Minimize Need for Spot Cooling by Slowing Servers Down
In two years, my oldest daughter will go off to college. I wish I could go with her. Not because I'm a "helicopter" parent hoovering to keep her from making mistakes but because the entire college environment is so exciting! With all the creativitiy, technology and entrpeneural spirit, universities are hotbeds for innovation and industry. OK....there are lots of other fun reasons to go back to college, but that's for another post.
I just read about Purdue Unix Systems Administrator, Patrick Finnegan, who came up with the idea of harnesing the capabilities of the server software and the Linux operating system to slow down processing in a cooling emergency. The program puts large clusters of servers into power-saving mode -- they draw less power and generate less heat. That's important when you have a server room cooling emergency.
Many server room and data center managers rely on portable spot coolers to provide emergency air conditioning for planned and emergency service of the air conditioning systems. Since we manufacture, rent and sell portable air conditioners, we're glad to work with data center managers during cooling emergencies but you gotta' love Finnegan's new ground-breaking approach. Even more impressive is that it actually worked not once, but twice -- in June and July. You can read about Purdue's data center cooling crisis here.
Even more impressive is that Purdue is making the procedure available to others on the Folio direct website. The program includes notes on implementation so data center managers can see the process brought into production.
Bottom line is the data center needs to stay online to maintain productivity. Data center managers can use portable air conditioners to provide emergency cooling and try out Purdue's new software that will slow server activity as the temperature rises. Two plans for a cooling crisis are better than none!
What so you do when the data center temperature rises? Comment here and let me know.
