Right-sizing HP equipment power in the datacenter

HP has a long history of producing software tools that are designed for IT to right-size their HP equipment purchases to meet their specific business needs. Provided under the name Sizer or Advisor, these software tools cover everything from server hardware to server application software. The basic idea of these tools is that the customer can enter data about their configuration or about their business need, and the tool will calculate the appropriate answer, in terms of hardware and software provided by HP.

Their latest addition to this range of useful tools is the HP Power Advisor. This tool lets you configure your HP racks, enclosures and equipment, factor in your cost of power, and accurately guesstimate your cost of ownership.  The tool does more than simply add up the nameplate specs for each piece of equipment and give you a maximum number. It is capable of factoring in the supply voltage, calculating how efficient the power supply is, and relate that to the efficiency and power requirements of the piece of HP hardware that the power supply is installed in. This means that you can not only estimate the power requirements of the IT load, but also determine how much waste heat is being created and factor that into your cooling calculations.

HP Power Advisor

The numbers used for these calculations are derived from actual test results HP has gotten from running the various hardware configurations. Because the data is derived from real world testing, HP has a high level of confidence in the accuracy of the numbers and the dta that the Power Advisor can provide.

If you are an HP customer or are considering suing HP equipment in your datacenter, the Power Advisor can give you an excellent start in determining the efficiency