14 DAY TRIAL // The new Green Data Center inaugurated by the Syracuse University, IBM and the Sate of New York was announced back in May and is an example of IBM's Smarter Planet initiative, an initiative focused on assisting clients in the use of digital intelligence, improving products and whole systems alike. The data center was constructed using $12.4 million and is a 12,000-square-foot facility that uses $5 million worth of equipment, design services and support provided by IBM.
The new data center was built in just six months by Syracuse-based VIP Structures and is registered with the U.S. Green Building Council. The center hopes to achieve the Silver rating by seeking certification under the USGBC's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) program.
IBM supplied the Syracuse University with the power-generation equipment, IBM BladeCenter, IBM Power 575 and IBM z10 servers, and a DS8300 storage device among other things. To the $5 million in equipment from IBM, the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) contributed $2 million, while $500,000 are on their way from the New York State Senate.
The GDC incorporates IBM's latest latest energy-efficient servers, cooling technology and system-management software. The actual raised-floor data center space equals 6,000 square feet, just as much as the infrastructure space itself. The center will become the Syracuse University primary computing facility and will allow for significant energy-cost savings and environmental benefits to organizations and businesses. The center distinguishes itself from other data centers through its high level of energy savings, unlike others that consume 30 times more power than a regular office building. IBM and Syracuse aim to put a stop to the rate at which data-center power consumption has been doubling every five years.
"Together, IBM and Syracuse are tackling a significant problem -- how to address the skyrocketing amount of energy used by today's data centers, which is impacting businesses and institutions of all sizes," Vijay Lund, vice president for cross-IBM offerings in IBM's Software Group, says. "We looked beyond conventional wisdom and addressed the broader issues of where and how to generate the electricity, how to cool the data center and how to make the computers more effective and efficient. This unique end-to-end focus has resulted in a smarter, cost-effective, greener data center."
One feature that prevents energy loss is the direct current (DC) power-distribution system employed by the GDC. This is different from those used by regular data centers in the way that, when alternating current (AC) is delivered from a power plant through the utility's electric grid, power loss always occurs when it is converted into the DC needed to sustain the servers. The Syracuse center directly generates its DC power on site, removing transmission and conversion loss.
Another way by which The SU GDC achieves its efficiency is through the use of an on-site electrical tri-generation system. This system is actually capable of generating all the power needed by the center and for the cooling of the computer servers, through using natural gas-fueled microturbines. The cooling is done through a liquid cooling system built with double-effect absorption chillers, which meets the cooling needs of the systems in an adjacent building by turning the exhaust heat from the microturbines into chilled water, basically recycling it. Special sensors monitor server temperatures, determining the needed amount of cooling required, and the actual cooling is done individually for each server rack, by means of "cooling doors" using chilled water.
"Syracuse University's new data center, with the assistance of New York-based IBM, will be a model of energy efficiency for New York and the world," Francis J. Murray, president and chief executive officer of NYSERDA, adds. "The collegiate, corporate and governmental partnership involved in this project showcases New York's leadership in developing cutting-edge energy technologies and represents an important step forward in reaching Gov. David Paterson's ambitious goals for reducing our energy consumption and improving our environment."
To help other data centers implement the same level of efficiency, the Syracuse University and IBM will be putting together a GDC Analysis and Design Center in 2010. This facility will research and analyze services for clients and others who wish to built similarly energy-efficient data centers or improve their current ones.
"The Green Data Center is a smart investment," Sen. Valesky shares. "By partnering with public and private organizations, Syracuse University will set a great example and provide much-needed resources for companies and organizations who are looking to reduce both IT costs and their carbon footprint."