Data centers are prone to overheating. This can be explained with the huge amount of IT equipment and computers that are located in the server rooms. In order to avoid wasting too much power and to achieve efficiency, data centers require an effective cooling system. In order to measure power usage efficiency, the PUE standard is used by most data centers. This refers to the Power Usage Effectiveness and measures the amount of energy required for cooling for each watt of IT power. The lower the PUE figure, the more efficient the data center is. Ideally, a PUE value of 1.0 implies that all energy is used for computing rather than cooling. This is a sign of energy efficiency.
Moreover, data centers achieve energy efficiency through a regular maintenance routine of their equipment and server racks. Factors such as the accumulation of dust, tangles network cables and unaligned cabinets can be detrimental to the performance of the data center. Environmental monitoring an another crucial factor in maintaining efficiency. Industrial cooling solutions are generally used to maintain the server rooms at a constant temperature. Portable air conditioning might also be used in case when additional cooling might be required. Server rooms also have sensors to check for any fluctuation in temperature and the level of humidity. These are crucial for the protection of the equipment contained within the server rooms. Changes in the humidity level might cause damages to these equipment.