Today with the emergence of high-speed internet (5G) and advances in technology, companies rely more than ever on information technology. Therefore, their demand for data center services has significantly increased.
However, due to the rising costs of equipping and maintaining server rooms and the need for proper distribution of these facilities, space has become one of the biggest limiting factors for data centers. To solve this problem, it is necessary to optimize the use of available space, for example, by integrating white space and gray space in data centers.
What is white space in a data center?
White space in a data center refers to the area where IT equipment and infrastructure are located. This includes servers, storage, network equipment, racks, cooling units, power distribution systems, etc.
White space is usually measured in square meters. The white space can have either a raised floor or a hard floor (hardened flooring). Raised floors are created for electrical cabling, pathways for data cabling, cold air distribution systems to cool IT equipment, and so on.
Typically, the white space is the only productive area that a company can utilize in a data center. Additionally, online activities such as remote work have rapidly increased in recent years, especially due to the impact of COVID-19, which has increased the demand for white space in data centers. Therefore, a company must carefully design the white space of a data center.
What is gray space in a data center?
In contrast to white space, gray space in a data center refers to the area where support equipment is located. This includes electrical panels, uninterruptible power supplies (UPS), transformers, chillers, generators, etc.
Gray space exists to support the white space, so the extent of gray space depends on the size of the white space in a data center. The larger the white space required, the more supporting infrastructure is needed to accommodate it.
How can we increase space efficiency?
It is evident that building larger data centers with increased energy consumption is not a viable option for IT organizations to utilize data center space. To increase data center sustainability and reduce energy costs, it is essential to employ strategies that combine white space and gray space, thereby optimizing data center efficiency.
Strategies for white space efficiency in data centers:
- Technology virtualization: Technology virtualization can consolidate many virtualized devices into physical equipment, reducing the physical hardware and saving data center space. Examples include Hyper-V and VMWARE (virtual machine software).
- Cloud computing resources: With the help of cloud technology, companies can transfer data over the public internet, thereby reducing their reliance on physical servers and other IT infrastructure.
- Data center planning: Data Center Infrastructure Management (DCIM) software, a type of data center infrastructure management tool, can assist in estimating current and future power and server requirements. It can also help data centers track and manage resources, optimizing their size for space savings.
Strategies for gray space efficiency in data centers:
- Advanced technologies: Technologies like flywheels can increase device power and reduce the number of batteries required for backup power. Additionally, the use of solar panels can reduce data center electricity bills, and water coolers can help reduce cooling solution costs.
Compared to white space efficiency techniques, strategies for gray space efficiency are relatively limited. However, the most effective approach is to combine white space and gray space in a data center. By doing so, companies can achieve optimal utilization of data center space.