Over the years, data centers have garnered considerable attention for being huge consumers and wasters of energy. Numerous studies, for example, have detailed the massive amounts of power that data centers consume to operate servers full-time that run at only roughly 10% utilization. Following a particularly scathing indictment of the industry in September from a well-known national publication, however, many data center experts ired back with claims the industry has made great strides.
FAIR CRITICISM?
Compared to ive years ago, various experts say, the data center industry has undeniably made progress in terms of adopting more energy-efficient designs, solutions, and other approaches to combat power waste. Rhonda Ascierto, senior analyst with 451 Research (451research.com), hails some improvements as “dramatic.” Work remains, she says, but “the industry is on a path for even further eficiency gains.”