Here’s How to Solve Your DCOI Challenges within Budget

This audio was created using Microsoft Azure Speech Services

Finding federal dollars and meeting mandates, while reaching your mission-critical objectives might seem impossible. But solving consolidation challenges and achieving optimization within budget are not only feasible, the accomplishments might elevate the profile of your data center and protect it from closure.

Let’s remember, the data center optimization initiative (DCOI) dictates that no new data centers can be constructed without Federal CIO approval, and the government still has a goal of shutting an additional 2,000 facilities.

Solving the challenges of DCOI starts with the right team, with the right knowledge and the proper tools. We’ll start by identifying which facilities under your purview can be consolidated for maximum efficiency gains. Improving infrastructure and creating high-density, high-efficiency IT systems will benefit all parts of your operation by increasing availability and agility while lowering operating costs.

Optimization specs of the mandate include a power usage effectiveness (PUE) of less than 1.5 (or the data center must be closed) and the deployment of automated infrastructure management tools like data center infrastructure management (DCIM) — all by September 30, 2018. The interconnection of these requirements cannot be overstated.

When it comes to PUE, we have a three-part methodology beginning with establishing a standard to categorize data center subsystems as either IT load, physical infrastructure or not included in the calculation. For those subsystems whose power consumption is shared with non-data center loads and cannot be directly measured, power must be estimated using a standardized formula for that subsystem type. Subsystems that can’t be measured at all must also be considered and estimated.

DCIM helps provide a more accurate measurement and understanding of PUE, as it simplifies, automates and manages critical infrastructure in and around the data center to optimize efficiency. The solution helps identify the elements in the power chain and results in an immediate profile of your energy costs, PUE, and the ability to calculate the longer-term impact. From there, you’ll discover opportunity for improvement.

Finding Funds

Wondering where you’ll find funding for new software and equipment? One option, an energy savings performance contract (ESPC) utilizes private financing paid for through utility savings over time.

An ESPC is a partnership between a federal agency and an energy service company (ESCO), like Schneider Electric. We conduct a comprehensive energy audit of your facility, identify areas of improvements, design and construct a project that meets your needs and, then we arrange the necessary funding through a third-party financier who provides the upfront capital. Our role as an ESCO is to also guarantee the energy cost savings, so if you don’t see results, we’ll (literally) write you a check.

Living the Life Cycle

As we can see, meeting DCOI mandates within budget is not impossible, but requires the use of tools and services. We can work through the life cycle of your data center and help at any point, wherever you are in your journey to compliance.

There’s more context around the proper DCOI solutions, plus real-world scenarios in this brochure. Read about how we have already solved government and private sector data center challenges. Better yet, join us, top government officials and your peers at the Data Center Optimization Summit, November 30, in Washington, DC. Register here.