I have covered many topics as they relate to energy efficiency for data centers. I want to extend that coverage by gathering the experts in each specific topic for a meeting. A panel discussion is a good way to do that.

I have a few ideas that I will use one by one in my blogs as proposals to potential conferences and panelists. One area I have spent a good deal of time on is metering in data centers. I have visited several metering companies and interviewed their executives. For most of those companies, I have written a blog post:

• Arch Rock
• Modius
• OSIsoft
• Sentilla

In addition, I have talked to Liebert/Aperture and SynapSense. Although they are all in the same monitoring and metering space, each company has a slightly different angle. Some measure via their own sensors and aggregate the data for display. Others do not gather data by themselves but exploit the data from other sources. So the functions can be roughly classified into three categories: measuring (via sensor), aggregating, and analysis and display.

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		Energy Efficient Cooling for Data Centers: A Close-Coupled Row Solution
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Also, in addition to measuring power consumption, different approaches can be taken to common functions like:

• alarm management
• asset management
• capacity analysis
• efficiency analysis
• air control automation

In the first panel, I would like to discuss the following so that a general audience can understand the needs of metering, learn which technologies are state-of-the-art, and assess the minimally necessary functions of metering. We would discuss the following:

• Why do data centers require monitoring and metering?
• What is a typical architecture for measuring, aggregation, analysis, and display?
• What are the minimally required functions of metering?
• What kind of standards should be defined for metering? What type of data should be collected? Granularity of data? Frequency of collection? Data formats (like XML)? Display formats?
• What extensions, such as e-waste and water, should be considered for existing metering?

An ideal panel will consist of three or four vendors and one researcher in the space. I plan to send this blog to the vendors I talked to before, at least one candidate conference, and a research organization, like a university.

Next, a proposal for a panel discussion of IT energy efficiency.

Tags: Data Center, Energy Efficiency, Metering and Measuring