UPS consolidation can fuel green IT initiatives

04/29/2011

Power consumption is one of the greatest barriers to green IT in data center environments. Everything from network equipment to computers needs access to a reliable, redundant and sufficient power source to operate.

According to a recent Network World report, uninterruptable power systems are one of the least efficient power systems currently in mainstream use.

The report said UPS technologies are essential in most data centers, but most companies do not consider installing them until the end of a data center project. As a result, the installation is often clumsy, inefficient and limited.

As the data center grows, the UPS infrastructure expands, reducing efficiency because the initial deployment was so limited in scope. This makes power distribution less effective and severely limits green IT initiatives.

To counter this, the report said data center managers should consolidate UPS systems to improve efficiency and make sure the facility is as sustainable as possible.

According to a recent InfoWorld report, some companies are developing new ways to avoid UPS infrastructure entirely, such as refitting the server power supplies to support DC current instead of converting DC electricity to AC. This way, the device can be plugged directly into the facility's power supply.

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