Data center giant Equinix has found a low-tech solution to high data center electricity bills: turn up the thermostat.
Guidelines from the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) recommend data center server temperatures ranging from 59°F (15°C) to as high as 89°F (31.6°C). Equinix is considering setting the temperature to 80°F (26.6°C), up from the current setting of 73°F (22.7°C).
This won’t happen overnight. Equinix calls this a multi-year project and says it will first inspect its more than 200 data centers around the world. Equinix noted that ASHRAE’s guidance is more than two decades old and was designed around mainframes, not rows of x86 racks with hot aisles and cold aisles.
It’s easier to fill a room with cool air. Then you can make sure all your devices are safe and secure, no matter where they are located. As our designs continue to evolve, especially around data center layout, we’re making better progress with [airflow management],” said Jon Lin, executive vice president and general manager of Equinix Data Center Services.
He added that data center hot air is primarily confined in hot aisles, where it is directed into air conditioning systems, and it can also be contained by walls that block airflow.
Another reason Equinix is willing to let temperatures rise is because modern equipment absorbs heat. “For the better part of 20 years, equipment manufacturers have essentially been creating and ensuring that their equipment can handle a range of temperatures much higher than that,” Lin said. “The equipment currently in our data centers is well designed and well tested at higher operating temperatures.”
In addition to operating at higher ambient temperatures, Equinix plans to make greater use of pumped cool outdoor air where feasible to reduce the use of air conditioning.
Reducing electricity usage also reduces operating expenses, but Lin said the project stems from a growing focus on sustainability and that simply reducing electricity usage is not enough; Equinix wants to make better use of it.
“It’s not enough to just say we’re buying green energy. We also need to look at how we use that energy and make sure we’re both providing the most value to our customers while using as little as possible,” he said.