Zombie Servers | Data Center Energy Efficiency & Consumption

Are Zombie Servers Eating Away at Your Profits?

Recently, it was reported via a joint study involving researchers at Stanford University and TSO Logic that 30% of all data center servers don’t actually do anything. These “zombie servers” remain plugged in and continue to draw power while delivering no useful information.

These 10 million-plus comatose servers were also the topic of a report recently released by the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC). The NRDC’s researchers determined that if data center facilities across the U.S. were able to implement the tools available to improve efficiency, the energy saved would amount to $3.8 billion, or enough electricity to power 3.5 million American homes.

This should make a CTO wonder – how much are zombie servers eating away at my company’s profits?

What Exactly is a Zombie Server?

A zombie server, or comatose server, is one that has not delivered information or computing services in the last six months. Data centers in many large organizations are infected by these servers due to one of a few different reasons. The data center team may be afraid to unplug unused servers for fear of them being needed someday. Or, the data center’s asset management strategy may not be as effective as it should be.

In most cases, the electricity bill associated with the data center’s energy use is handled by the company’s accounting department, so the extraordinarily high utility bills never come to the attention of the CTO or the other members of the data center team. This creates an “out of sight, out of mind” mindset. Of course, the problem with this is the data center team really has no idea how much money is being wasted on equipment that’s not even being used.

What Can Be Done to Improve Data Center Efficiency?

The first thing that can be done to help improve a data center’s efficiency is to perform a full, system-wide assessment of the IT assets. Which servers are being used and which are sitting comatose? Then, partnering with a computer liquidator like Liquid Technology will provide you with access to the services you need to better manage your unused assets.

Liquid Technology can assess your unused servers, determine their fair market value, remove the servers from your premises, perform complete data destruction, and sell the servers on your behalf. Your organization will become more streamlined and more energy-efficient and in most cases, even enjoy a return on its investment.

To take your energy efficiency program even further, you can implement certain changes targeting controlling the heat that’s produced by the servers, as that is where much of the wasted energy is lost. An example of this is upgrading your IT infrastructure so it can generate usable power from waste heat. Or, if your data center is located in a cooler climate, then you can install an air filtration system that can pump outside air into your data center to help keep the equipment cool.

H2 IT Asset Management is the Key to Controlling the Zombie Server Apocalypse

Every report agrees that zombie servers aren’t the result of inadequate equipment, but rather, they are the result of a general lack of management oversight in data centers. When IT assets are properly managed, a company enjoys better efficiency and it saves money.

If your organization needs a professional IT assessment or IT asset disposal and recycling services, contact Liquid Technology today to speak with one of our Assessment Specialists. We have the services you need to fight back against the zombie server apocalypse. We can be reached by calling our toll-free number, by email or simply complete our quick form and we will promptly respond to you. Feel free to include a spreadsheet of your comatose IT equipment to help expedite the process.