< PreviousThe challenge of data centre modernisation Underpinning this fast-moving digital world is not just the IT software and hardware, but the foundational layer of the data centre. There has, for example, been an explosion of new build, greenfield data centres. However, much of the critical infrastructure on which we have all come to rely sits in legacy data centres that, if not already creaking under the strain, are certainly in need of a major refresh. Without such a program, it could just be that the digital revolution reverts to more of an evolution, where the lack of what we might call modernisation becomes a major bottleneck. At the very least, the data centres unable to meet digital demands because of ageing, inflexible infrastructure, are in real danger of losing business to competitors. So, what are the requirements of a data centre modernisation program? It's clear they need to offer the same attributes that are the hallmark of today’s digital businesses: speed, agility, scalability and sustainability. Speed When a data centre customer wants to deploy new hardware on which to run a host of new applications, the likelihood is that they will want to do this quickly, to ensure that they can maximise their revenue opportunities. That means that the infrastructure needs to be capable of being deployed in days, rather than weeks or months. Agility Data centre owner demands will change as rapidly as those of their own customers. A new revenue opportunity comes along and this needs to be seized quickly, which means that today’s 10 servers, four storage boxes and two network switches might become 15 by tomorrow. Moreover, is the facility capable of being reconfigured easily and quickly to allow customers to reconfigure their IT infrastructure? For example, many companies have to plan ahead for incremental growth, so they may need temporary IT resources, with the accompanying DATA CENTRE MODERNISATION www.networkseuropemagazine.com 50extra data centre capacity. A media company could be launching a new game or video where the initial demand will be high, requiring extra data centre/IT capacity to meet peak demand. Scalability While organisations may experience peaks and troughs in demand, they will also be planning sustained growth over an extended time. This means that their IT infrastructure and capacity need to be capable of scaling upwards. And in many cases, customers will not want to wait for extra cabinets, servers, storage and racks to be installed, they want to be confident that these are available as and when needed, in the right configuration and in the right location, exactly when they need it. Sustainability The data centre industry’s earliest attempts to engage with environmental issues largely focused on carbon offsetting, energy efficiency, and PUE. Widescale tree planting programs, for example, were designed to offset the carbon footprint of data centre facilities. Fast forward to 2022, and the industry is now engaged in detailed, technology-driven initiatives to ensure that all aspects of the data centre's environmental impact come under the closest scrutiny. In practice, this means that many legacy data centres need to carry out significant infrastructure technology upgrade programs, often to increase the energy efficiency of the facilities. Sustainable data centres, powered by renewables with a reduced carbon footprint, circular commitments and decreased water usage are, ultimately, key to achieving a net-zero data centre industry. Modular modernisation is key The majority of legacy data centres consist of large data halls, with much, if not all of the supporting M&E infrastructure attached to the walls and ceiling of the building, and/or under a raised floor. The cabinets may well have remained in the same place since day one, although the use of CFD software may have led to some configuration changes to try and optimise the facility's energy efficiency. In simple terms, much of the infrastructure is fixed, inflexible, inefficient and difficult to move. Modular data centre technology has, therefore, been developed to address these problems. Many modular solutions often consist of a containerised system, which comes pre-populated with racks, cabling, power and cooling infrastructure. Modular, containerised solutions will certainly go some way to addressing the digital data centre requirements, but it’s essential to focus on the customer requirement and recognise that some level of customisation may be required. Another approach may be to base a modular data centre modernisation program on a structural steel frame solution, which is secured to the data centre floor. This allows the owner/ operator to make their own choice of modular UPS, cooling, conveyance and cabling components, all of which can be installed as required, along with the IT cabinets and the necessary containment – side panels, doors and ceiling. Performance The nature of the IT industry means that, in terms of feeds and speeds, there will always be a part of the infrastructure that is, relatively speaking, something of a bottleneck. Compute, storage and network components very rarely align. However, there’s no doubt that the digital age is being driven by the fact that all three of these technologies continue to make significant performance improvements. The challenge right now for the data centre industry is ensuring that its facilities can match the speed of innovation. Furthermore, legacy data centres are under pressure to modernise, ensuring they can deliver the speed, efficiency and resilience on which the IT industry relies. For many, taking a modular approach to data centre modernisation is the most logical, sustainable option. The industry is now engaged in detailed, technology-driven initiatives to ensure that all aspects of the data centre's environmental impact come under the closest scrutiny. DATA CENTRE MODERNISATION www.networkseuropemagazine.com 51Demand Response, Renewables and Reputation SUSTAINABLE DATA CENTRES www.networkseuropemagazine.com 52Data centre power demand is set to grow, leading to increasing public awareness – it requires a response through greater grid interactivity. se, How can the industry start to address public concern over data centre power usage in the UK and Ireland? First, the data centre sector must speak openly about its efforts to build a sustainable industry. In the UK and Ireland, the reputation issue is becoming particularly acute. Because, unlike mainland Europe, each of the main islands has a limited number of grid interconnectors. Today, the UK National Grid operates electricity interconnectors with France, Netherlands, Belgium, Ireland and Norway. Additional interconnectors are planned with Germany and Denmark. The 720km North Sea Link (NSL) between the UK and Norway is also the world's longest subsea interconnector, the result of a EUR1.6 billion joint venture between the countries, which commenced commercial operations 1st October 2021. Overall, interconnector capacity increased to 7.4GW in 2021. The addition of a second link (IFA 2) made France the source of more than half the UK's imported electricity (53%), with Belgium second highest (24%) followed by the Netherlands (15%). Despite only being in operation for three months, NSL provided 5% of total electricity imports. Ireland has two interconnectors with Great Britain and there is a commercial plan to connect with France. By comparison, mainland Europe is significantly more interconnected. To boost its security of electricity supply and to integrate more renewables into energy markets, the EU has set a target to increase the number of cross- border electricity interconnections, encouraging each country to have electricity cables in place allowing at least 15% of the electricity produced within its borders to be transported to neighbouring countries. Ed Ansett Chairman and Founder i3 Solutions Group SUSTAINABLE DATA CENTRES www.networkseuropemagazine.com 53In the news In electricity terms, the UK and Republic of Ireland have much in common as the island of Ireland and the island of Great Britain each operate off a single national power grid. How relationships between the grid and data centres evolve in both places and how they are perceived by a public concerned about energy security and sustainability has profound implications. In Ireland and the UK, awareness of the amount of power drawn by data centres has risen. Recent headlines include 'Eirgrid [Ireland's grid operator] pulls the plug on the data centres.' Reports that power used by Ireland's data centres grew by one third in a single year and now accounts for 14% of the country's electricity output were not received positively. Ireland has around 70 large data centres reportedly using 900MW, with eight more scheduled for construction. Recently, Amazon was granted permission to build two new data centres in Dublin, telling council planners that its new 115MW wind farm project in Galway would support the company's facilities in the country. Recently Microsoft announced that batteries in its Irish data centre campus would provide electrical support to local grids. The batteries will complement solar panels and wind farms near Dublin. The intention is that when the grid requires more power than it can provide, the batteries inside the data centre will export stored energy to the grid. For now, with a de facto moratorium in place, it appears the pause button has been hit for new data centres in the Republic of Ireland until 2028. Meanwhile, data centres and the UK grid In the UK, which has around 450 large data centres and nearly 300 commercial colocation sites, the question is, can the data centre sector find a way to speak positively about its energy use? In June, The Economist reported, "A boom in data-centre construction has affected west London particularly badly. This area is only a small part of a regional grid that covers a swathe of southern England, but it has received 90% of all applications to connect data centres to that grid in the past two years. The amount of electricity these new facilities require is roughly the same as west London's entire existing capacity." We live in an era of surging demand. Demand for connections to the UK grid have risen fourfold in the last three years. The UK Government's energy strategy SUSTAINABLE DATA CENTRES www.networkseuropemagazine.com 54security document, issued in April 2022 says: "On uncertainty, whilst there are many future decisions yet to be taken, and a need for an agile approach to network infrastructure, we do know that electricity demand is highly likely to double by 2050." In July 2022, National Grid announced plans for a major upgrade of the UK's electrical system with a £54 billion investment package to boost the grid infrastructure capacity and build secure connections with new onshore and offshore wind farms and other renewable energy resources. The UK is committed to a mass conversion and adoption of renewable energy to generate 50GW by 2030. Fintan Slye, Executive Director of ESO said: "It is a key step in providing certainty to offshore wind developers and mitigating potential impacts on the environment and local communities from energy infrastructure." Exceeding demand with offshore wind plans In terms of capacity, Ireland's good news is that there is a plan for 3.5GW of offshore wind power by 2030, and Grid supply to data centres in Ireland is on course to be 2000MW by 2025. The UK target is 70GW of power from offshore wind farms by 2030. Garry Connolly, founder of industry group Host In Ireland says: "In Ireland, the biggest challenge is the grid. Getting from the current +/-2,000MW (1.2GW built and 800MW in the process) is going to require the grid to transition to smart. That is about physics and time. The data centre operators are becoming active on the demand response side and becoming better grid citizens. They are refreshing the older centres, so managing more data for the same inputs of electrons." Just as the grid itself changes, with more microgrids and large-scale battery energy storage systems becoming more intelligent and more agile with better management, data centres have an opportunity to become part of the solution by becoming bi- directionally grid-interactive. The major UPS suppliers have developed grid interactive UPS systems. This approach is an excellent example of how data centres can support the grid. Reputation management Adopting sustainable solutions such as participation in demand response will enable the data centre sector to become a good energy partner. During this significant grid energy transition to renewables, the industry cannot exacerbate the problem, especially when it is perfectly placed to be part of the solution. SUSTAINABLE DATA CENTRES www.networkseuropemagazine.com 55Backup Power in a Black-out The Growing Case for Battery Energy Storage SUSTAINABLE DATA CENTRES www.networkseuropemagazine.com 56With digitalisation now at the heart of all sectors, the cost and impact of data centre power outages are skyrocketing. The result is a greater onus on backup power systems, however, the first course of action shouldn’t necessarily lie with a diesel generator. Calogero Saeli, Global Product Group Manager for ABB, explores the ever-mounting case for battery energy storage (BESS) as a much more sustainable way to build resilience. Calogero Saeli Global Product Group Manager ABB SUSTAINABLE DATA CENTRES www.networkseuropemagazine.com 57As demand for data - and the electricity needed to power data centres - continues to soar, data centres cannot be built quickly enough. By one estimate, global data demand will reach 180 zettabytes - the equivalent of 180 trillion gigabytes - in only three years’ time, due to a combination of the sharp increase in connected devices, the sudden onset of working from home and the rise of a data-driven economy. Existing data centres are already struggling to keep up with the demands of industries, which have become ever more reliant on digital technologies. According to the Uptime Institute, while outages are not becoming more frequent, the cost and impact of downtime on businesses is sharply increasing. Its Global Survey of IT and Data Center Managers in 2021 found that over six in 10 outages cost more than $100,000. Traditionally, when a data centre facility suffers a power outage, operators turn to diesel generators for backup power. Google estimates that there are over 20 gigawatts worth of backup diesel generators in service across the data centre industry. But questions are beginning to be asked about whether these should be the first port of call, with operators increasingly looking for systems that can help them avoid disruptive power cuts and retain a strong, consistent power supply in a sustainable manner. SUSTAINABLE DATA CENTRES www.networkseuropemagazine.com 58Data centre market: working towards net zero by 2030 The data centre market is no stranger to energy efficiency strategies and in recent years has led by example with its strong commitment to carbon neutrality and achieving a net zero data centre ecosystem by 2030. Even in the face of rapid digital acceleration, where the demand for data is driving unprecedented growth, the data centre market is working towards delivering its commitments to purchase 100% carbon-free energy, reuse and repair services, prioritise water conservation, recycle heat and prove energy efficiency by meeting measurable targets. Indeed, a report by the International Energy Agency (IEA) in 2021 found that data transmission networks consumed 260-340TWh in 2020, or 1.1 - 1.4% of global electricity use. Meanwhile, fixed-line network energy intensity has halved every two years since 2000 in developed countries and mobile-access network energy efficiency has improved by 10 to 30% annually in recent years. While this is an impressive achievement, which has laid solid foundations for the industry’s journey towards total sustainability, there is much more that can be done, including investigating more sustainable backup power options, such as battery energy storage. The ever-mounting case for battery energy storage There has been a notable increase in pilots using BESS over recent years. There is an ever-mounting case for battery energy storage as a greener way for data centre operators to build resilience. By allowing electricity to be stored for prolonged periods and released on demand, it offers an effective way for facilities to absorb and manage fluctuations in supply and demand, better accommodating unplanned outages and preventing the revenue losses associated with power cuts. These systems can also be easily scaled to meet the demands of growing infrastructures. BESS manages energy costs by leveraging peak shaving, load shifting and maximising self-consumption. In addition, these systems can often be easily connected to power management software and provide ample opportunity to carefully monitor, and control the consumption of renewable power based on digital insights via any building management system. BESS can be combined with microgrid solutions, allowing data centres to operate entirely off-grid in case of a blackout, powered by their own solar or wind generation coupled with battery energy storage. This approach can support an increase in reliability, better sustainability towards net zero and enable an extra revenue stream by providing grid services. Microgrid solutions coupled with BESS allow data centres to operate as consumers or prosumers. The digitalisation of the solution is crucial to managing energy flows and achieving independence from the electrical grid. Already 95% of businesses cite the need to manage unstructured data as a problem for their businesses, impacting how they navigate the market, make future predictions and adjust to market trends. And the economy is only set to become more driven by data as technology continues to proliferate, with the number of connected devices projected to rise from 13.8 billion in 2021 to 30.9 billion units by 2025. In parallel, the data centre market’s net zero target is looming ever closer, making it more important than ever for operators to pilot and implement backup power technologies that can not only maintain power availability for mission-critical operations but also make the best possible use of renewable energy sources. SUSTAINABLE DATA CENTRES www.networkseuropemagazine.com 59Next >