The IBM® Design Center Data Center in Poughkeepsie, New York, was running out of cooling capacity and needed to address continuing IT growth requirements. Innovative change was required and transformation of this infrastructure was achieved through IBM’s smarter planet and dynamic infrastructure vision. Energy efficiency for data centers has become an imperative area of focus as the price of energy increases and systems grow beyond the capacity of current facilities to supply their power and cooling needs.

This IBM Redpapers™ publication discusses IT growth and energy efficiency for a case study about the IBM Design Center Data Center and its transformation to the Poughkeepsie Green Data Center. This paper also discusses the analysis and assessment behind this case study. It reviews the enhancements to the data center facilities that were performed. In addition, this paper highlights energy management techniques and demonstrates measurement and monitoring in the data center. Finally, this paper concludes with recommendations for a dynamic infrastructure data center of the future.

The dynamic infrastructure, IT growth, and energy efficiency

The traditional data center

Initial analysis and assessment

Enhancements to the data center facilities

IT energy management techniques

Measuring, monitoring, and managing energy in the data center

Conclusion