I'm Brandon Lorenz, senior editor for Building Operating Management magazine.
Ever wonder where all the electricity in a data center goes once it finally makes its way to the server? You're not alone. According to an EPA study conducted in the summer of 2007, the average volume server uses 251 watts of electricity.
Of that total, 80 watts are devoted to the CPU, 50 watts are devoted to peripheral slots and 38 watts represent power supply losses. Memory and other comments make up the rest.
When selecting servers, consider the efficiency of the power supply and how it compares to other models in the market. For more information, see an organization called Climate Savers Computing, which is dedicated to improving the efficiency of server power supplies.
