered."
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