Small adjustments, big savings: improve your colocation efficiency

In a colocation environment, you may not have a say in the building, but you do have a say in what's in your rack. How you set up, manage and position your equipment makes a big difference in energy consumption and costs.

Whether you want to save money, improve sustainability or make your hardware last longer - you can achieve a lot with practical adjustments, without upending your entire infrastructure.

1. Choose energy-efficient hardware 

  • Old equipment often consumes unnecessary power and delivers low performance. By upgrading, you make an immediate profit
  • Enable energy-saving features in the BIOS or operating system
  • Use servers with 80 PLUS Platinum or Titanium power supplies
  • Choose modern processors that deliver more computing power per watt
  • Replace outdated systems that cost mostly power and yield little else

Summary: Smarter hardware saves energy and reduces cooling requirements.

2. Ensure proper rack layout and airflow 

  • Efficient airflow prevents overheating and lowers cooling costs
  • Use blind panels to close off empty rack spaces
  • Place servers with the air intake facing the cold aisle and exhaust facing the hot side
  • Leave room in your rack for air circulation unless it is designed for high density

Why this helps: Better airflow means more stable temperatures and less pressure on the cooling system. 

3. Keep cabling neat 

  • Messy cables block airflow and cause heat problems
  • Use cable guides to keep everything organized
  • Keep the back of the rack clear so hot air can easily escape

The result: Equipment runs cooler and you avoid unnecessary temperature problems.

4. Scale smart and turn off unused servers 

  • Many organizations have servers on that do little or nothing-but consume power
  • Combine workloads via virtualization to require fewer physical servers
  • Track down “zombie servers” and shut them down

The benefits: Less equipment, lower energy costs and a more compact setup-without sacrificing capacity.

What does this benefit you? 

Energy efficiency is not only sustainable, it's also business smart: 

  • Lower costs: You often pay per kilowatt or kilowatt hour consumed. Every savings counts
  • Reliable systems: Cooler hardware is less likely to break down and last longer
  • Support ESG goals: Many organizations now report on sustainability. Less consumption helps meet those goals

Specifically, what does this mean for you? 

Whether you have a few racks or manage an entire cage - small improvements make a big difference. Start by taking a fresh look at your setup and discover where there are gains to be made. 

Schedule a call with a specialist

We're happy to help you with immediate optimizations and long-term strategies that fit your environment. 

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