Reduce Data Centre Energy Costs with AKCPro DCIM Software and CFD Airflow Modelling

The latest version of AKCPro Server DCIM software includes new features to manage small to medium sized data centres and server rooms, including sensorCFD support to model air flow and analyse areas for cooling system optimisation and energy savings.

Version 16 of the software is industry leading in terms of its the features and functionality, all in an easy-to-use interface for small to medium sized data centres and server rooms.

Data Centre Infrastructure Management Software

DCIM standards for data centre infrastructure management, and a typical DCIM used for larger data centres, can be expensive and lengthy to install. It can take months to complete an installation and costly training required to ensure delivery of the project goals. AKCPro Server v16 provides a far lower cost-of-entry for smaller server rooms and data centres who want to implement DCIM features but for a more affordable cost and without lengthy project timescales and training costs. The sensorCFD support tool is also free, shaving thousands of pounds or dollars off a typical DCIM project.

New AKCPro Server DCIM Software Features and Improvements

The latest version of AKCPro Server DCIM software includes several new features to improve data centre and server room visualisation and data modelling.

• Data Centre Design Wizard: a quick way to draw up a data centre floor plan, including the number of aisles and number of racks per aisle with automatic sequential naming (rack 1, aisle 1 etc)
• ASHRAE Standard Colour Scale: threshold colours are shown on floorplans shaded as per the AHSRAE recommended thresholds
• 3D Mapping and Visualization: of your server room or data centre
• sensorCFD™ Airflow Modelling: support for Computational Fluid Dynamics modelling of airflows to help identify areas for improvement and energy saving
• Asset Maintenance Log: export as a CSV file for further analysis
• Asset duplication: duplicate assets, so you do not need to repeat work making new assets each time
• Asset Import/Export: import assets that have been created in another AKCPRo Server instance
• Import/Export rack maps: if you have already setup a rack map for a specific rack configuration you can import it to other APS or duplicate it to another rack map
• Map marker search: to find a specific sensor
• Configure each desktop time zone
• Set time zone for user
• Import/export floor plans

The new ASHRAE colour scale helps AKCPro Server users to check how their temperature and humidity sensor data compares to ASHRAE’s recommended environmental data for server rooms and data centres. The new scale feature makes it easy to see the effect of changes made to optimise cooling performance and pin-point further areas for investigation.

For more information on ASHRAE’s guidelines and their effect on energy efficiency see: https://www.datacenterdynamics.com/en/opinions/new-ashrae-guidelines-challenge-efficiency-drive/

General improvements to AKCPro Server v16 include:

• New rearm calculator: to improve how the re-arm for the sensor status works, where it must move by a certain value before the sensor will re-arm its status
• Support notification macro-DATE, TIME_ZONE

AKCPro Server is designed to work with the wide range of AKCP environmental monitoring units (Ethernet and wireless) and plug-in sensors. The software features 3D data centre visualization and drill-down mapping from a world view to a cabinet view in a few clicks. Graphically displays for cabinets with AKCP thermal map sensors to visualize front and rear temperatures as well as the delta-T.

Other features include asset management, data centre capacity planning, customisable desktops, graphing, reports, comprehensive notifications suite, user management, access control (room and server cabinet), IP video camera feed integration and event playback.

AKCPro Server is free for an unlimited number of racks and up to 5 AKCP base environmental sensor units. Above 5 units, an annual charge applies. AKCPro Server can be downloaded from the AKCP website.

sensorCFD Data Centre Airflow Modelling

The new sensorCFD tool from AKCP is a free to use airflow modelling tool for data centre airflows and can help to reduce cooling and electricity usage costs. Using sensorCFD, server room and data centre operators can monitor PODs and aisle containment installations, server rack temperatures and both hot and cold airflow paths. Rather than arbitrary numbers, sensorCFD also uses live sensor data to support its calculations and shows you the true performance of a data centre’s cooling system.

What is Computational Fluid Dynamics?

Computational Fluid Dynamics or CFD as it is referred to is a branch of fluid mechanics that relies on numerical analysis and data to analyse and solve air and fluid flow problems. Within a server room or data centre environment, CFD tools help facilities managers, design engineers and data centre managers to model airflow and heat transfer within specific areas, including the white spaces in data centres, data halls, PODs, aisle containment, server rooms and server racks. Tools like sensorCFD can be used to identify areas for improvements in airflow, thermal efficiency, air distribution, energy efficiency and resilience.

AKCPro Server DCIM Software and sensorCFD

The latest version of AKCPro Server DCM software includes support for the sensorCFD airflow modelling tool. The modelling process begins by drawing a data centre layout in the CAD features within AKCPro Server software. The suggested starting point is a single containment POD. Once the physical design is prepared, active values can be added including temperature readings at the front and rear of each server rack, along with the Power (kW) estimates or actual usage of each server rack, and the temperatures and airflow volumes into and out of the CRAH (computer room air handlers). Once this data is input, a simulation can be run using sensorCFD and the results used to make improvements.

Add sensorCFD values manually, and automatically in real-time using AKCP temperature monitoring sensors installed around the server room or data centre, server cabinets and racks, PODs, and aisle containment. This allows sensorCFD to produce an extremely accurate simulation and forecast of the airflow and cooling paths within a server room or data centre environment. Automated alerts can also be set-up when recorded values move outside of pre-set bands. Any AKCP sensor can be added to the simulation giving you a real-time picture of how your data centre is performing. The more sensors, the more accurate your simulation.

The benefits of using ACKPro Server DCIM software and sensorCFD airflow modelling include:

• Realtime Monitoring Insights: AKCPro Server DCIM provides real time insights into data centre performance metrics such as PUE, with 2D and 3D heatmaps, with Delta-T and Delta-P, humidity, security power and assets.
• Energy Cost Reductions: reduce energy costs by focusing cooling capacity. sensorCFD provides a visual model of where cold and hot or warm air is going and where it needs to be.
• Thermal Risk Monitoring: protect IT equipment and monitor hot spots in server cabinets and racks, whilst also meeting ASHRAE’s recommendations for data centre operating temperatures and humidity levels.
• Monitor Capacity Utilisation: maximize performance and release stranded capacity. Ensure that your air is cooling servers and not being wasted cooling unnecessary space.
• CO2 Reductions: efficient use of cooling capacity results in improved carbon emissions. sensorCFD can assist an organisation to reduce its carbon footprint and move towards net zero.
• Improve Return on Investment (ROI): use the model to reduce energy costs, lower carbon footprints, optimise server rack capacities, and remove hot spots. All can result in increased return on investment, lower OpEx and higher operating margins.

Summary

AKCPro Server is an easy to install software tool for us with AKCP environmental monitoring systems in server rooms and data centres. In addition to the graphic displays and modelling, the software can be used to send alert messages to distribution lists via email and SMS texts to allow corrective actions to be taken when a sensor related event occurs. The new features mean that AKCPro Server software provides very cost-effective alternative to more costly DCIM packages, and the sensorCFD adds airflow modelling that can significantly reduce cooling and energy costs for in small to medium-sized data centres and server rooms.

Please contact our projects team for a free online demo of AKCPro DCIM software and the sensorCFD modelling tool or an onsite data centre energy usage audit.