Data center efficiency metrics standardized

The Dept. of Energy (DOE) has joined with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and industry leaders to announce a breakthrough agreement on energy-efficiency measurements, metrics, and reporting conventions for data center facilities. As data center usage continues to escalate and energy costs rise, energy efficiency has become a growing concern for data center owners and operators.

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The Dept. of Energy (DOE) has joined with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and industry leaders to announce a breakthrough agreement on energy-efficiency measurements, metrics, and reporting conventions for data center facilities. As data center usage continues to escalate and energy costs rise, energy efficiency has become a growing concern for data center owners and operators. There has been no standard approach for such key questions as how to measure energy usage, where to take the measurements, and how frequently to do the measuring. As a result, data center operators have difficulty identifying energy usage problems as well as potential solutions.

The new agreement provides guiding principles for data center operators to gauge energy use and create opportunities for improved energy performance. By providing clear direction for data center energy management, the groups participating in the agreement hope to spur data center operators to improve their measurement practices, leading to higher efficiency and reduced energy consumption. Visit the DOE Web site to read the full story at www.energy.gov .