News

The data center datadock was built in the Strasbourg port area by converting a former warehouse. Strasbourg stands out due to its central European position (approximately 300 meters from the German/French border), and the main route for European fiber glass cables runs through this region. Therefore, a perfect connection to Germany, France, throughout Europe, and to the entire world is guaranteed.

Furthermore, it was only possible at this location to realize the innovative and eco-friendly artesian-well cooling principle, which is based on the area´s broad groundwater supplies. This power saving cooling method is an important factor in the low power consumption of datadock. In addition, the fact that only state-of-the-art and eco-friendly devices and appliances are used at datadock has a positive influence on the energy balance. Hence, datadock needs 66 percent less energy than the average data center. This equals savings of 26 million kWh per year at full load, or about 24 million kilograms less CO2 emission, respectively. In order to remove this quantity of the environmentally unfriendly molecule from the atmosphere would take the full capacity of over 119,000 trees for one year.

Besides power efficiency and environmental protection, further aspects were taken into consideration when planning datadock: "We made every effort to realize a comprehensive security and redundancy concept, which ensures the highest possible availability of all data", assures PlusServer CTO Jochen Berger.

Independent third party certifications show that this effort was not in vain. datadock got five stars in the acknowledged Datacenter Star Audit as one of only seven data centers in Europe. "Based on deep expert knowledge, eco has developed an evaluation schedule that completely comprehends all demands on modern data centers", explains Andreas Niehaus, Head of IT Operations at PlusServer. "Hence, the certificate is a very important quality distinction for data centers", he emphasizes.

On the website www.datadock.eu, everybody can take a deeper look at datadock. Next to an interactive virtual tour, many exciting facts about Europe´s greenest data center await visitors.

Higher power spectrum at data centers

"Performance benchmarks for the operation of data centers have raised considerably in the last five years, since we first conducted the eco Datacenter Star Audit", explains Roland Broch, Certification Program Manager at the Internet association eco. "The common market capacity rates around 50 percent are no longer up to date. Increasing cost pressure, customer request for demand-oriented IT resources and ecological, sustainable operation methods are forcing professional cloud vendors and data center operators to intelligently apply their resources", comments Broch. The result is more densely structured IT services, so that data centers now produce a lot more waste heat. Operators must invest in better climate control in order to prevent their high-performance computers from overheating.

Cloud computing is a driver of innovation

Customer-oriented reference models like cloud computing are also increasing the expectations of management and service processes. eco auditors seek to find out if operators have implemented processes which conform to ITIL in order to ensure consistently high service quality, even at peak times. "Cloud computing is currently the key driver of innovation in the data center market", concludes Roland Broch, "to provide IT resources and software services according to customer needs via Internet, vendors must utilize substantially more complex technologies and service processes. We have based the highest rating category of five stars on these new requirements."

The data center infrastructure of Pironet NDH Datacenter has achieved the highest eco Datacenter Star Audit rating for the second time since 2005. According to a current market comparison study by the Experton Group, the provider of ICT services is one of the leading vendors of cloud services for small- and medium-sized companies. Dr. Clemens Plieth, Managing Director Service Delivery and responsible for all Pironet NDH Datacenter operational services, views the eco testing criteria, which is oriented to the practical needs of companies, as its strength: "Auditors look very closely at how architecture concepts and processes affect actual use and customer processes. The eco Datacenter Star Audit reflects real market demand."

The right power supply is in addition to network connectivity and cooling one of the three key elements of operating a data center. Issues of provisioning, availability, scalability and redundancy of power supply must be taken into account during the planning phase.

Power supply has a wide variety of demands between economy and GreenIT.

The eco workgroup data center will address electricity as a main topic at its next meeting. You're invited to discuss with experts about current trends and developments in the electricity market and power supply.

Meet the Datacenter Star Audit on the Knuerr DatacenterForum 2010.

The DataCenterForum 2010 is on tour and continued his success from last year. 20 cities in Europe, nine cities only so in Germany. The series of events promoting the noncommercial transfer of knowledge and information from the field. Enjoy top speakers, who take up professional and first-hand the latest trends in the world of data centers.

Take a companion exhibition to come up with really important partners in conversation to develop the professional-oriented network to establish useful contacts.

13.04.2010 – Hamburg
15.04.2010 – Wolfsburg
20.04.2010 – Cologne
22.04.2010 – Essen
27.04.2010 – Karlsruhe
29.04.2010 – Dresden
04.05.2010 – Frankfurt / Main
06.05.2010 – Berlin
12.05.2010 – Munich

For registration and further information see:
www.datacenterforum.de

The event future thinking from 22 March was a great success for eco. As a cooperation partner, the association had invited into the Planetarium Mannheim to look to the future of data center technologies. About 130 attendees, including many eco members, used the opportunity to learn what to expect in the future to them.

The Association also informed about the topics Datacenter Star Audit and EuroCloud Deutschland_eco. Also the organizer dc-ce RZ-Consulting showed completely satisfied with the event and has another future thinking for the coming year announced - again, of course, together with eco.

WebhostingDay is the largest web hosting event worldwide, taking place in Germany. As an event from the industry for the industry, it delivers information and impulses directly from the source to the right target groups for your business.

It unites the decision makers of the leading web hosting companies from Europe, America and Asia, thus providing an ideal venue for an exchange of experiences as well as networking among equals. Due to the event's international focus, English is the conference language.

You can find the booth of the eco Association at the exhibition area hosting.FAIR Do not miss the opportunity to become a part of this show and register by March 4 as an attendee!

For eco-members is a limited number of free tickets available. We're looking forward to experiencing a successful WebhostingDay 2010 together with you.

www.webhostingday.com

17. – 19. März 2010
Phantasialand
Berggeiststraße 31-41
50321 Bruehl, Germany

The efficiency of a data center in past years was defined mainly on the PUE (power usage effectivness). At the last meeting of the Working Group Data Center has been identified that a single Key Performance Indicator (KPI), such as the PUE, is not sufficient for the assessment of energy efficiency. For this reason another benchmark should be considered in the first session of the Working Group in the new year.

Dr. Ralph Hintemann, Senior Researcher from Borderstep Institute reported on the challenges for the evaluation of the energy and resource efficiency in data centers. Approaches to improve energy efficiency showed Hintemann on the basis of the process of energy production to the processor and application software.

Dr. Georg Riegel, managing director of deZem GmbH put the focus in his lecture ("playful search for nobel prize suspicious data center efficiency indicators beyond the PUE") to increase efficiency through transparency. Riegel concluded his presentation with a comparative efficiency analysis on the example of a hive.

As the last speaker of the afternoon, Gerhard Leo Buttner from the Design Institute Munich (DIM) presented various KPI's in comparison. As a good benchmark for the overall efficiency of the evaluation Büttner recommended the CADE (Corporate Average Data Efficiency).

The presentations were followed by a tour through the data center of the Databurg GmbH. Managing Director Peter Werner explained the special features of the company by a short presentation.

The presentations are available for free download .

This year's CeBIT saw multiple roles for eco. At the webciety, eco's stall hosted the Datacenter Star Audit, the Internet complaint site, and EuroCloud Germany_eco, as well as two co-exhibitors, brown-iposs and Acronis Germany. "We were happy to have a great number of visitors", says Harald A. Summa, Managing Director at eco.

The new association, EuroCloud Germany_eco, in particular had a good start. The association held a press conference and its members participated in many stimulating discussions. One highlight was the visit of Kurt Beck, Minister President of the German state of Rhineland-Palatinate. eco took the opportunity to present him with the results of eco's and Arthur D. Little's joint survey on the German Internet industry.