In this article, Bel Power Solutions presents the OPC specifications to consider when creating a new, or adding to an existing, data center. Learn more about how the OPC is influencing the future of data center hardware and stay in-the-know of why it matters.
APPLYING OPEN COMPUTE RACK AND POWER SPECIFICATIONS TO NEW AND EXISTING DATA CENTERS
When Facebook and others launched the Open Compute Project (OCP) in 2011, the goal was to accelerate the commercialization of hardware designs that enable greater data center efficiency and flexibility. Since then, the OCP has gained traction in the market, growing into an influential community focused on open data center hardware.
Among the major developments in the last several years are the addition of notable members, including Apple, Cisco, Nokia and Google; continued growth in the number and maturity of OCP specifications; and the development of specifications for telecommunication data centers.
From its beginning, the OCP has questioned and reconsidered traditional approaches to data center design, challenging the idea that we should continue doing things because that is the way they have always been done. That’s great if you’re just building out your computing infrastructure, as several of the key players in OCP are, but it can create challenges for organizations with significant investments in legacy infrastructure. Fortunately, as the community has grown, OCP specifications have expanded to increase their applicability in legacy environments.
This is causing data center operators across the spectrum to take notice. They are increasingly evaluating the viability of OCP specifications when building new data centers or expanding existing facilities. They often find opportunities to drive down costs and improve efficiency, but also face some key decisions on how best to apply the specifications — or the principles behind the specifications — to their particular environment and objectives.