[dba-Tech] Server with low power consumption

Hi Jon

Thanks, that tools look nice. However, it seems aimed at workstations.
Have you used it for servers?

And right, consolidating of physical servers should be on the list as
well. For us, we already use VMware where we can. Highly recommended.

/gustav


>>> jon.tydda at lonza.com 30-09-2009 10:20:04 >>>
Hi Gustav

I've not done anything with servers, but I did implement this:
http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=power_mgt.pr_power_mgt_ez_gpo 

It's a group policy add-in that'll tell all your computers when to
activate the screensavers, go into standby and/or when to hibernate.
It's worked really well here, and it gives you a spreadsheet where you
can work out your annual power savings. We're looking at saving around
$70,000 a year just at this site.

We have also started using VMWare and Terminal servers to cut down on
the amount of physical servers in the comms rack. One big meaty VMWare
server can host several smaller servers that don't need the muscle
(print server etc), and means it doesn't have the power consumption
issues.


Jon

-----Original Message-----
From: dba-tech-bounces at databaseadvisors.com
[mailto:dba-tech-bounces at databaseadvisors.com] On Behalf Of Gustav
Brock
Sent: Wednesday, September 30, 2009 9:13 AM
To: dba-tech at databaseadvisors.com 
Subject: [dba-Tech] Server with low power consumption

Hi all

Has anyone worked seriously with minimizing power consumption of small
servers?

Here, charges for electricity has reached a new high at about
$0.35/€0.25 per kWh. This means that power costs for a machine using
200W running continuously will reach $610/€430 per year. No kidding.

Thus, for ourselves and a couple of clients, we are trying to work out
any model for reducing these costs while, of course, not losing features
or services.

One method is easy: Replace existing servers with new models using less
power.

However, that is not enough. Other ideas are:

1. Move services to "the cloud".
This cuts power costs as well as machine inventory costs to zero but
introduces new costs for rental of CPU time and probably higher speed
bandwidth of internet connections.

2. Introduce standby methods for servers.
Quite often servers are idle at night or most of the night. But is the
OS (typical Windows) able to set the machine at some standby level while
keeping it responsive?

3. Introduce shut-down of servers.
If OS permits, shut down the server after some time of inactivity.
Power must be turned on by a remote call of Wake-up-LAN which most
machines are capable of.

4. Move server OS to laptops.
Laptops are per definition built to consume as little power as possible
and do have all sorts of hardware that can control or be controlled to
use only the power needed. As an additional bonus, laptops have built in
emergency power supply (the battery).

If any of you have had similar considerations and/or practical
experiences implementing these, I would be pleased to learn.

/gustav