HP Drives Data Center Energy Efficiency with Thermal Services and Dynamic Smart Cooling
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HP today announced enhancements to its extensive energy-efficiency portfolio for the enterprise, including a first-of-its-kind thermal zone map for data centers and new customers and partners of the HP Dynamic Smart Cooling solution.
HP Thermal Zone Mapping enables customers to see a three-dimensional model of exactly how much and where data center air conditioners are cooling. As a result, they can arrange and manage air conditioning for optimal cooling, increased energy efficiency and lower costs.
The capability is a patent-pending development from HP Labs, the company's central research facility, and is part of the HP Thermal Assessment Services offering.
"HP's Thermal Assessment Services for the data center help customers deal with the major challenge of driving energy efficiency to lower operational costs," said John McCain, senior vice president and general manager, HP Services. "Developed in conjunction with HP Labs, these services are another great example of how customers can use HP's expertise in planning and deploying IT infrastructures to accelerate growth, lower costs and manage risk."
Customers can reduce data center cooling energy costs by up to 45 percent by using Thermal Zone Mapping and Dynamic Smart Cooling (DSC), an advanced hardware and software solution that continuously adjusts data center air conditioning settings to direct where and when cooling is required. The DSC solution is based on real-time air temperature measurements from a network of sensors deployed on IT racks. HP is using Thermal Zone Mapping and DSC for its own data center consolidation project.
HP has added two partners for DSC: Liebert Corporation and STULZ. Recognized as leading data center equipment manufacturers, the companies are integrating their cooling control components with DSC, allowing customers to seamlessly integrate the solution with their existing air conditioning products.
Since its November 2006 unveiling, the DSC solution has been in demand from Wachovia and other customers to reduce costs, address IT facility cooling constraints and reduce carbon footprints. HP is working with additional customers representing more than 70 data centers worldwide for future implementations.
"With our continuing focus on energy costs and the environment, it is important for Wachovia to reduce our data center power consumption and greenhouse gas emissions," said Bob Cashner, senior vice president, Corporate Real Estate, Wachovia. "We expect HP's Dynamic Smart Cooling to do both, thereby reducing our operating costs and helping achieve Wachovia's carbon reduction goal."
Thermal assessments assist IT with data center optimization
HP Thermal Assessment Services use sophisticated modeling tools and techniques to determine the unique thermal conditions within a data center. HP professionals recommend changes to optimize climactic conditions and reclaim capacity, postponing or even eliminating the need for costly mechanical upgrades.
HP offers three levels of Thermal Assessment Services:
HP Thermal Quick Assessment Service - an entry-level assessment of the data center cooling based on interviews with staff and HP observations of the data center cooling environment;
HP Thermal Intermediate Assessment Service - includes the quick service features plus two-dimensional thermal modeling of below-floor thermal conditions; and,
HP Thermal Comprehensive Assessment Service with three-dimensional Thermal Zone Mapping - includes features of intermediate service plus observations, thermal modeling results and recommendations for improvement to ensure that a proper cooling solution has been achieved.
The comprehensive assessment provides greater detail of thermal characteristics than previously possible by identifying the relative influence of each air conditioning unit. The information provided allows data center managers to analyze "what if?" scenarios such as the impact of layout or infrastructure changes, or cooling capacity changes resulting from air conditioning unit failure. The service also makes it possible to identify appropriate settings for high computing demand time.
HP Thermal Assessment Services are part of the company's Data Center Solutions portfolio. HP Data Center Solutions provide a full range of expert, custom assessment and site planning services to help customers evaluate their IT environment and understand how to use resources more efficiently.
More information on HP Thermal Assessment and data center services is available at h20219..hp.com/services/cache/114078-0-0-225-121.html. More information on HP Dynamic Smart Cooling is available at hp.com/go/dsc.
HP and the environment
For decades HP has worked to manage its environmental impact by adopting environmentally responsible practices in product development, operations and supply chain. The company strives to be a global leader in reducing its carbon footprint, limiting waste and recycling responsibly. HP's efforts earned it recognition as one of Fortune Magazine's "Ten Green Giants" in April 2007. More information about the company's work in relation to the environment is available at www.hp.com/environment.
About HP
HP focuses on simplifying technology experiences for all of its customers - from individual consumers to the largest businesses. With a portfolio that spans printing, personal computing, software, services and IT infrastructure, HP is among the world's largest IT companies, with revenue totaling $97.1 billion for the four fiscal quarters ended April 30, 2007. More information about HP (NYSE: HPQ) is available at www.hp.com.
