Crystal Rae
When it comes to data center operations, size matters.
In this instance, bigger really is better. The average data center costs for facilities larger than 50,000 square feet are $5,467 per kW. Meanwhile, facilities between 5,000 and 49,999 square feet average a whopping $26,459 per kW.
Of course, most companies don’t need 50,000+ square feet of operations space. And you can’t completely eliminate the costs of running a data center, no matter the size.
The good news is that you can reduce data center costs with a little effort and ingenuity. Here are three suggestions you may not have considered yet.
- Be Proactive With Maintenance
Thanks to the IoT, you can track the condition of every piece of equipment from a centralized management system. When you closely monitor this data, you can make well-informed (and less costly) decisions.
Waiting for something to fail is the least effective way to run your data center. Any downtime you suffer will only damage your brand’s reputation. Routine maintenance is a good step up, but it’s not enough in the long run.
To really cut data center costs, you need to monitor your network for patterns. If there’s anything to indicate that something is even close to failing, you can correct it immediately. You can also replace hardware when it actually needs to be replaced, rather than rolling along with the manufacturer’s specs.
- Reduce Staff Costs
Every time you lose a data center staff member, you incur expenses to hire and train a replacement. And no matter how nice they are, you’re still left with a worker who’s less experienced and knowledgeable than the last one.
One of the best ways to reduce data center costs is to reduce your employee turnover rate. Keep your employees happy by offering good pay, ongoing training, and a clear career path to follow.
There are many companies already putting this tip into practice, as you can see here at this London-based data center.
- Consolidate Where You Can
The closer you are to utilizing your equipment at full capacity, the more efficient it will be. Servers, cooling systems, and other common equipment perform best when they’re heavily loaded.
The problem? With more resources moving to the cloud, the heavy equipment left behind is often underutilized. You end up paying for equipment, storage space, and cooling costs you don’t actually need.
Save on data center costs by shutting down and consolidating as much infrastructure as you can. You should also offload redundant IT software, asset, maintenance, and support, as well as any disaster recovery contracts.
Slash Your Data Center Costs Today
If your data center operations have been taking a huge chunk out of your budget, put the above tips into practice. The more you save on data center costs, the more money you’ll have to funnel where it matters most — into running your business.
Now that you’re up to speed on data center cost savings, what’s next? Our site is full of great tips and advice on a variety of topics, so keep browsing!
