Power Use Effectiveness (PUE) measures data center efficiency by dividing total power by power used for computing. Ratios closer to one indicate higher efficiency, but a ratio of one is impossible as data centers need power for support operations. Energy used for office space can be subtracted from the calculation. Technicians can measure energy used directly by servers, and an unusually high ratio may suggest steps to reduce energy load. Some companies make their energy use data publicly available to demonstrate environmental responsibility.
Power use effectiveness (PUE) is a measure of data center efficiency. It is determined by dividing the total power entering a facility by the power used directly for computing activities and is expressed as a ratio. Ratios closer to one indicate a higher efficiency rate. A ratio of one would be functionally impossible, as data centers need power for some support operations.
In a data center, racks of servers perform a variety of tasks. They need support such as cooling to prevent overheating and keep the center functional, along with lighting to enable staff to do work in the center and so on. Some data centers also have attached office space, in which case the energy used for that area can be subtracted from the calculation used to find energy use effectiveness to avoid skewing the numbers, since energy used in an office does not has a direct view on the efficiency of the data center itself.
There are several ways to measure the amount of energy supplied to a data center. You can read directly from the meter, or from the power distribution boards used within the center to send electricity to servers and support equipment. With this information in hand, technicians can measure the energy used directly by the servers for computing activities. Some data centers take random measurements throughout the year to get a more balanced ratio, rather than taking a single set of measurements and using that as the basis for calculating energy efficiency.
An unusually high Energy Use Effectiveness Ratio may suggest that a data center is not very efficient and that steps should be taken to reduce its energy load. Low reports indicate that data centers are using appropriate measures to control energy use, although further innovations may further reduce energy consumption. Using an objective index can help companies measure their progress; as a data center performs better, the ratio decreases. Effective fuel economy control can lead to an overall reduction in the amount of power used, by keeping the ratio as low as possible.
Some information technology companies make their energy use efficiency data publicly available, and may discuss the techniques they use to calculate it, for interested members of the public. This may be more common among companies wishing to project an environmentally friendly image. To demonstrate their commitment to environmental responsibility and resource use reduction, they can demonstrate the various techniques they use to reduce and control the use of natural resources.
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