The Time is Right for Service

In today’s current economic times, companies are looking at all scenarios to minimize costs, including delaying the purchase of new equipment and squeezing as much as possible from existing equipment. While this may assist an organization from incurring capital costs in the short run, it may result in increased costs due to data center outages if preventive and proactive maintenance activities are not regularly performed by a certified, factory-trained technician.

In fact, according to a recent Emerson Network Power/Ponemon Institute report, “Calculating the Cost of Data Center Outages (PDF),” the average cost of a data center outage to an organization can exceed half a million dollars.

Maintenance Planning

While data center and IT managers have been working feverishly to avoid expensive outages and support companies that have been on the go for months, year’s end may be an opportune time to review data center infrastructure service strategies and perform much needed maintenance. In many organizations, the IT infrastructure has evolved into an interdependent, business-critical network that includes data, applications, storage, servers and networking. A power failure at any point along the network can affect the entire operation — and have serious consequences for the business.

A proactive view of service and maintenance in the data center enables a data center manager to maximize availability, capacity and efficiency of critical infrastructure. Performing regular preventive maintenance significantly reduces the chances of downtime.

Power Equipment Maintenance

Regular service activities on critical power equipment should include:

A complete visual inspection of the equipment. This should include sub-assemblies, wiring harnesses, contacts, cables and major components.

Visual inspection of all breakers including counting temperature, connections and associated controls.
Checking air filters for cleanliness.
Reviewing AC and DC power capacitors for swelling and/or leaking.

Taking the time to record all voltage and current meter readings on the module control cabinet or the system control cabinet.

Measuring and recording harmonic trap filter currents.

Inspecting and recording all electronics and bring to system specifications as needed.

Installing or performing any Engineering Field Change Notices (FCN) as needed.

Determining and recording all low-voltage power supply levels.

Calculating and recording phase-to-phase input voltage and currents.

At the end of this service, perform operational test of the system including unit transfer and battery discharge. In addition to the mission critical power and distribution equipment, all mechanical systems require preventive maintenance to ensure optimum performance.

Service for Cooling Products

Cooling modules have moving parts that eventually wear out. The purpose of maintenance of this equipment is to make those components last as long as possible, perform within their originally designed operating parameters and to replace parts before they fail. This is especially crucial in today’s data center environment where downtime can have catastrophic effects on a business.

Maintenance tasks can vary from model-to-model. Users should collaborate with their local authorized service representative and consult their user manual for a complete list of applicable tasks for their equipment.

Common preventive maintenance activities for cooling infrastructure should include:

Inspection and replacement of air filters. Clogged air filters reduce the airflow through the systems and increase the load on the blower drive system. This may result in reduced system cooling performance, higher operating costs, reduced component life of the blower drive systems, and higher operating temperatures of the equipment in the data center.

Blower drive system inspection and maintenance. Wear or damage to blower belts, bearings, motors and wheels may result in loss of airflow or reduced cooling performance.

Steam generating and infrared humidifiers. Humidifiers may be connected with valves and hoses that may leak and drains may become clogged over time. IR Humidifier bulbs may burn out. These components should be inspected regularly.

Condensate drains and pumps. Confirm proper pump function and verify drains are not clogged. Obviously, the combination of a clogged drain and a failed level sensor results in pan overflow.
Inspect and clean reheat elements – review and tighten the supporting hardware.

Examine the oil level of compressors and check for leaks. Compressors running with too much or too little oil will see diminished service life. Always use the same type of oil supplied with the compressor from the OEM.

Evaporator coils should be checked periodically to verify they are clean and free of debris. As you might imagine, dirty coils are less efficient at removing heat.

Condenser coils should be checked periodically to verify they are clean and free of debris. Motor mounts should be tight and bearings should be uninhibited and in good condition.

To minimize unit-related failures, comprehensive maintenance programs with OEM-trained and certified technicians are recommended. When correctly implemented, maintenance programs ensure maximum reliability of data center equipment by providing systematic inspections that can lead to detection and correction of initial failures, either before they occur or before they develop into major defects that can result in costly downtime. Typical PM programs include inspections, tests, measurements, adjustments, parts replacement and housekeeping practices.

An Emerson Network Power study of the impact of preventive maintenance (PM) on UPS reliability revealed that the Mean Time Between Failures (MTBF) for units that received at least two preventive maintenance service visits a year is 23 times better than a UPS with no preventive maintenance visits. According to the study, reliability continued to steadily increase with additional visits when conducted by highly trained engineers.

The outcome of the model can be seen in the figure below, which depicts the expected MTBF figures projected up to six PM events per year. The mathematical model incorporated real-world data to arrive at the result. The MTBF estimate for the “no PM” group is substantially lower than the observed MTBF for units with emergency service only contracts, but is in line with the lifespan of components that must be replaced. There is a substantial increase in MTBF from zero to six PM visits per year. When projected out farther than six PM visits, the MTBF begins to level off at 19 PM visits per year and then declines at higher levels of maintenance. This decline can be attributed to the fact that every service event introduces the possibility of service-related human error.

At least two PM visits per year are recommended, but additional maintenance visits maybe needed for facilities where downtime is unacceptable. Depending on the cost of downtime for a particular application, a high return on investment can be realized in many cases by increasing PM frequency.

A formal service strategy that includes regular preventive maintenance visits will increase the availability and reliability of your UPS, PDU, and batteries. It should be noted however, that this is only a first step. You must also protect your entire electrical infrastructure – from the service entrance switchgear down to the rack mounted PDU to ensure and maintain Business Critical Continuity.

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Rapid urbanization calls for smart city solutions

Global energy management specialist Schneider Electric wants to help develop and modernize Makkah province. The company’s country president Christophe Campagne said this on Saturday at the second edition of the Modern Makkah Summit and Awards.

The event gathers government officials as well as project developers, construction companies, architects and contractors looking to capitalize on the province’s huge bank of opportunities. The two-day summit focuses on the city of Makkah and other cities in the Kingdom to discuss the investment opportunities that will develop these cities.

With urbanization increasing rapidly, it is estimated that cities consume 75 percent of global energy. By 2050, cities will accommodate 70 percent of the world’s population, up from the current 50 percent. Therefore, governments and municipalities are looking for solutions that ensure efficiency, sustainability and affordability.

Campagne said such projects would save 30 percent in the construction and utilities industry by offering unified solutions to help improve infrastructure for cities worldwide. These solutions range from mature cities in developed countries to hyper-growth destinations in emerging regions.

In panel discussions, real estate experts from companies such as Al-Saedan Real Estate Company, ACAW Holding Company, Saudi Green Building Council, Alfanar Group and Schneider Electric will share ideas on planning, designing and implementing advanced infrastructure to facilitate traffic flow and services to pilgrims as well as plans for the Grand Mosque expansion.

Campagne spoke about his company’s SmartCity concept. It combines hardware, software and services to deliver higher infrastructure efficiency, increased sustainability and improved city facilities to meet the immediate and long-term needs of the province.

“Our innovative SmartCity can help realize energy savings of up to 30 percent. Solutions for SmartCity include Smart Grid for managing demand in electricity, Smart Water for managing water hazards and growing water demand and Smart Building and Homes, optimizing resource consumption and comfort through green buildings for hospitals as well as residential and commercial centers,” he said.

Campagne believes this summit provides a stage to introduce concepts of integrated solutions. “These will make cities efficient, livable and sustainable. We present smart solutions for smart cities.”

Schneider Electric is working on projects in more than ten cities across the Kingdom, said Campagne. “These days we focus on Makkah and its development extension project. To observe the working area, we will open our new office in Makkah by the end of this year,” he said.

“We are confident that our solutions will increase efficiency at all levels throughout the Kingdom and improve the quality of life for the residents and pilgrims of Makkah.”

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Top 5 Data Center Stories, Week of December 9th

The raised-floor area at the Telx data center in Clifton, NJ. Telx unveiled major West coast expansion this week.

For your weekend reading, here’s a recap of five noteworthy stories that appeared on Data Center Knowledge this past week. Enjoy!

Telx Expands With Vantage in Santa Clara – Telx announced a major expansion in Silicon Valley, where the company has leased 32,000 square feet of in a new data center being built by Vantage Data Centers in Santa Clara, Calif. The new Cloud Connection Center (C3) facility offers colocation customers direct access to Telx’s global marketplace of customers.

Facebook Brings Open Compute into its Colo Space- Facebook developed its Open Compute servers for its custom-built data centers. But the social network will soon be deploying those servers in some of its leased data center space as well.

Sabey Completes Its First Data Center in Quincy- Sabey Data Centers has completed the first facility on its Intergate.Quincy campus in Quincy, Washington and.the first tenant has occupied its space in the 139,000 square foot data center.

CyrusOne Scales Up its Team and its Data Centers – CyrusOne, the colocation business of Cincinnati Bell, is mobilizing for growth across its data center infrastructure.

Tech Vault: Small Company in Spotlight at Gartner- TechVault, a managed hosting provider in South Burlington, Vermont has built its business and its highly-efficient data center during a brutal economic downturn. The small company received its moment in the sun this week at the Gartner Data Center Conference.

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Russia's stunning protests end with hint of change

Tens of thousands of people held the largest anti-government protests that post-Soviet Russia has ever seen to criticize electoral fraud and demand an end to Vladimir Putin's rule. Police showed surprising restraint and state-controlled TV gave the nationwide demonstrations unexpected airtime, but there is no indication the opposition is strong enough to push for real change from the prime minister or his ruling party.

Nonetheless, the prime minister seems to be in a weaker position than he was a week ago, before Russians voted in parliamentary elections. His United Party lost a substantial share of its seats, although it retains a majority.

The independent Russian election-observer group Golos said Saturday that "it achieved the majority mandate by falsification," international observers reported widespread irregularities, and the outpouring of Russians publicly denouncing him throughout the country undermines Putin's carefully nurtured image of a strong and beloved leader.

Putin "has stopped being the national leader - in the eyes of his team, the ruling political class and society," analyst Alexei Malachenko of the Moscow Carnegie Center wrote on his blog.

Putin, who was the president of Russia in 2000-2008 before stepping aside because of term limits, will seek a new term in the Kremlin in the March presidential elections. The protests have tarnished his campaign, but there is not yet any obvious strong challenger.

A statement released late Saturday by Putin's press secretary, Dmitry Peskov, acknowledged the day's protests by people "displeased" with the elections but noted demonstrations in support of the elections in recent days.

"We respect the point of view of the protestors, we are hearing what is being said, and we will continue to listen to them," the statement said. "The citizens of Russia have a right to express their point of view, in protest and in support, and those rights will continue to be secured as long as all sides do so in a lawful and peaceful manner."

The most dramatic of Saturday's protests saw a vast crowd jam an expansive Moscow square and adjacent streets, packed so tight that some demonstrators stood on others' toes. Although police estimated the crowd at 30,000, aerial photographs suggested far more, and protest organizers made claims ranging from 40,000 to 100,000 or more.

Elsewhere in Russia, some 7,000 protesters assembled in St. Petersburg, and demonstrations ranging from a few hundred people to a thousand took place in more than 60 other cities. Police reported only about 100 arrests nationwide, a notably low number for a force that characteristically quick and harsh action against opposition gatherings.

The police restraint was one of several signs that conditions may be easing for the beleaguered opposition, at least in the short term. Although city authorities generally refuse opposition forces permission to rally or limit the gatherings to small attendance, most the protests Saturday were sanctioned. In a surprise move, Moscow gave permission for up to 30,000 people to rally and police took no action when the crowd appeared to far exceed that. Just as striking, police allowed a separate unauthorized protest to take place in Revolution Square.

State-controlled television, which generally ignores or disparages opposition groups, broadcast footage not only of the Moscow protest - which was so big it would have been hard not to report - but in several other cities as well.

United Russia official Andrei Isayev on Saturday acknowledged that the opposition "point of view is extremely important and will be heard in the mass media, society and the state."

Yet the concessions may be only a way of buying time in hope the protests will wither away. The opposition says the next large Moscow protest will be on Dec. 24. What it will do in the interim to keep morale high is unclear. In addition, the social media that nourished Saturday's protests may be coming under pressure. A top official of the Russian Facebook analog Vkontakte said this week his company has been pressured by the Federal Security Service to block opposition supporters from posting. On Friday, he was summoned by the service for questioning.

Meanwhile, though United Russia may be shaken by the last week's events, it still can count on a large cadre of supporters. The head of its youth wing, Timur Prokopenko, was quoted by the Interfax news agency as saying he had nearly 170,000 activists "who are ready at moment to go to rallies" in support of the government.

Saturday's Moscow protest was notable not only for its size, but also for attracting political forces from across the spectrum - from liberals to communists to extreme nationalists.

"United Russia made a miracle, prompting all of us to unite against it," nationalist leader Konstantin Krylov told the rally.

Thousands of protesters also were allowed to march from a gathering place near the Kremlin across downtown to a square where the main rally was held. Police were out in force, blocking all side lanes to prevent the demonstrators from approaching government buildings.

"Russia will be free!" "Russia without Putin!" "United Russia is a Party of Crooks and Thieves!" protesters chanted.

"We will fight to the end, to the cancellation of this shameful, false election," said Grigory Yavlinsky, leader of the liberal Yabloko party that failed to make it to parliament in last Sunday's vote. "We are launching a campaign to drive Putin from power."

The organizers sought to send a message of unity, urging the crowd to respect the diversity of speakers' views. At one point, the audience booed a military veteran when he called for the restoration of the Soviet Union, but chanted slogans of support when he denounced the vote-rigging and said the army was with people.

"The army is with us, 80 percent of officers hate the defense minister," retired Maj.-Gen. Yevgeny Kopyshev shouted.

The organizers also praised police for helping maintain order, as demonstrators chanted "Police with people!"

The rally demanded the cancellation of the election results, the punishment for officials responsible for vote-rigging, registration of the opposition parties that were denied it, liberalization of the electoral law and holding new elections. The organizers urged protesters to brace for another rally in two weeks.

"We'll come again!" the crowd chanted.

The Moscow organizers appeared to realize they are facing a tough challenge of keeping protest momentum.

"Nothing will change it if it remains a single rally," said Sergei Parkhomenko, the editor of Vokrug Sveta monthly magazine who was one of the demonstration's organizers. "It must be the first in a long series of protests."

Vladimir Milov, a former energy minister who is now an opposition activist, also acknowledged that the organizers need to plan their strategy to preserve the protests' energy. "Otherwise people will just grow tired and stop attending the rallies," he said, adding that the opposition must focus on next year's presidential election.

Yevgeniya Albats, editor of the liberal New Times weekly, said the opposition must gather signatures for the cancellation of the vote results and for Putin to step down. "This is only the beginning of a long and difficult struggle," she said. "This is our land, and we must get it back."

Oleg Orlov, the head of Memorial rights group, said the rally turned a new page in history.

"We are now changing the nation's history to the better," Orlov said. "We will force the government to realize that they will have to pay a price for rigging the vote, and the price is their legitimacy."

Orlov said the protests must focus on challenging Putin's re-election bid. "We can deal a blow on this rule of thieves next March and show the real price to that "national leader,'" he said.

The organizers read a letter from Ilya Yashin, an opposition leader jailed for taking part in a protest earlier this week. "Even behind bars we are feeling free, unlike those who are hiding from the people in the Kremlin," Orlov said.

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