Packet Power Blog

It's hard to get people's attention for product training. A Packet Power customer decided to take a different approach that resulted in enthusiastic team engagement. It involved a Packet Power power module, environmental monitor and Ethernet Gateway along with an espresso machine and two light bulbs.

Thanks to data from Packet Power solutions, the Center for Energy and Environment (CEE) is finding "solid opportunities to improve energy efficiency."

The Midwest region of the United States experiences a wide temperature range from -30°F (-34°C) in the winter to over 110°F (45°C) in the summer. Well-functioning heating and cooling systems are critical in this environment.

Like many efficient data center operators, Data Realty, a co-location company based in the heart of the Midwest, leverages outside air during the colder seasons. But what about when it is really cold? They came up with a clever use for a Packet Power product to help ensure freezing temperatures didn't negatively impact their business.

I'd love to learn about your monitoring needs if you're planning to be in Cleveland, OH at the E Technologies event. 

Packet Power works with a global network of partners to help best match our products to our customers' needs. We recently added Data Power Technology to our partner lineup.

Energy is one of the highest costs in data centers -- even the small ones. Server rooms and data closets (known as "small embedded data centers") are one of the fastest growing end users of electrical energy in commercial buildings in the United States. And as much as one third of their energy usage is unnecessary, representing a significant cost savings opportunity.

Do you have existing busways with no end feed visibility? Would you like to ensure you are making the most of your available power but can't take the busway offline to add monitoring? Packet Power lets you easily and safely add power monitoring to existing busway end feeds and tap-offs without interruption to critical loads. And our wireless solution installs in three easy steps.

You probably need to know which circuits could handle more power and which are at risk of tripping. Are you also being asked to reduce cooling costs but aren't sure where you can safely increase ambient temperature? How confident are you in your documentation for meeting service level agreements? Is all this information instantly accessible?

How you charge for power is one of the most important pricing decisions you make as a hosting company.  Whether you allocate costs based on energy used (kWh),  the maximum load your facility must provide (peak  kVA),  typical usage (average hourly W) or some other approach,  your choice will have a significant impact on both your selling strategy and your revenues. Packet Power’s EMX Energy Portal provides instant access to detailed power usage information helping dozens of colo companies like yours effectively bill customers.

The Minnesota Center for Energy and Environment and their project partners—Wisconsin Energy Conservation Corporation (WECC) and MnTAP—received CARD (Conservation Applied Research and Development) funding in order to pilot a program which addresses energy consumption and improving efficiency of small embedded data centers.