Energy-efficiency and infrastructure
Energy efficiency is a shared responsibility and affects the entire computing centre
The power requirements of IT systems are complex: In addition to computing and storage systems and network components, cooling also consumes energy – and a great deal of it too. Cooling and electronics cannot function without electricity – but there is huge potential for reducing power consumption in these areas.
IT system operations and the necessary infrastructure for this should be thoroughly and constantly monitored to realise this potential and discover new opportunities: The LRZ has equipped its computer buildings as well as servers, computers and storage devices with thousands of sensors, continuously collects data on various operational and environmental parameters at its specially developed, freely available open-source monitoring tool, the Data Centre Database (DCDB).
Analysing meassurement data
The analysis focused on measurement data relating to the energy demand of building technology, IT electronics and system cooling, as well as whether there are any correlations between this information. This provides a better understanding of which factors influence power consumption at a computing centre and where improvements should be made to day-to-day operations. Other general findings from monitoring:
- Today, energy efficiency is the result of teamwork across virtually all departments of a computing centre. At the LRZ, building management cooperates with high-performance computing (HPC) and data storage specialists, who in turn cooperate with researchers, so that energy efficiency can be achieved in all areas.
- Today, we are saving electricity in all areas of the computing centre: In our day-to-day operations by consciously controlling hardware, using more efficient cooling methods, by procuring new, innovative components and, increasingly, by programming operational and application software in a sustainable way.
Award-winning direct cooling process harnesses the power of waste heat
The LRZ has developed the direct cooling process using water in collaboration with tech firms, which has now become the global standard at sustainable computing centres, is constantly being developed and for which the LRZ has received several awards: The involves channelling water through the racks via copper pipes where it is then heated. This means that we can continue to harness the power of waste heat – e.g. to heat offices.
Today, 40-degree water flows through almost all HPC systems at the LRZ, the heat from which can be used or is channelled over the roof and back into the circuit for cooling. These are the benefits of direct water cooling:
- The computers can be operated all year round without the need for fans and coolers. This reduces the amount of power consumed by cooling from an estimated 30 per cent to 5 per cent.
- The waste heat from IT systems serves to heat offices in the winter and can even be supplied to institutes or energy-intensive buildings such as swimming baths or greenhouses in the neighbourhood.
