Power a top concern for regional data centres: Tripp Lite

Power consumption, cooling of high density configurations and environmental impact are the top concerns of datacentre managers in the Middle East, according to Tripp Lite, a world leading manufacturer of power protection and connectivity equipment. The region’s hot climatic conditions coupled with the increasing focus among regional governments to reduce their carbon footprint is driving CIOs and data centre managers in the Middle East to think of new ways to cost-efficiently manage their resources, while optimising performance.

According to Tripp Lite, data centre managers can reduce power consumption by using the ‘economy mode’ function on its UPS systems, which dramatically decreases the level of heat produced in network closets and data centres, and boosts online UPS efficiency to 97 percent. Moreover, Tripp Lite offers ‘PowerAlert,’ a free, network-based power management system that enables a network manager to monitor and control up to 250 Tripp Lite UPS systems or PDU’s and the computers and equipment they support from a single interface. ‘Power Alert’ provides an industry-first software package to support a redundant UPS setup without any extra components, allowing users to set parameters for an automatic system shut down in the event of an extended blackout, therefore reducing costs.

“The Middle East’s characteristic high temperature during the summer months has long since presented challenges to IT managers as far as cooling and the costs it entails are concerned. With the rising demand for environmental awareness, the high amount of energy required to cool datacentres is a rising concern within the regional IT market,” said Vipin Sharma, Vice President, EEMEA and India Sales, Tripp Lite. “By following our simple recommendations, regional datacentres can take important steps to manage their power consumption, cooling costs and environmental impact.”

Other basic recommendations given by Tripp Lite include keeping power cables, UPS plugs and the connections between the UPS and batteries in good condition. The average life span of a battery is about 3 to 5 years, depending on use and the environment in which it operates, therefore it is necessary to conduct a self-test during installation and every three months to check the status of the UPS and maximize its life span. Further, ensuring battery status using ‘PowerAlert’ and the visual and audible indicators on the UPS make sure that the connected load does not exceed 80 percent to prevent accidental overloading. Whilst managers need to make sure that there is proper grounding as the protection devices will not work properly without it, it is also useful to configure UPS’s to deliver notifications to the system administrator for any failure and to be aware of the validity period of the warranty.

“Managers should have a contingency plan ready in case the UPS fails, such as keeping an extra UPS in case a replacement is needed. Planning ahead for load growth during increased summer energy needs and continued surges in demand and assessing if the current UPS will support that growth are also smart moves. As part of our valuable added services, we offer assistance by highly trained personnel in evaluating electrical system installations and requirements. Further, our switched PDU offers load management and load scheduling at peak hours to reduce the overall load thereby reducing the net amount of heat produced,” concluded Sharma.