Fall 2014 Data Center Users’ Group™
Survey Results – October 2014
The Data Center Users’ Group (DCUG) is a collection of influential data center, IT and facility managers formed
by Emerson Network Power. Founded in 2003, the DCUG includes approximately 2,000 organizations who
participate in a collaborative, focused forum that addresses the most relevant issues affecting the reliability,
availability and cost of operation for critical installations
The group is surveyed twice each year to provide members with unique insight into data center trends and to
ensure the group’s meetings address issues of top concern to the membership. The results discussed in this
report are from the DCUG survey that was completed in October 2014.
1
Through what year would you anticipate your current
data center’s capacity to be sufficient?
Answer Options
2014 (0 years)
Response
Percent
Response
Count
3.8%
5
2019 (5 years)
2018 (4 years)
2017 (3 years)
2015 (1 year)
8.5%
11
2016 (2 years)
23.8%
31
2017 (3 years)
14.6%
19
2018 (4 years)
10.8%
14
2019 (5 years)
13.8%
18
2020 or beyond (6+ years)
24.6%
32
average
Data Center Capacity
2020 or beyond (6+years)
24.6%
13.8%
10.8%
14.6%
2016 (2 years)
23.8%
2015 (1 years)
8.5%
2014 (0 years)
3.8%
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
30%
3.6 Years
2
What one factor is having the greatest impact on your
ability to accommodate additional compute capacity?
Answer Options
Response
Percent
Response
Count
Ability to Accomodate Additional Compute Capacity
N/A—Compute capacity
is not constrained
Power
N/A – Compute capacity is not
constrained
33.8%
44
Power
26.2%
34
Cooling
Floor space
Cooling
16.9%
22
Other (please specify)
Floor space
16.2%
21
Other (please specify)
6.9%
9
0.0%
33.8%
26.2%
16.9%
16.2%
6.9%
5.0%
10.0% 15.0%
Sponsored by:
Conference Version
20.0% 25.0%
30.0% 35.0%
40.0%
Data Center Users’ Group Fall 2014 Survey
In the past 12 months have you:
Answer Options
Yes
No
Received an energy rebate from your
utility provider
47
36%
83
64%
Responded to an arc flash event
5
4%
125
96%
Spent the night in your data center
43
33%
87
67%
Spent the night in
your data center
Deployed wireless sensors
35
27%
95
73%
Deployed wireless sensors
Unplugged unused servers (ghost servers)
102
78%
28
22%
Increased the temperature of your data center
72
55%
58
45%
Attended a webinar on data center technologies
or practices
98
75%
32
25%
Seen your data center’s electric bill
79
61%
51
39%
Been asked about your PUE
Been asked about your PUE
81
62%
49
38%
Experienced a “water event”
(leak or water incursion)
Experienced a “water event”
(leak or water incursion)
47
36%
83
64%
Are you seeing more managers or department heads in your
organization engage SaaS providers (Salesforce.com, Eloqua,
Oracle on Demand, etc.) directly without internal IT involvement?
Answer Options
Response Response
Percent
Count
Yes
26.2%
34
No
46.2%
60
Not sure
27.7%
36
Yes
Received an energy rebate
from your utility provider
36%
64%
Responded to an arc flash event 4%
96%
33%
67%
27%
73%
Unplugged unused servers
(ghost servers)
78%
Increased the temperature
of your data center
22%
55%
Attended a webinar on data center
technologies or practices
45%
75%
Seen your data center’s
electric bill
25%
61%
39%
62%
38%
36%
0% 10%
64%
20% 30%
40% 50%
60% 70%
80% 90% 100%
Percentage
Management Engaging With SaaS providers without IT’s Involment
Yes
26.2%
No
46.2%
Not sure
27.7%
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
30%
35%
40%
45%
Response Response
Percent
Count
Adequate monitoring / data center
managment capabilities
50%
35.4%
Availability (uptime)
Adequate monitoring / data center management
capabilities
35.4%
46
Technology changes /
change managment
Availability (uptime)
33.8%
44
Technology changes / change management
33.8%
44
Energy efficiency (energy costs
& equipment efficiency)
Energy efficiency (energy costs & equipment
efficiency)
32.3%
42
Heat density (cooling)
29.2%
38
Data center consolidations
26.9%
35
Security (physical or virtual)
24.6%
32
Power density
Power density
23.8%
31
Space constraints / growth
Space constraints / growth
20.8%
27
Data storage
19.2%
25
Data storage
Regulatory compliance
10.8%
14
Regulatory compliance
Other (please specify)
6.9%
9
33.8%
33.8%
32.3%
Heat density (cooling)
29.2%
Data center consolidations
26.9%
Security (physical or virtual)
24.6%
23.8%
20.8%
19.2%
10.8%
6.9%
Other (please specify)
0%
2
No
Top Concerns
What are your top three (3) facility / network concerns?
(Select 3 items)
Answer Options
In the past 12 months have you:
5%
10% 15%
20% 25% 30% 35%
40%
Data Center Users’ Group Fall 2014 Survey
Applications Moving Closer to Customers
Within your organization, are applications moving closer to your
customers/users?
Yes
Response Response
Percent
Count
Answer Options
Yes
46.2%
60
No
22.3%
29
Not sure
31.5%
41
46.2%
No
22.3%
31.5%
Not sure
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
30%
35%
40%
45%
50%
What is the average power density (in kW) per rack in your data center now and in two years?
2 kW or less
>2 – 4 kW
>4 – 8 kW
>8 – 12 kW
>12 – 16 kW
>16 – 20 kW
>20 – 24 kW
Greater than 24 kW
Unsure
Average
Now
5
4%
41
32%
49
38%
13
10%
4
3%
2
2%
0
0%
1
1%
15
12%
5.83
In Two years
1
1%
13
10%
43
33%
33
25%
14
11%
6
5%
1
1%
2
2%
17
13%
8.90
Answer Options
Average Power Density
Unsure
Now
In Two
Years
2 kW or less
12%
4%
13%
1%
0%
10%
>2 - 4 kW
>4 - 8 kW
>8 - 12 kW
32%
>12 - 16kW
>16- 20 kW
20-24kW
Greater than 24KW
38%
10%
33%
20%
25%
30%
40%
50%
3%
10%
60%
11%
70%
80%
5%
90%
2%
1%
2%
1%
100%
What is the maximum power density (in kW) per rack in your data center now and in two years?
2 kW or less
>2 – 4 kW
>4 – 8 kW
>8 – 12 kW
>12 – 16 kW
>16 – 20 kW
>20 – 24 kW
Greater than 24 kW
Unsure
Average
Now
2
2%
5
4%
45
35%
25
19%
19
15%
11
8%
3
2%
5
4%
15
12%
10.41
In Two years
0
0%
3
2%
20
15%
29
22%
32
25%
16
12%
5
4%
6
5%
19
15%
12.80
Answer Options
Maximum Power Density
Unsure
Now
12%
In Two
Years
2 kW or less
>4 - 8 kW
2% 4%
10%
>8 - 12 kW
35%
0%2%
15%
0%
>2 - 4 kW
15%
20%
>12 - 16kW
19%
22%
30%
>16- 20 kW
40%
20-24kW
8%
15%
25%
50%
60%
Greater than 24KW
12%
70%
80%
2% 4%
4%
90%
5%
100%
3
Data Center Users’ Group Fall 2014 Survey
Given the list below, what are you most concerned with accomplishing in your data center? Please rank the items from 1 to 4, with 1 being
your biggest concern. Each number can only be used once.
Answer Options
1
2
3
4
Average
Application availability
73
56%
28
22%
18
14%
11
8%
1.75
Faster time to market (whether at the application, device or data center level)
25
19%
31
24%
36
28%
38
29%
2.67
Higher productivity of staff
16
12%
38
29%
38
29%
38
29%
2.75
Lower PUE and greater financial flexibility
16
12%
33
25%
38
29%
43
33%
2.83
Most important to accomplish in Data Center
1
2
Application availability
3
56%
Faster time to market (whether at
application, device or data center level)
19%
12%
29%
Lower PUE and greater
financial flexibility
12%
25%
0% 10%
22%
24%
Higher productivity of staff
20%
4
14%
28%
29%
29%
29%
29%
30%
40%
50%
8%
33%
60% 70%
80%
90% 100%
Given the list below, what data center capabilities are most important to you? Please rank the items 1 to 4, with 1 being the most important to
you. Each number can only be used once.
Answer Options
1
2
3
4
Average
Resilient and highly available
98
75%
20
15%
10
8%
2
2%
1.35
Rapidly deployable and scalable
14
11%
52
40%
34
26%
30
23%
2.62
Economical and efficient
12
9%
40
31%
39
30%
39
30%
2.81
Intelligent and analytical
6
5%
18
14%
47
36%
59
45%
3.22
Most important Data Center Capabilities
10
1
2
Resilient and highly available
15%
11%
40%
9%
Intelligent and analytical 5%
0%
4
4
75%
Rapidly deployable and scalable
Economical and efficient
3
26%
31%
10%
23%
30%
14%
30%
36%
20%
30%
40%
8% 2%
45%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
Data Center Users’ Group Fall 2014 Survey
How desirable is having virtualized infrastructure in your
data center?
Desirability of Virtualized Infrastructure
Response
Percent
Response
Count
Very desirable
53.1%
69
Desirable
26.9%
35
Neutral
19.2%
25
Undesirable
0.8%
1
Very undesirable
0.0%
0
Answer Options
average
Very desirable
53.1%
Desirable
26.9%
Neutral
19.2%
Undesirable
Very undesirable
4.32
0.8%
0%
0%
10%
What factors are most important when selecting a data
center commissioning authority? Select all that apply.
12
Industry expertise
68.5%
89
Commissioning experience
64.6%
84
Easy to work with
44.6%
58
Provides comprehensive support
42.3%
55
Knowledge of your business
37.7%
49
Existing relationship
34.6%
45
Independent third-party
33.1%
43
Not sure
8.5%
Other (please specify)
1.5%
30%
40%
50%
60%
Most important Factors When Selecting
Commissioning Authority
Response Response
Percent
Count
Answer Options
20%
Industry expertise
68.5%
Commissioning experience
64.6%
Easy to work with
44.6%
Provides comprehensive support
42.3%
37.7%
Knowledge of your business
Existing relationship
34.6%
11
Independent third-party
33.1%
2
Not sure
8.5%
other (please specify)
1.5%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
What role/person in your organization would make the decision to use data center commissioning services and who would oversee the project?
Owner
Data Center Manager
Facility Manager
IT Manager
Development Director
Other (specify below)
Not sure
Decision Maker
5
4%
43
33%
23
18%
21
16%
11
8%
14
11%
13
10%
Project Overseer
1
1%
63
48%
32
25%
10
8%
5
4%
6
5%
13
10%
Answer Options
Commissioning Services Roles
Owner
Decision Maker
Project Overseer
Data Center Manager
4%
IT Manager
18%
33%
1%
0%
Facility Manager
16%
48%
10%
20%
Development Director
8%
40%
50%
60%
70%
Not sure
11%
8%
25%
30%
Other (specify below)
80%
10%
4% 5%
10%
90%
100%
5
Data Center Users’ Group Fall 2014 Survey
When selecting a commissioning authority for your data
center project, who would you most likely use to perform
the service?
Answer Options
Response Response
Percent
Count
Most Likely to Use for Commissioning Services
Independent
commissioning authority
Architect or enginerring firm
Independent commissioning authority
40.0%
52
Architect or engineering firm
20.8%
27
Specialty contractor
13.1%
17
Not sure
12.3%
16
Self-perform
Would not use a
commissioning authority
Self-perform
6.9%
9
Would not use a commissioning authority
3.8%
5
General contractor
2.3%
3
Other (please specify)
0.8%
1
40.0%
20.8%
Specialty contractor
13.1%
Not sure
12.3%
6.9%
3.8%
General contractor
2.3%
Other (please specify)
0.8%
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
30%
35%
40%
45%
What do you see as the biggest advantages of using a data
center commissioning service? Select all that apply.
Answer Options
Response Response
Percent
Count
Biggest Advantage of Using Commisioning Service
Validates the operation of the designed
systems
56.9%
74
Quality assurance/quality check
53.1%
69
Quality assurance/quality check
Establish performance criteria and verifies
benchmark goals
48.5%
63
Establish performance criteria
and verifies benchmark
Documents project process clearly
Documents project process clearly
44.6%
58
Ensures best practices are utilized
Ensures best practices are utilized
43.8%
57
Assure intregrated operation of facility
Assure integrated operation of facility
41.5%
54
Minimizes disputes between
all parties in the design
Established maintenance
and operation policies
Validates the operation
of the designed systems
Minimizes disputes between all parties in
the design and construction process
33.8%
44
Establishes maintenance and operation
policies
29.2%
38
Energy efficiency improvement
Improves operational procedures
28.5%
37
One stop shopping with
detailed startup script and
Lower potential total
cost of ownership
48.5%
44.6%
43.8%
41.5%
33.8%
29.2%
Improves operational procedures
Energy efficiency improvement
26.2%
34
One stop shopping with detailed startup
script and testing along the way
23.8%
31
Lower potential total cost of ownership
21.5%
28
LEED certification
12.3%
16
No advantage
10.8%
14
Improves working environment including
indoor air quality and lighting levels
6.9%
9
Other (please specify)
0.8%
1
6
56.9%
53.1%
28.5%
26.2%
23.8%
21.5%
LEED certification
12.3%
No advantage
10.8%
Improves working environment
including indoor air
6.9%
0.8%
Other (please specify)
0%
10%
20%
30%
Percentage
40%
50%
60%
Data Center Users’ Group Fall 2014 Survey
How likely are you to incorporate commissioning
services into your next data center project (new or
expansion) on a scale from 1 to 10, with 1 meaning
“Not at all likely” to 10 meaning “Extremely likely?
Answer Options
Response
Percent
Likelihood of Using Commissioning Services
10-Extremely Likely
9
Response
Count
8
7
1 - Not at all Likely
8%
10
2
8%
10
3
7%
9
4
5%
7
5
17%
22
3%
4
3
7
4%
5
8
10%
13
6%
8
32%
42
average
6.54
10%
4%
3%
5
6
9
6%
6
4
10 - Extremely Likely
32%
17%
5%
7%
2
8%
Not at all likely
8%
0%
5%
10%
What is the square footage of your primary data
center?
Response
Percent
Response
Count
Less than 500 sq ft
0.0%
0
500 – 5,000 sq ft
28.5%
37
5,001 – 10,000 sq ft
25.4%
33
10,001 – 25,000 sq ft
16.9%
22
25,001 – 50,000 sq ft
10.0%
13
Greater than 50,000 sq ft
17.7%
23
Unsure
1.5%
2
Answer Options
30%
35%
17.7%
25,001 - 50,000 sq ft
10,001 - 25,000 sq ft
10.0%
16.9%
5,001 - 10,000 sq ft
25.4%
500 - 5,000 sq ft
28.5%
Less than 500 sq ft
0.0%
1.5%
Unsure
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
30%
Worlwide Headcount
Response
Count
Less than 100 people
3.8%
5
100 – 500 people
8.5%
11
1,001 – 5,000 people
20.8%
27
5,001 – 25,000 people
36.2%
47
Less than 100 people
25,001 – 75,000 people
16.9%
22
Not sure
More than 75,000 people
11.5%
15
Not sure
2.3%
3
average
25%
Primary Data Center Size
Response
Percent
18
20%
Greater than 50,000 sq ft
What is the worldwide headcount of your
organization?
Answer Options
15%
More than 75,000 people
11.5%
25,001 - 75,000 people
5,001 - 25,000 people
16.9%
36.9%
1,001 - 5,000 people
20.8%
100 - 500 people
0%
8.5%
3.8%
2.3%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
30%
35%
40%
24918
7
Data Center Users’ Group Fall 2014 Survey
Which of the following best describes your functional role?
Answer Options
Response
Percent
Response
Count
Data Center Management (IT and
Facilities responsibility)
45.4%
IT Management / IT Operations
27.7%
36
Facilities Management
13.1%
17
Engineering
9.2%
12
C-Level Executive
2.3%
3
Other (please specify)
2.3%
3
Project Management
0.0%
0
59
Organizational Role
Data Center Managment
(IT and facilities)
IT Management / IT Operations
Facilities Managment
Engineering
45.4%
27.7%
13.1%
9.2%
C-Level Executive
2.3%
2.3%
Other (please specify)
Project Managment
0%
0%
5%
10%
15%
What best describes your organization’s industry
concentration or focus?
25%
30%
35%
40%
45% 50%
Industry
Response
Percent
Response
Count
Banking / Financial Institution
18.5%
24
Education
13.8%
18
Healthcare / Pharmaceutical
13.1%
17
Answer Options
20%
18.5%
Banking / Financial Institution
13.8%
Education
13.1%
Healthcare / Pharmaceutical
10.8%
Other (please specify)
6.9%
Government
Other (please specify)
10.8%
14
Government
6.9%
9
Transportation
Transportation
6.2%
8
Retail
Retail
5.4%
7
Computer / Data Server
Computer / Data Server
4.6%
6
Collocation / Facility Management
3.8%
5
Internet / Software
3.8%
5
6.2%
5.4%
4.6%
Collocation / Facility Managment
3.8%
Internet / Software
3.8%
3.8%
Manufacturing / Industrial
3.8%
5
Manufacturing / Industrial
Telecommunications
3.8%
5
Telecommunications
1.5%
1.5%
Entertainment
1.5%
2
Entertainment
Not-for-Profit
1.5%
2
Not-for-Profit
Utilities
1.5%
2
Utilities
Legal
0.8%
1
Legal
0%
3.8%
1.5%
0.8%
2%
4%
6%
8%
10%
12%
14%
16%
18%
20%
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© 2014 Data Center Users’ Group
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