What is Green Data Center?

A green data center is a huge computing storehouse meant for storing, managing and distribution of data. All the components -electrical, computing, lighting and cooling systems at the data center are designed to run with utmost energy efficiency and having least impact on environment. The facilities are similar to the traditional typical data center but a green data center is more cost effective and are environment friendly. A typical data center is reckoned as one of the main culprits for emitting huge quantities of carbon and other greenhouse gases that create ecological imbalance and global warming.

A green data center is built in an environment minimizing carbon footprint, using low- radiating carpets, paints and other furnishings, reducing wastage by utilizing recyclable devices and equipment, use of energy technologies like photovoltaics, heat pumps and evaporative cooling, catalytic converters on backup solutions and planting of trees in and around the plant.

Energy costs are one of main concerns. Modern day racks and cabinets that are being built are able to run on reasonably high temperatures. Free cooling chillers are being installed to maintain the coolness in the data centers. Water for the air conditioning units are chilled by using the natural low outside air temperatures rather than depend on energy intensified systems. They use filters to prevent dust particles from entering the expensive equipments. Most of the data centers are shifting to using wind energy and cut down energy costs. The data center hosts are also looking for low energy consuming servers cutting the electricity costs drastically while also reducing operational and investment costs on cooling devices.

Environmental activists and the public in general are putting pressures on the governments in all the countries to come up with new strategies and capabilities to create and maintain eco-friendly technologies for a greener and improved environment.