Energy-saving Server with Well Thought-out Design Responding to Power-saving Needs in the Cloud Computing Era

Various problems await continuous evolution of business, while the trends of the times such as cloud computing and virtualization are captured. The main unavoidable challenge after the great disaster in March 2011 especially is "energy saving = power saving." Incorporating three power-saving measures, "ecological installation," "ecological operation," and "ecological air conditioning," into its servers and storage products, NEC is making an effort to contribute to reducing power consumption of all data centers and server rooms. The new server and storage model groups "in support of power saving (energy saving)" released in June 2011 are precisely the trump cards for this purpose. In addition to reducing power consumption through the use of power-saving components, the products are epoch-making products that allow operation at a high temperature of 40°C by relaxing the ambient operating temperature from the current 35°C by 5°C.

Utilizing the Expertise of "Entirely Eco-friendly" Technology Accumulated over Many Years

Starting with the release of a power-saving server that employed CPUs for notebook PCs in 2005, NEC has sold in sequence its "Express5800/ECO CENTER," a power-saving server for data centers incorporating a unique module structure, SAN storage "iStorage D" series, which pioneered in installing the MAID (Massive Arrays of Inactive Disks) function, "EcoPowerGateway," a shared power supply unit for efficient utilization of power, and other products. NEC has continued to release solutions such as "entirely eco-friendly data center," "entirely eco-friendly office," and other solutions combining power-saving control software and power-saving facility service to the foregoing power-saving platforms.

Comparing a model three years ago with the advances of these technologies using the power-saving server "Express5800/ECO CENTER" as an example, the annual power consumption of the server itself has been reduced to 1/5 and electric energy of air conditioning has been reduced to 1/3, reducing the annual power consumption by about 76% also. A smaller footprint achieved through high performance and equipment miniaturization has drastically reduced the floor cost. Using the virtualization technology, the number of servers also could be reduced to 1/3. The five server models in the "Express5800 series" and the two storage models in the "iStorage M series," both of which were released in June 2012, achieve further power-saving performance. These are the pride of NEC that reduce entire power consumption including air conditioning of facilities such as data centers and installation sites (offices) by 30% maximum.

"40°C Operating Temperature" Achieved by a Joint Effort in Manufacturing and Sales for Further Power Saving

The new products feature the implementation of three power-saving measures, "ecological installation," "ecological operation," and "ecological air conditioning." First, the server itself reduces power consumption by about 32% compared with conventional tower-configuration servers. This could be achieved by incorporating a high-efficiency power source with a maximum conversion efficiency of 90% or higher (three models) and power-saving parts such as power-saving CPUs in the servers. Additionally, minute fan control technology in accordance with the load and other technologies and parts are incorporated. Thus power saving (energy saving) can be achieved only by installing the new servers. In "ecological operation," the state-of-the-art server management chip "EXPRESSSCOPE(R) engine 3" and server operation management tool "ESMPRO(R)" are linked to reinforce the management function to minutely respond to operating conditions at sites. In addition to a function to shut down and start up the power according to a set schedule, a "power capping" function which "visualizes" power consumption and sets an upper-limit electric energy value is installed as a standard function. Furthermore, "ecological air conditioning" is attracting much attention in the market. The technology that has accomplished this has a keyword: "operation at 40°C."

Kiyoshi Takahashi, Assistant Manager of the Platform Strategic Marketing Division, explains "operation at 40°C" as follows. "Against the backdrop of a severe power condition after the great disaster, the set air-conditioning temperature has had to be raised in data centers and offices. It was thought that servers and storages that would operate stably even at a higher upper-limit temperature of the operating environment than the formerly set temperature of 35°C would be required. Knowing that air-conditioning power could be reduced by 25% maximum in a trial calculation if the air-conditioning temperature could be raised by 5°C, product development was undertaken hand in hand with the development division. The vector of this effort was different though from the conventional development attitude of aiming only at incorporating high functions... ."

Satoshi Tawada, Assistant Manager of the IT Hardware Operations Unit, was tasked to deal with this difficult problem. Many ideas to guarantee "operation at 40°C" were produced from an effort that continued for about one year between Takahashi and other members who conveyed user views and actual conditions of use at sites as well as between Tawada and other members whose responsibility was to translate them into a form. The two teams sometimes waged a battle of words.

"Design with Attention Paid to the Details" of NEC Achieved "Operation at 40°C"

Tawada who led the development work talks about specific design points as follows. "It was necessary to achieve an optimum parts layout and air flow (flow of cooling air current) to ensure cooling of each part and member in operation even at 40°C. A large high-performance heat sink was developed for cooling of the CPUs, which were a principal heat source, to provide some leeway in CPU cooling, to develop an 'offset layout' (patent application submitted) for CPU cooling fans. This enabled cooling of the PCI cards without adding an additional part even in a 40°C environment. Various new ideas were incorporated through a repetition of cooling simulations and cooling evaluations by packaging many temperature sensors inside the equipment, for cooling of the voltage regulator (VR) that emits high heat and to avoid a heat pocket by simulating a variety of environments and equipment configurations. Specifically, the duct shape and parts layout were optimized, fans were obliquely placed, and baffle plates were installed to ensure stable operation in a 40°C environment. Additionally, high-density packaging (miniaturization) and power saving were also realized in addition to operation at 40°C while cutting back the price." (Tawada)

It goes without saying that the know-how and experience gained in the past in the development of the main frames and super computers in the cooling technology was utilized to make both stable operation and high efficiency compatible. "Attention paid to the details" in an NEC style can also be found in detailed parts. A dedicated dustproof front bezel and a mechanism to mount a dustproof filter and a sensor to detect clogging are also provided. "These parts reflect needs at installation sites where dust and foreign matter flies in," according to Takahashi. Incidentally, the slim server of NEC that achieved "operation at 40°C" was awarded the chairman's award of the Green IT Awards 2011.

Business of Solutions Sought by the World through Repetition of Operational Proposals

At present, the development team led by Tawada is tackling challenges in the use of "operation at 40°C" technology in severer environments such as overseas sites aside from using it for other server and storage products. Takahashi is making operational proposals suiting actual conditions and needs at installation sites together with the sales, facilities, and other divisions in the NEC Group. Takahashi explains the reason for placing a focus on operational proposals as follows. "Excellent products and operational know-how are inseparable, and strategies toward cloud computing and virtualization are also diverse at present. Operational consulting to translate customer needs specifically and individually into forms will become more important."

The unfortunate disaster last year caused by an earthquake on the other hand presented a higher technical hurdle to Japanese ICT enterprises. The new model group of servers and storages of NEC that were created in this new ordeal supports power saving (energy saving) that responds to needs of a new dimension sought by the world. By gaining a powerful tool, the power-saving measure solution business of NEC that has been carried on minutely in the past also is about to step forward into a larger market.

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