Technologies Behind NEC's High Temperature Ambient Server

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Technologies Behind NEC’s High Temperature Ambient Server 2.2Storage device cooling technologies NEC provides the NEC Storage M series SAN disk array as an HTA storage device. NEC Storage M series is a storage device that saves power by approximately 50% compared with the conventional model with the same capacity by adopting the common architecture of the Express5800 server series. The MAID (Massive Array of Inactive Disks) automatically switches less frequently accessed volumes to power saving mode to reduce power consumption. 2.3 Cooling assessments The server mother boards have been designed with an optimal component layout through measurements and simulative analysis of temperature and its distribution. For measurement, temperature sensors were placed in more than 100 positions, NEC also verified the cabling at the design and development phase so as to not affect maintenance work after installation. NEC’s HTA servers and storage devices have all passed these strict cooling assessments. System design technology for optimizing the airflow The adopted airflow design allows cool air to flow in a straight line from the front to the rear of the unit to improve the cooling efficiency. The structure of unit is designed considering the airflow going from the hard disks to the air holes to the control board and out through the fan. There are also air holes on the back plane to optimize airflow in order to increase the cooling efficiency between HDDs. HDD Back-Plane Power supply Blower fan 3. Verification Tests Front side Rear side Control board Layout technology to optimize airflow The cooling efficiency has been improved by adopting Intel low-power processors as the CPUs and also by using a large heat sink. In addition, the airflow and component placement have been optimized to allow for the worst case scenario of fan failure. To facilitate understanding of the cooling effects of the Express5800 series and NEC Storage series, this section describes two verification tests – a fresh air cooling verification test in which the device was operated in an environment in which only the direct free air cooling method was used, and a long duration verification test. In addition to these verification tests, NEC also supplied HTA servers to Intel for assessment and verification of heat and power consumption reduction mainly from the viewpoint of the CPU. Optimal placement of power supply unit in NEC Storage M series Winner at Green IT Awards 2011 The use of power supply unit with high conversion efficiency improves the cooling efficiency of the power supply unit and thus allows more cool air to flow to the control board. Optimized amount of airflow for power supply and control board Optimization of HDD airflow (Back plane air holes) Layout design considering airflow Low-power CPUs Large heat sink The Express5800 series and NEC Storage M series, which can operate at a maximum ambient temperature of 40°C, received the Green IT Promotion Council Chairman’s Award* 2 in the energy saving of IT equipment (“of IT”) category at the Green IT Awards 2011. The award was received in recognition of the power saving performance of these products and the originality and innovation required to increase the ambient operating temperature to 40°C. The award in this category is given to IT devices, services, systems, and other products that deliver an excellent power saving performance. Product name/model number 1-way tower: Express5800/GT110d 1-way slim: Express5800/GT110d-S 1-way water-cooled slim: Express5800/GT110d-S (water-cooled) 1-way rack: Express5800/R110d-1E and Express5800/E110d-1 SAN storage: NEC Storage M10e and NEC Storage M100 *2 The Green IT Promotion Council is a Japanese industry-academic-government organization found in 2008 to address the global warming issue. The council promotes power saving through IT. © 2012 NEC Corporation The NEC logo is a registered trademark or a trademark of NEC Corporation in Japan and other countries. 4
3.1 Direct free air cooling verification test in data center 3.1.1 Outline of verification test Purpose • To verify the operating status of servers and storage devices throughout the year in an outdoor air intake environment. Verification environment • Data center in Tokyo with no cooling system used Equipment used for verification Server : Express5800 series Storage : NEC Storage series 3.1.2 Details and results of assessment Details of assessment • The server CPU and storage IO were operated constantly in a high load state (almost 100%). • The intake air temperature, internal temperature, and power consumption were measured. Assessment period Verification has been ongoing from December 2010 until now (Septmber 2012). Assessment results Although the intake temperature of the server exceeded 35°C in summer when the outdoor air temperature exceeded 35°C, the server, whose maximum ambient operating temperature is 40°C, operated stably. Even when the external humidity suddenly increased due to evening showers or other weather conditions, the proper humidity was maintained at an optimum level inside the ICT equipment by keeping the temperature of the intake air several degrees higher than the outdoor air, using exhaust air from the server. 3.2 Long duration verification test 3.2.1 Outline of verification test Purpose • To confirm long-term stable operation in a high temperature environment of 40°C or higher Verification environment • The server was installed in a constant temperature chamber (constant temperature oven) and exhaust air from the server was circulated, with the temperature maintained at 40°C or higher. Equipment used for verification Server : Express5800 series Storage : NEC Storage series 3.2.2 Details and results of assessment Details of assessment • The server CPU was operated constantly at a high load state (almost 100%). • The server was operated in a constant temperature chamber with the temperature on the front panel of server maintained between 40°C and 42°C, with the error status of the server being checked. • The intake temperature, internal temperature, and power consumption were measured. Assessment period Verification has been ongoing from April 2011 until now (July 2012). Assessment results The server has continued to operate stably even in a high load state without generating errors for over one year. This verification test is ongoing. Constant temperature chamber Temperature of the front panel of server: 41.7°C 41 Highest outdoor air temperature and highest server intake temperature in August in Tokyo 40 35 100 90 80 Highest and lowest outdoor humidity in August 70 30 60 Highest outdoor air temperature 25 Highest intake temperature 20 Aug.1 Aug.15 Aug.31 50 40 Highest outdoor humidity Lowest outdoor humidity 30 Aug.1 Aug.15 Aug.31 Exhaust air from the server is circulated and partly emitted to maintain a front panel temperature of 40°C. (The server is being operated at between 40°C and 42°C). The door on the right is opened briefly to measure the temperature with a thermo camera. 27 Advantages of HTA servers and storage devices in terms of relative humidity A humidity of 80% or less is recommended for IT devices to prevent dew condensation. With an outdoor cooling method, if the humidity of the outside air is as high as 100%, the temperature inside the data center must be kept higher than the outdoor air in order to maintain a lower humidity. In general, the relative humidity drops to approximately 80% if the air temperature when the humidity is Humidity 100% rises by several degrees. 100 80 HTA servers and storage devices are very effective in environments in which the temperature must be kept higher than the 0 outside air. 35 39 Temperature 4. Applications of HTA Servers and Storage Devices 4.1 Higher temperature setting of cooling system The temperature of the cooling system can be set higher by implementing HTA servers and storage devices. This will reduce the power consumption of the cooling system. This section introduces an example of reducing cooling system power consumption by 37% at an NEC testing center. © 2012 NEC Corporation The NEC logo is a registered trademark or a trademark of NEC Corporation in Japan and other countries. 5
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