Leveraging Technology to Reduce Data Centre Consumption
EfficiencyIT, a UK specialist in data centres, IT and critical communications environments, has shared the results of a data centre digital transformation initiative for its customers at the Wellcome Sanger Institute.
As the Wellcome Sanger Institute is a world-leader in genomic research and bioinformatics, the project was designed to increase the energy efficiency of the organisation’s 4.5 megawatt (MW) genomic data centre in Cambridge. This is currently one of the largest independent and privately owned research facilities in Europe.
Schneider Electric contributed its EcoStruxure IT Advisor, on-premises data centre infrastructure management (DCIM) software and more than 300 custom-designed APC Rack Power Distribution Unit (PDU) systems.
The project was designed to improve both the resiliency and visibility of the Wellcome Sanger Institute’s critical systems.
A partnership designed with sustainability in mind
The companies have collaborated to reduce the energy consumption of this data centre by an average of 33%. They have aimed to succeed in this venture by leveraging the power of data analytics, machine learning and intelligent power monitoring to increase visibility across the entire data centre.
Likewise, the companies hope that operating expenses can be better managed across the facility, despite the continued rise in energy costs. This comes at a significant time within the global data centre industry, as operators are having to handle intensified customer demand for energy and power amid an energy crisis and continued calls for greater sustainability across the sector.
Alongside this, the Wellcome Sanger Institute has been utilising the latest advancements in equipment, including high performance computing (HPC) and graphics processing unit (GPU) technologies from world-leading manufacturers. This is in connection with its goal to increase computational output by 50%, in order to accelerate the production of valuable research data.
The technologies hosted within our data centre power a host of HPC and GPU-intensive systems for both the complex genomic research we undertake on campus, and the applied sciences undertaken by our partners.
As the hosting, density and energy requirements of these technologies change, it’s vital that we keep the science as sustainable as possible. Our work with EfficiencyIT and Schneider Electric has played a key role in helping us save energy, while increasing our computational capability significantly.
Such a feat would enable the organisation to undertake and contribute to a broader range of ground-breaking projects. Already, technology giant Nvidia states the Wellcome Sanger Institute is already using its accelerated computing to simultaneously save energy and safe lives.
By using Nvidia technology, the Institute could save roughly US$1m and 1,000 MWh each year.
Schneider Electric’s role
This project first started in 2019 as a partnership between the Institute, EfficiencyIT and Schneider Electric.
As a global specialist in automation and energy management, Schneider Electric was able to provide its EcoStruxture IT Advisor DCIM software, which refers to its cloud-based asset and planning software. This offering is designed to enable data centre managers to reduce OpEx and plan for uptime, with analytics to enable greater capacity planning decisions.
The company has also been able to leverage its AI and machine learning capabilities to increase visibility across its distributed IT estate, helping the Institute make informed decisions to reduce the energy consumption of its data centre.
Likewise, it has been able to assist with rack-level metering and monitoring with custom-designed APC PDUs (Power Distribution Units) to help the Institute track power consumption at the infrastructure layer.
AI, HPC and GPUs have fast-become essential within the science and technology sector, with the Wellcome Sanger Institute highlighting how significant data centres have become to its line of research.
The company has also helped deploy a new modular data centre at The Pirbright Institute in September 2024 to enable it to stay ahead of new technological advancements to fast-track its scientific advancements.
In this way, the data centre can be innovative whilst ensuring the highest level of sustainability.
Schneider Electric’s aim as a whole is to help improve operational efficiency and increase the reliability of power systems. Marrying innovation with sustainability in this way is vital in order to have future success.
“Data centres, HPC, and AI have been integral to the life science sector for decades, and play a vital role in global lifesaving research, from cancer and dementia to infectious diseases,” explains Mark Yeeles, VP Secure Power Division at Schneider Electric UK&I.
“We’re delighted to see the results of this data centre sustainability initiative, and to see the benefits our EcoStruxure platform has delivered to the Wellcome Sanger Institute, showcasing how critical national infrastructure can be efficient, resilient, and sustainable.”
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