Power has long been a consideration for server and data centre operations and design. In many cases, power was a constant to design the solution around, and not something that could easily be monitored, manipulated or optimised.

But developments such as regulation in the form of the Carbon Reduction Commitment, the increasing cost of power and cooling, and increased server and computational density have started to put strains on both budgets and capacity. Effective power management is becoming a central pillar of server planning and strategy. But it can seem like a daunting challenge to take on, with the potential for a lot of pain with little (tangible) gain.

It can be easy to make a case when you have direct control or responsibility for power. In the case of limited power supply or space, the control and return may be very direct. But in many cases, power supply and costs are the responsibility of another department. Without involving the broader organisation in the efforts to control power use and become more efficient, there may be little payback to investing in power management.