Intel and South Korean mobile carrier KT have partnered to investigate the possibility of running data centers at a hotter temperature than normal in an effort to reduce the cost of cooling and power. Traditionally, organizations run their data centers at between 64 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit to keep servers from overheating. However, keeping the facilities running at such low temperatures can often cause financial difficulty for the company and put a strain on the power grids.
Intel and KT will create a high-temperature ambient test center near Seoul, South Korea where Intel products will be tested at temperatures as high as 100 degrees. Both companies hope to institute the new temperature requirements in the first of KT’s data centers by 2013.
