Model development for simulation based global optimisation of energy efficient data centres

Data centre (DC) energy consumption has been increasing exponentially over the last decades, following the rapid rise of computing demand. With this growth expected to continue in the near future, the focus lays on designing sustainable, energy efficient Data centres, and achieving optimal operation. This represents a challenging multidomain problem. Moreover, the access to real facilities for testing of new operation strategies is extremely limited due to safety reasons. Simulation of DC models is a feasible alternative to overcome this constrain. This paper describes the development of a virtual DC testbed to support the assessment of operation strategies as part of the GENiC research project, which aims to optimize the operation of energy efficient DCs.