IBM is announcing several new servers today. One interesting feature
of the press release is a new focus on power consumption and cooling.
IBM directly targets the high heat generated by the SUN servers. Compared
to a Sun Server, the new IBM servers have 1/3 the heat dissipation, based
on the published specifications. IBM eServer p660 is 3,294 BTUs/hr compared
with 9,420 BTUs/hr for a Sun Fire 3800.
Of course, these numbers are pretty bogus. Most computer manufacture
specification sheets are useless for accurately forecasting the power
consumption of the equipment. I suspect, after Sun's PR people realize
they are getting beat up, they will go back and better calculate the power
consumption figures for their servers.
I'm not very interested in who really has the coolest, most efficient
computers. I am interested in getting accurate information for planning
purposes. If this leads to computer vendors publishing more accurate
information, great. I'm afraid instead, the pendulum will swing the
other direction and vendors will begin understating their true power
requirements.
I'm not very interested in who really has the coolest, most efficient
computers. I am interested in getting accurate information for planning
purposes. If this leads to computer vendors publishing more accurate
information, great. I'm afraid instead, the pendulum will swing the
other direction and vendors will begin understating their true power
requirements.
At least one other manufacturer does want to compete on wall-plug
efficiency:
http://www.rlxtechnologies.com/
Chris
Sean,
I could not be in more agreement with you. I have
written a white paper that discusses this issue. It
covers some of the basics of cooling and power but it
also takes it down to Ohms Law and shows a few excel
worksheets for calculations of single systems as well
as roll-up's for racks of equipment. Here is a link
to the white-paper:
http://www.colosource.com/whitepaper/Coolingandpowerpaper.pdf
Please let me know what you think if you have a chance
to give it a read.
Thanks,
Kevin Facinelli
Director of Operations
Crystal Group Inc
www.crystalpc.com
319-378-1636 x227
I don't have numbers handy for the IBM boxes, but note that the p680
can go 6 to 24 CPU, and from 4G to 96G of RAM. Hardly a case where
one number will fit all. IBM at least *used* to provide power info
on a per-component basis, but you had to get the 'Site Planning and
Preparation' manual for the system in question. I also know that SGI
has information on amperage considerations for their O2K, Onyx and Onyx2
rack-mount servers, where you *can* get into the situation where you
have open slots, but be unable to put a high-draw card in because
the power supply for the cage isn't rated for it.
The only way to get "more accurate" info is to line-item each component
and add up the numbers for *your* configuration.