In a recent audit of a data center, it was discovered that hundreds of servers were powered on but were not linked to anything. Even though the servers themselves weren’t connected to the network, everything related to diagnosing and reporting on their status was.
The man that was walking about with a clipboard was basically the only one who discovered the servers, and he did so because he observed them while he was doing so.
Spend some time doing an inspection of the physical location as well as an investigation of the network.
Keep an eye out for redundant server options.
A recent inspection of one of Verizon’s data centers was carried out by the company.
They found out that not only did the business not need one third of its servers, but another third of those servers could have been moved to the cloud at a far more cost-effective rate.
This was a significant discovery. It is essential to conduct a comprehensive examination of the workload, particularly in the event that there has not been a recent in-depth audit (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Audit) of the servers that are physically present on-site.
When shutting down a server, should the power be turned off if an examination of the workloads for the preceding month reveals that the server was not used for any workloads at any point during that period of time?
At first glance, the gut sentiments of certain persons may seem to provide unambiguous guidance to them. On the other hand, there are critical obligations that are only seldom carried out but nonetheless need to be accounted for.
These tasks must be accounted for. It is conceivable that it is needed to review the server that handles the end-of-year accounting calculations a few months ago in order to make sure that you have not switched off the power to it. This may be done in order to ensure that you did not turn off the power. In the case that such a process is identified, you are strongly encouraged to investigate the possibility of finding an alternate allocation for it before deciding whether or not to terminate it.
Check for Any Loopholes in Compliance
Failure to upgrade from software and operating systems that are not supported may and will result in a financial penalty. When determining the overall cost of updating systems, this factor should be taken into mind. If upgrading may save you from having to pay expensive penalties as a result of a compliance audit, then making that choice ought to be a lot less difficult.
Check for Equipment that is at Least Four Years Old
Nearly a third of data center servers are four years old or older. They only account for around 4% of server data center performance but use up about 65% of the power. Long-term efficiency may be increased by replacing outdated equipment (anything older than four years) if necessary.
Checklist for Upgrading Your Data Center
To evaluate whether or not you need new hardware, ask yourself the following questions.
- Have you not upgraded your gear in more than a year and a half?
- Do you see a significant expansion for your company in the not-too-distant future?
- Is it in the cards for you to grow your company into a new geographical area?
- Do you anticipate having a need for quicker data access or more storage space in the near future?
- Are the requirements for safety and compliance being met?
- Do you currently make use of any operating systems that are older than five years?
- Do you have any personal computers in the office that are older than four years?
Are You Still Considering an Upgrade to the Hardware in Your Data Center?
The following inquiries will help you gain a complete view of your equipment expenses:
- How much does it cost to get hardware maintenance from the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) or from a third party?
- Has it become worse as the age of your equipment has increased?
- Have you seen a rise in your energy expenses as well as your colocation prices over time?
- Do you anticipate higher levels of traffic and increased need for network bandwidth? Click here to read more about network bandwidth.
New is Green
When energy efficiency is increased, the amount of fuel that must be used to meet energy needs drops. Since data centers may use up to 2% of global energy, there are potentially billions at stake. Maintaining the most cutting-edge and energy-efficient machinery also means using the least amount of resources possible, which is good for the planet. That is a choice that should fill you with pride.
Make sure you obtain all the money you can from retiring your outdated systems.
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