Green (low carbon) Data Center Blog

Container Data Center Buyers Guide coming soon

DataCenterKnowledege reports on Mark Bramfitt's latest project.

Feds Prep Buying Guide for Modular Data Centers

August 24th, 2010 : Rich Miller

Another view of the a data center built by Colt using its new modular design.

In another sign of the momentum for modular data center designs, the federal government is developing a guide to help agencies choose among the growing number of container-based offerings. Industry consultant Mark Bramfitt says he is working with the General Services Administration (GSA) and the Department of Energy’s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL) to develop a guide to evaluating container data centers and next-generation modular designs

Here is Mark's blog post.

Container/Modular DC Guidebook Under Dev - Call for Comment

Under the auspices of the US Department of Energy's Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and the federal General Services Agency, I am drafting a guidebook that charts a process of choosing from available container-based and modular data center technologies, with a focus on energy efficiency and the provision of supporting infrastructure.

While it would be impossible to stay current with every development in this area, we are interested in providing a clear snapshot of the industry today, with the primary goal of describing a specification and deployment planning process that will be relevant in the future.

There are many who think containers will not work.  But, there are many who are also excited about the possibilities.

Will a container-powered cloud computing offering prove to be a compelling cost-cutting strategy for the Obama IT team?  It remains to be seen. But the creation of a buying guide for these products suggests that modular data center designs will, as Bramfitt puts it, be “relevant in the future.”

HP introduces Butterfly Flexible Data Center design, reducing CAPex by 50%

OK, my Microsoft past haunts me.  HP introduces a "butterfly" data center design and I think of the MSN butterfly.

HP's butterfly looks different than MSN's, and I doubt we'll see an HP data center staff in a butterfly outfit, but the building does look like a butterfly.

HP Flexible DC “butterfly” design

HP Flexible DC is based on a “butterfly” design featuring four prefabricated quadrants, or modules, that stem off a central administrative section. The offering uses industrial components to improve cost efficiencies as well as a streamlined building process with a variety of options for power and cooling distribution.

Joking aside I was able to talk to Kfir Godrich, CTO of HP critical infrastructure.

“Clients, such as financial service providers, government entities, and cloud and colocation hosts, will find the scalable and modular nature of HP Flexible DC a compelling option,” said Kfir Godrich, chief technology officer, Technology Services, HP. “HP can help clients innovate the way they build and operate a greenfield data center for greater savings over its life span.”

I am writing this blog post before the official release, and I will update this blog with the press release link.

HP Flexible Data Center Reduces Clients’ Upfront Capital Investment Requirements by Half, Optimizes Resource Use

Design delivers flexibility, lowers carbon footprint

PALO ALTO, Calif., July 27, 2010

HP today introduced a new way for clients to cut capital investment requirements for the design and build of data centers in half while significantly decreasing their carbon footprint.⁽¹⁾

The patent-pending HP Flexible Data Center (HP Flexible DC) offers a standardized, modular approach to designing and building data centers that allows clients to replace traditional data center designs with a flexible solution that can be expanded as needed while conserving resources.

Some facts that data center folks will care about are:

• 3.2 MW is the overall capability of the total butterfly building.
• Each of the modules is 800 kW which you can deploy in a partial deployment, supporting 800, 1600, 2400, and 3200 kW increments.
• The central core is shared building support space for the four modules.
• You can use multiple 3.2 MW deployments for a campus approach like below

• PUE is in the 1.2 - 1.25 range.
• The design is modular to support multiple power and cooling systems, using multiple vendors while maintaining a high degree of integration across the systems.
• Total square footage for a 3.2 MW configuration is 25,000.
• Removing complexity in the system increases availability, efficiency, and cost effectiveness.

Here are images from the official presentation.

The one slide I would add if I was creating the presentation is "Why a new Data Center design?" where HP explained problems it sees customers having and then how Flexible DC creates a new approach to DC design.

Modularity and of the system to support 800kW increments.  BTW, Kfir said you could deploy a 400 kW configuration instead of 800kW.

To support a low PUE, hot air is exhausted through the roof.  Although in the images HP provided you can't see the roof system which lead me to think HP has a patent in process for the roof.  Note Yahoo patented its Chicken Coop design.  Kfir also made it clear the  design with 4 cooling methods can support deployments anywhere in the world, and where trade-offs can be made for when water is an expensive resource. 

Don't ask what Tier the design is.  It is designed for availability, energy and cost efficiency, not to meet a Tier standard.

I've been spending more time thinking about how you present data center issues to the CFO and so has HP.

There were six things that impressed me

1. The amount of topics Kfir and I could cover in 25 minutes.
2. The quality of the presentation and information that HP has in the Flexible Data Center Solution.  They can use this same presentation for CxO and data center geeks.  Although I would add a Why change data center design slide.  On the other hand criticizing decisions people have made in the past could upset some the audience and make them defensive, so being on the safe side I can see HP's choice for not calling out what is wrong with data center design.
3. A focus on the supply chain.  If you are going to use HP's approach you could efficiently add data center capacity every year or more often.  This approach like a Just In Time manufacturing approach reduces the data center building inventory now that you could add additional space in as little as 3 months.  The current approach of building for 5 years of data center needs now turns into what do you need in 3 - 6 months.
4. This is going to get a lot of people thinking about how they approach data center capacity.  How many were trying to save 10% in data center construction, and HP says hey you can save 50%?
5. Building in smaller increments allows management to see data center building costs on a regular basis.
6. The Butterfly Flexible DC design is a good alternative for Cloud Computing.

As HP's Flexible DC hits the market it will be interesting to watch the media coverage and customer interest.  I've already talked to my friends to tell them HP's Butterfly Flexible Data Center is something they should look at.

Five years ago who would have thought HP would have Data Center PODs and Flexible Data Centers?

eBay (first Windows Azure platform appliance customer) uses Microsoft Azure Cloud to host Apple iPad sales

eBay and Microsoft both posted press releases on the first customer for Windows Azure private cloud.

eBay and Microsoft Announce Cloud Computing Agreement

Microsoft unveils new Windows Azure platform appliance for cloud computing; eBay signs up as early customer.

WASHINGTON — July 12, 2010 — Microsoft Corp. and eBay [NASDAQ: EBAY] today announced that eBay will be one of the first customers of Microsoft’s new Windows Azure platform appliance for cloud computing. The partnership is a significant joint engineering effort that will couple the innovation and power of the Windows Azure platform appliance with the technical excellence of eBay’s platform — to deliver an automated, scalable, cost-effective capacity management solution.

Microsoft also announced the limited production release of the Windows Azure platform appliance, the first turnkey cloud platform for large service providers and enterprises to deploy in their own datacenters. eBay will incorporate the Windows Azure platform appliance into two of its datacenters to further optimize its platform and achieve greater strategic agility and datacenter efficiency.

Someone made an interesting decision to test Windows Azure to sell Apple iPad's

This partnership follows a successful pilot deployment by eBay of Microsoft’s public Windows Azure platform, which offers eBay the flexibility to deploy certain applications on a public cloud while maintaining the reliability and availability of eBay.com. eBay’s page for iPad listings —http://ipad.ebay.com— is hosted on the public Windows Azure platform.

Here is the cross company executive quote trade.

“Microsoft’s focus on and investment in the Windows Azure platform appliance shows it is committed to world-class cloud computing solutions. eBay has the right blueprint for next-generation software-as-a-service-based applications with our platform’s architecture, scale and reliability, ” said James Barrese, eBay vice president of technology. “Joint engineering on the Windows Azure platform appliance with eBay’s massive, high-volume systems allows Microsoft to demonstrate its leadership in this space and helps eBay improve our user experience through a flexible, scalable and cost-effective solution.”

The Windows Azure platform appliance consists of Windows Azure, Microsoft SQL Azure and a Microsoft-specified configuration of network, storage and server hardware. The appliance is optimized for scale out applications and datacenter efficiency across hundreds to tens of thousands of servers.

“eBay has one of the world’s largest ecommerce platforms, and we believe the Windows Azure platform appliance provides the scalability, automation, datacenter efficiency and low cost of operations that eBay requires to meet the needs of its customers worldwide, ” said Bob Muglia, president of Server and Tools Business, Microsoft.

HP and Microsoft announced their Windows Azure partnership for deploying private clouds.  HP includes POD containers and HP networking to provide a complete HP owned solution.

HP and Microsoft to Partner on Windows Azure Built on HP Converged Infrastructure

Collaboration to help transition customers to cloud computing

PALO ALTO, Calif., and REDMOND, Wash. — July 12, 2010 — HP and Microsoft today announced their intention to work together on a Microsoft Windows Azure platform appliance that will enable large enterprise customers to confidently and rapidly adopt cloud-based applications as businesses needs change and grow.

The companies will work together to deliver a complete hardware, software, services and sourcing solution that will accelerate customers’ transition to the Windows Azure platform. Customers will be able to manage the appliance with HP Converged Infrastructure on-premises or choose HP data center hosting services.

Enterprise customers adopting cloud services need a comprehensive approach, including application modernization support, an optimized infrastructure platform and flexible sourcing options. With the new Windows Azure platform appliance, HP and Microsoft will help customers rapidly scale applications, deliver new online services, and migrate Windows and .NET-based applications to the cloud. This latest collaboration extends the $250 million Infrastructure-to-Application initiatives HP and Microsoftannounced in January and will result in HP delivering these offerings:

•

Data center hosting services. HP Enterprise Services will combine deep systems management expertise, standardized processes and world-class secure data centers to manage the Windows Azure platform appliances for HP customers. HP and Microsoft plan to release a limited production Windows Azure platform appliance for deployment in HP data centers by the end of the year.

•

Converged infrastructure for Windows Azure. HP’s current position as a primary infrastructure provider for the Windows Azure platform, coupled with HP and Microsoft’s ongoing efforts to optimize Microsoft applications for HP’s Converged Infrastructure through extensive joint engineering and development, will allow HP to deliver an industry-leading cloud deployment experience for its customers. The Converged Infrastructure for the Windows Azure platform appliance will include the following:

•

HP Networking, which delivers to customers a flexible network fabric that is simpler, higher-performing and more secure, at up to 65 percent lower cost of ownership than competitive solutions.*

•

HP ProLiant servers, which are highly dense, highly scalable computing platforms that help customers speed application delivery, better utilize IT resources and achieve strong returns on investments.

•

The appliance can be deployed in HP Performance-Optimized Datacenters (PODs), which deliver improved power and data center capacity as well as rapid data center expansion. HP PODs allow customers to increase capacity without the capital expense of brick-and-mortar construction. They will be used in addition to traditional data center deployments.

•

Application modernization, migration and integration services for Windows applications.HP’s expertise in complex environments, specific industries, frameworks, processes and resources will help customers modernize, migrate and integrate their applications while balancing costs and speed when adopting the Windows Azure platform.

Microsoft, HP, and Digital Realty Trust win Green Data Center awards at Uptime Symposium, recognizing top achievement

Here is a summary of Three winners of Green IT awards at Uptime Symposium.  Being Green in the Data Center is now becoming an accepted behavior and leadership like below helps others with their own plans.

HP has their press release for the Wynyard facility.

Green Enterprise IT Awards showcase organizations pioneering energy-efficiency improvements in their IT and data center operations or providing technology that can significantly reduce energy consumption.

HP was recognized as the winner in the Data Center Design category for its Wynyard facility in the United Kingdom. Commissioned in September 2009, the data center uses a large quantity of fresh air supplied by fans through high-efficiency filters to reduce the energy required for cooling. The building features an energy-efficient and sustainable design that incorporates recycled materials as well as harvested rainwater.

here is a video of the air side economizer system.

Microsoft received a Green IT Award for its Chicago data center.

Chicago Datacenter Wins Green Enterprise IT Award from Uptime Institute

Today, Microsoft won a prestigious Green Enterprise IT Award from the Uptime Institute for the bold IT initiatives we utilized in our recently opened datacenter in Chicago. The facility integrates new design solutions which have led to greater efficiencies and carbon waste reductions.  This includes a significant reduction in water and material usage enabled by the deployment of containers and other IT innovations. The Uptime Institute is an organization that is focused on providing education and thought leadership for the enterprise datacenter industry and for datacenter professionals. The Green Enterprise IT Awards are the Uptime Institute's highest honor.

By incorporating containers we have reduced carbon waste from extra packaging of servers and equipment and individual transport shipping consumables such as cardboard, styrofoam, plastic, and other packaging materials.  The highly innovative approach to design, construction and operations has also allowed us to fully deploy thousands of servers within a few hours, with a drastically reduced carbon footprint and great cooling efficiencies, with a reduced PUE of 1.15 - 1.22 across the facility.

Digital Realty Trust also won an award for its leadership in LEED Data Centers.

Digital Realty Trust received the award for its commitment to sustainability and innovation in the construction of a LEED certified data center utilizing full airside economization for more than 65 percent of each year. The LEED Platinum-certified datacenter project in Santa Clara, California is expected to save 3.5 million kilowatt hours of energy annually saving more than $250,000 per year at today’s energy prices.

“The construction of the green datacenter in Santa Clara demonstrates Digital Realty Trust’s strong commitment to energy efficiency and sustainability,” said Thomas Freeman, Managing Director and head of the Data Center practice at Jones Lang LaSalle. “Their adoption of industry best practices ensures a reduction in energy use, cost and associated greenhouse gas emissions.”

Here are photos from the presentation on DataCenterKnowledge.

DATA CENTER DESIGN: HP was honored for its design of the Wynyard data center in northern England, which makes extensive use of free cooling. Accepting for HP is Ed Kettler (with plaque), a fellow in the Chief Technologist Office at HP Enterprise Services.

AUDACIOUS IDEA: The data center team from Microsoft was recognized for its IT PAC container technology. Accepting for Microsoft are Dan Costello (center) and Sean Farney (second from right). Representing Uptime are Ken Brill (left), Lex Coors of Interxion (second from left) and Tom Freeman of Jones Lang LaSalle (far right).

Building your First Data Center, learn some lessons from Microsoft who say they can build for 50% less

Building your first data center can be a challenge.  Many have tackled this task over the past few years - Microsoft, Yahoo, Intuit, ask.com, eBay, Apple, and Facebook.  Building your first is an opportunity to consolidate your IT loads and reduce costs.  Given the difficulty of getting all the ducks lined up to get the project going, the budget for the first data center can be over $250 million.

DataCenterKnowledge reports on Microsoft's latest Quincy data center.

The new data center is being built next to Microsoft’s existing 470,000 square foot data center in Quincy, which was built in 2007 and is now one of the largest data centers in the world. But the new facility will be dramatically different in both its cost and design. After years of investing up to $500 million in each data center project, Microsoft plans to spend about $250 million or less on each data center going forward.

One trap I have seen many fall into is to build a big data center as the first.  Why?  Well, part of what drives this is data centers are the highest profit margin business for the construction industry and there are plenty of people who will tell you bigger is better.  The analysts will help you justify a $250 million dollar data center is the sweet spot of getting an ROI.

But, a different way of thinking about this problem is to build Ten $25 million data centers instead of one.  The first one may be a bit more than $25 million, but you can cut costs on the next, and the next, then after your third, you realize "hey there is a different way we can be doing this.  Let's change the design.  Build three more, then you go "wow we learned a lot, let's really push for something innovative."  The last three now cost $12.5 million instead of $25 million.

This is what Microsoft has done, but spending $500 million a data center.  They built Quincy 1, San Antonio, Dublin (air side economizer), and Chicago (container).  And the 4th generation data center is next.

One additional benefit of building a $25 million data center is you don't end up with consultants, designers, and construction companies swarming to get your business.  If you choose an incremental data center design you'll learn a lot on what is real and what is hype.  Google, Microsoft, and Amazon can do this why can't you too?

BTW, another thing Microsoft has done is figured out how to build the 4th generation data center faster than the 1st generation. Part of the reason the first data center is so big is because it was so hard to get the project going.  Speed is important in addition to capabilities.

I've discussed these ideas with a few data center designers, and we have used the metaphor that data centers are designed like Battle tanks.  But not all businesses, so not all data centers should be same and if you have geo redundant SW like Google, Amazon, and Microsoft, it can be more cost effective to build different data center types for the same reason why there are light and heavy tanks.

Which brings up another benefit of the Microsoft 4th generation data center, the design is not in a concrete bunker which means it could be moved much easier if need be.

This next-generation design allows Microsoft to forego the concrete bunker exterior seen in the original Quincy facility in favor of a steel and aluminum structure built around a central power spine. The data centers will have no side walls, a decision guided by a research project in which the company housed servers in a tent for eight months.

What happens if you focused on building iterative data centers with a range of capabilities to adapt to business needs and could be moved if business or power conditions change in a location.  Doesn't this sound like a better way to spend $250 million.  But, the data center ecosystem is not going to promote this idea as it changes their profits and business models.

Microsoft, Google, and Amazon's battle for cloud computing is going to continue to drive some of the most innovative thinking.  And you don't have to wait to start thinking like they do.