Understanding The Sheer Size Of Data Centres

Understanding The Sheer Size Of Data Centres

As the internet continues to expand and the need for data storage increases, companies across the world are seeking out ever larger centres to store and process their data.

The size of computers may have shrunk dramatically over the decades, with machines that once required a whole room to themselves now being capable of storage on a single rack, but the cumulative growth of the IT industry has meant that the days of computer storage centres are far from over. Quite the contrary, in fact, with technology giants opening ever larger and more impressive data centres in strategic locations to cope with the rising demand.

With data centre expansion being a costly investment, no space is wasted in stacking multiple servers efficiently. Larger data centres may possess such a vast quantity of racks that batches of 1,000 or more are storied together in shipping containers, and these entire batches replaced in the event that a single server fails. However, the need to maintain a cool environment means that there must be sufficient space between units to allow for proper ventilation.

One of the most significant issues facing data centre operators is power cost, particularly in terms of the cooling needed to keep servers operating at peak efficiency. Industry analyst Gartner confirmed that servers account for as much as 15% of a company's total power cost - so naturally, the more servers a company operates, the greater the energy bill for its data centres.

The recommended temperature of data centres is usually stated as between 16 and 24 degrees Celsius, but new technology is permitting servers to operate at ever higher temperatures, even if the difference is only relatively minor. When you consider the thousands upon thousands of servers that can make up a single data centre, the ability to operate at even one degree warmer can lead to significant savings on cooling costs, especially as fuel scarcity leads suppliers to jack up their costs each year.

Of course, reducing power consumption is not just about the financial cost, which will hardly make a dent to larger organisations. These companies face a larger threat in the form of environmental legislation, and this has led to organisations seeking out ever more creative methods of harnessing renewable energy sources to 'green' their operations.

Cooler countries such as Iceland are havens for data centres, not only for their naturally cold climate, but also the ability to harness geothermal energy. One recent breakthrough has seen data centre operators being more creative still, harnessing the thermal energy produced by cow manure to ease the strain on fossil fuels.

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