rNfr.RGY S:AR
PARTNER
58
59
60
ENERGY STAR Program Requirements
for Computer Servers
DRAFT 2: Partner Commitments
_L2_
13	Commitment
14	The following are the terms of the ENERGY STAR Partnership Agreement as it pertains to the
15	manufacturing of ENERGY STAR qualified computer servers. The ENERGY STAR Partner must adhere
16	to the following program requirements:
17
18	• comply with current ENERGY STAR Eligibility Criteria, defining the performance criteria that must be
19	met for use of the ENERGY STAR certification mark on computer servers and specifying the testing
20	criteria for computer servers. EPA may, at its discretion, conduct tests on products that are referred to
21	as ENERGY STAR qualified. These products may be obtained on the open market, or voluntarily
22	supplied by Partner at EPA's request;
23
24	• comply with current ENERGY STAR Identity Guidelines, describing how the ENERGY STAR marks
25	and name may be used. Partner is responsible for adhering to these guidelines and for ensuring that
26	its authorized representatives, such as advertising agencies, dealers, and distributors, are also in
27	compliance;
28
29	• qualify at least one ENERGY STAR computer server within one year of activating the computer
30	servers'portion of the agreement. When Partner qualifies the product, it must meet the specification
31	(e.g., Tier 1 or 2) in effect at that time;
32
33	• Provide clear and consistent labeling of ENERGY STAR qualified computer servers. The ENERGY
34	STAR mark must be clearly displayed on the front or side of the product, in product literature (i.e., user
35	manuals, spec sheets, etc.), on product packaging, and on the manufacturer's Internet site where
36	information about ENERGY STAR qualified models is displayed;
37
38	• provide to EPA, on an annual basis, an updated list of ENERGY STAR qualifying computer server
39	models. Once the Partner submits its first list of ENERGY STAR qualified computer servers, the
40	Partner will be listed as an ENERGY STAR Partner. Partner must provide annual updates in order to
41	remain on the list of participating product manufacturers;
42
43	• provide to EPA, on an annual basis, unit shipment data or other market indicators to assist in
44	determining the market penetration of ENERGY STAR. Specifically, Partner must submit the total
45	number of ENERGY STAR qualified computer servers shipped (in units by model) or an equivalent
46	measurement as agreed to in advance by EPA and Partner. Partner is also encouraged to provide
47	ENERGY STAR qualified unit shipment data segmented by meaningful product characteristics (e.g.,
48	capacity, size, speed, or other as relevant), total unit shipments for each model in its product line, and
49	percent of total unit shipments that qualify as ENERGY STAR. The data for each calendar year should
50	be submitted to EPA, preferably in electronic format, no later than the following March and may be
51	provided directly from the Partner or through a third party. The data will be used by EPA only for
52	program evaluation purposes and will be closely controlled. If requested under the Freedom of
53	Information Act (FOIA), EPA will argue that the data is exempt. Any information used will be masked
54	by EPA so as to protect the confidentiality of the Partner;
55
56	• notify EPA of a change in the designated responsible party or contacts for computer servers within 30
57	days.
ENERGY STAR Program Requirements for Computer Servers: Draft 2

-------
61	Performance for Special Distinction
62	In order to receive additional recognition and/or support from EPA for its efforts within the
63	Partnership, the ENERGY STAR Partner may consider the following voluntary measures and should keep
64	EPA informed on the progress of these efforts:
65
66	• consider energy efficiency improvements in company facilities and pursue the ENERGY STAR mark for
67	buildings;
68
69	• purchase ENERGY STAR qualified products. Revise the company purchasing or procurement
70	specifications to include ENERGY STAR. Provide procurement officials' contact information to EPA for
71	periodic updates and coordination. Circulate general ENERGY STAR qualified product information to
72	employees for use when purchasing products for their homes;
73
74	• ensure the power management feature is enabled on all ENERGY STAR qualified monitors in use in
75	company facilities, particularly upon installation and after service is performed;
76
77	• provide general information about the ENERGY STAR program to employees whose jobs are relevant
78	to the development, marketing, sales, and service of current ENERGY STAR qualified product models;
79
80	• feature the ENERGY STAR mark(s) on Partner Web site and in other promotional materials. If
81	information concerning ENERGY STAR is provided on the Partner Web site as specified by the
82	ENERGY STAR Web Linking Policy (this document can be found in the Partner Resources section on
83	the ENERGY STAR Web site at www.enerqvstar.gov). EPA may provide links where appropriate to the
84	Partner Web site;
85
86	• provide a simple plan to EPA outlining specific measures Partner plans to undertake beyond the
87	program requirements listed above. By doing so, EPA may be able to coordinate, communicate,
88	and/or promote Partner's activities, provide an EPA representative, or include news about the event in
89	the ENERGY STAR newsletter, on the ENERGY STAR Web pages, etc. The plan may be as simple
90	as providing a list of planned activities or planned milestones that Partner would like EPA to be aware
91	of. For example, activities may include: (1) increase the availability of ENERGY STAR labeled
92	products by converting the entire product line within two years to meet ENERGY STAR guidelines; (2)
93	demonstrate the economic and environmental benefits of energy efficiency through special in-store
94	displays twice a year; (3) provide information to users (via the Web site and user's manual) about
95	energy-saving features and operating characteristics of ENERGY STAR qualified products, and (4)
96	build awareness of the ENERGY STAR Partnership and brand identity by collaborating with EPA on
97	one print advertorial and one live press event;
98
99	• provide quarterly, written updates to EPA as to the efforts undertaken by Partner to increase availability
100	of ENERGY STAR qualified products, and to promote awareness of ENERGY STAR and its message.
101
102	• join EPA's SmartWay Transport Partnership to improve the environmental performance of the
103	company's shipping operations. SmartWay Transport works with freight carriers, shippers, and other
104	stakeholders in the goods movement industry to reduce fuel consumption, greenhouse gases, and air
105	pollution. For more information on SmartWay, visit www.epa.gov/smartwav.
106
107	• join EPA's Climate Leaders Partnership to inventory and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Through
108	participation companies create a credible record of their accomplishments and receive EPA recognition
109	as corporate environmental leaders. For more information on Climate Leaders, visit
1 10	www.epa.gov/climateleaders.
111
112	• join EPA's Green Power partnership. EPA's Green Power Partnership encourages organizations to buy
113	green power as a way to reduce the environmental impacts associated with traditional fossil fuel-based
114	electricity use. The partnership includes a diverse set of organizations including Fortune 500
115	companies, small and medium businesses, government institutions as well as a growing number of
116	colleges and universities, visit http://www.epa.gov/grnpower.
ENERGY STAR Program Requirements for Computer Servers: Draft 2	2

-------
ENERGY STAR
ENERGY STAR Program Requirements
for Computer Servers
DRAFT 2: Eligibility Criteria
121 "
T22	
123	Below is the DRAFT 2 product specification for ENERGY STAR qualified computer servers. A product
124	must meet all of the identified criteria if it is to earn the ENERGY STAR.
125
126	1) Definitions: Below are the definitions of the relevant terms in this document.
127
128	A. Computer Server: A computer that provides services and manages networked resources for client
129	devices, e.g., desktop computers, notebook computers, thin clients, wireless devices, PDAs, IP
130	telephones, other computer servers and other networked devices. Computer servers are sold
131	through enterprise channels for use in data centers and office/corporate environments. Computer
132	servers are designed to respond to requests and are primarily accessed via network connections,
133	and not through direct user input devices such as a keyboard, mouse, etc. In addition, computer
134	servers must include all of the following characteristics:
135
136	• Marketed and sold as a server;
137	• Designed for and listed as supporting Server Operating Systems and/or Hypervisors, and
138	targeted to run user-installed enterprise applications;
139	• Designed and capable of supporting one or more processor sockets and/or one or more
140	processor boards in the device; and
141	• Support for error-correcting code (ECC) and/or buffered memory (including both buffered
142	DIMMs and buffered on board (BOB) configurations).
Note: Based on discussions during the Redmond meeting, stakeholders expressed concern that
the proposed definition for computer server was too narrow and would exclude servers designed for
use in mission critical environments. For example, according to IDC, tower form factors represent
about one-third of the data center market and provide EPA a significant opportunity to impact
energy consumption by these server types. The goal of developing the server definition is to
identify characteristics of products manufactured and meant for use in the data center and other
business critical environments. In order to try to capture the full range of server products, EPA has
removed the requirements for: (1) service processor, (2) RASM features, and (3) availability in a
rack form factor. To further clarify the intended operating environment, EPA has indicated that
these products are sold through enterprise channels for use in data centers and business
environments. Stakeholders are encouraged to provide feedback to EPA as to whether this newly
proposed definition does a better job of covering the entire market, while still maintaining adequate
separation from the V5.0 computer specification currently underdevelopment.
143
144	B. Blade Server: A computer consisting of, at minimum, a processor and system memory that relies
145	on certain shared resources (e.g., power supply, cooling, etc.). Blade servers are designed to be
146	installed in a blade chassis and are incapable of operating independent of the chassis.
147
148	C. Blade Chassis: An enclosure containing shared resources for the operation of blade servers and
149	blade storage. These resources include power supply(s) for power conversion, DC power
150	distribution, cooling, network hardware, and system management, and may also contain shared
151	storage. A blade chassis contains multiple slots which can be populated with a number of blades.
152
153	D. Blade Storage: A storage specific element that relies on certain shared resources, contained in a
154	blade chassis. Blade storage units are incapable of operating independent of the blade chassis.
155
156	E. Direct Current (DC) Server: A computer server designed to operate with a DC-DC power supply or
157	a server which runs directly off DC voltage supplied to internal DC-DC converters from an external
158	source.
ENERGY STAR Program Requirements for Computer Servers: Draft 2	3

-------
159
160	F. Server Appliance: A self-contained server system bundled with a pre-installed operating system
161	and application software that is used to perform a dedicated function or set of tightly coupled
162	functions. Server appliances deliver services through one or more networks (e.g, IP or SAN), and
163	are typically locked down systems managed through a web interface. Server appliance hardware
164	and software configurations are customized by the vendor to perform a specific task, and are not
165	intended to execute user-supplied software. Example services that may be made available via a
166	server appliance include: name services, firewall services, authentication services, encryption
167	services, and voice-over-IP (VoIP) services.
168
169	G. Storage Equipment: A system composed of integrated storage controllers, storage devices (e.g.
170	disk drives) and software that provides data storage services to one or more computers. While
171	storage equipment may contain one or more embedded processors, these processors are not
172	made available to execute user-supplied software applications, but may execute data specific
173	applications, e.g. data replication, backup utilities, data compression, install agents, and other
174	tasks.
175
176	H. Network Equipment: A product whose primary function is to provide data connectivity among the
177	devices connected to its several ports. This is done by routing packets encapsulated according to
178	Internet Protocol, Fibre Channel, InfiniBand or similar protocol. Common network equipment in
179	data centers includes routers and switches
180
181	I. High Redundancy Servers: Server computers with greater than one power supply (2n or n+1),
182	ECC memory and a dedicated management controller (e.g., service processor). High redundancy
183	systems are designed for mission critical applications and very low down time.
184
185	J. Standard Redundancy Servers: Basic computer servers with single power supplies and few other
186	Reliability, Accessibility, Serviceability and Management (RASM) features.
Note: To support the additional server categorization proposed in Section 3: Idle Requirements,
EPA has included definitions for high redundancy and standard redundancy servers. Stakeholders
are encouraged to provide feedback on these definitions.
187
188
189	Computer Server Power Supplies
190
191	K. Computer Server Power Supply: A self-contained server component which converts a voltage
192	input to one or more different DC voltage output(s) for the purpose of powering the server. The
193	input voltage can be from either an AC or DC source. A computer server power supply must be
194	separable from the main computer board and must connect to the system via a removable or
195	hard-wired male/female electrical connection, cable, cord or other wiring (i.e. separate from, and
196	not integrated onto the system motherboard).
197
198	L. AC-DC Power Supply: A power supply which converts line voltage AC input power into one or
199	more DC output(s) for use by the server.
200
201	M. DC-DC Power Supply: A server power supply which converts a DC voltage input to one or more
202	different DC voltage output(s) for the purpose of powering the server. Any DC-to-DC converters
203	(also known as voltage regulators) internal to the product and used to convert low DC voltage
204	(e.g. 12 V DC) into other DC voltages for use by the individual server components are not
205	considered DC-DC power supplies under this specification.
206
207	N. Single-Voltage Power Supply: A power supply which outputs only one single DC voltage output.
208	Although single-voltage power supplies only provide one primary voltage for powering the server
209	during operation, they may also include one or more low voltage standby rails (typically 5 V DC)
210	used only to initiate start-up when the main system is powered down.
211
ENERGY STAR Program Requirements for Computer Servers: Draft 2

-------
212
213
214
215
216
217
218
219
220
221
222
223
224
O. Multi-Voltage Power Supply: A power supply which outputs multiple different DC voltage outputs,
including, one or more low voltage standby rails (typically 5 V DC) used only to initiate start-up
when the main system is powered down.
2) Qualifying Products: A computer server must meet the definition provided in Section 1 .A, 1 .B, or
1 .C above, to be eligible for ENERGY STAR qualification under this specification. In addition, the Tier
1 specification coverage is limited to computer servers and blade servers capable of having at most
four processors (i.e. servers with 1 - 4 individual processor sockets). Servers with greater than 4
processor sockets are currently ineligible for ENERGY STAR qualification but will be
considered under the Tier 2 specification. Storage equipment, blade storage, server appliances,
and network equipment, as defined above, are not eligible for ENERGY STAR qualification under this
specification.
225
226
227
228
229
230
231
232
233
234
235
236
Note: A statement was added to clearly state that servers with greater than 4 processor sockets are
not covered by the Tier 1 ENERGY STAR specification. Several stakeholders were concerned about
end user perception (i.e., procurement specifications) regarding the availability of ENERGY STAR
qualified servers at all levels of performance. EPA will consider covering these product types under
the Tier 2 specification.
DC-DC Powered Servers: EPA continues to be interested in including DC-DC powered servers in
this specification based on availability of an industry accepted test procedure and performance data to
determine proposed efficiency levels. EPA recently distributed a Draft Generalized Test Protocol for
Calculating the Energy Efficiency of Internal AC-DC and DC-DC Power Supplies - Revision 6.4.1 for
review and comment. Stakeholders are encouraged to submit comments to Baskar Vairamohan,
EPRI, at BVairamohan@epri.com by August 29. Finalizing this test method is a critical first step
toward addressing these product types under ENERGY STAR. In the event that DC-DC requirements
cannot be determined within the current specification development timeline, EPA will continue to work
with interested stakeholders to determine whether these product types can be added to the
specification at a later date. If EPA decides to include DC-DC powered servers, an amendment will
be drafted and shared with stakeholders for review and will go into effect immediately upon
finalization.
Server Appliances: EPA is proposing to exclude server appliances from this specification. These
product types provide very specific services to their customers and are highly customized. Server
appliances are not intended to run user installed software and therefore, the ability to run benchmarks,
and how those benchmarks might be applicable, is unclear. EPA might consider including a subset of
server appliances if there is sufficient stakeholder interest and is therefore open to reviewing any
proposals to that effect.
3) Efficiency Requirements for Qualifying Products: Computer servers must meet the all the
requirements provided below to qualify as ENERGY STAR.
Tier 1 Requirements: Effective January 1. 2009
A. Power Supply Efficiency Requirements
All power supplies in computer servers and blade chassis must meet the minimum efficiency and
power factor requirements contained in Tables 1 and 2, below.
Table 1: Efficiency Requirements for Computer Server Power Supplies
Power Supply Type
Rated Output Power
10%
Load
20%
Load
50%
Load
100%
Load
AC-DC Single Voltage
< 1000 Watts
75%
85%
89%
85%
> 1000 Watts
80%
88%
92%
88%
AC-DC Multi-Voltage
All Output Levels
N/A
82%
85%
82%
ENERGY STAR Program Requirements for Computer Servers: Draft 2

-------
Table 2: Power Factor Requirements for Computer Server Power Supplies
Power Supply Type
Rated Output Power
10%
Load
20%
Load
50%
Load
100%
Load
Single Voltage
< 1000 Watts
0.65
0.80
0.90
0.90
> 1000 Watts
0.80
0.90
0.90
0.90
Multi-Voltage
All Output Levels
NA
0.80
0.90
0.90
Note: EPA has modified the proposed power supply levels based on stakeholder comments
during the Redmond stakeholder meeting and additional data received to date. A closer review of
the dataset indicated a need for different levels for larger (> 1000 Watt output power) and smaller
(< 1000 Watt output power) ac-DC single voltage supplies. EPA observed that the previously
proposed levels were too stringent for smaller supplies yet not challenging enough for the larger
supplies. This supports industry claims that larger power supplies, including those used in blade
systems, are inherently more energy-efficient. Furthermore, requiring energy efficiency levels that
are easier to meet with larger power supplies might provide an incentive to use larger power
supplies, which is not EPA's intention. This new approach allows EPA to capture the top
performers while also harmonizing with the Climate Savers Computing Initiative (CSCI) Silver
level (at 20%, 50% and 100% loading levels). EPA also believes that the 1000 Watt cutoff creates
a good separation between smaller power supplies covered under the CSCI program and the
larger multi-processor and blade servers currently covered only by this Draft 2 ENERGY STAR
specification. The proposed new efficiency levels for the larger supplies at 20%, 50% and 100%
loading levels harmonizes with the CSCI Gold level. EPA has also proposed separate power
factor levels for large and small supplies. EPA's analysis shows that the currently proposed levels
represent approximately the top 25% of the dataset.
Net Power Loss: Because of its many strengths, EPA believes that specifying net power loss
may be the preferred approach to addressing power conversion efficiency while also encouraging
power supply right sizing. While several stakeholders agree that this approach has potential merit,
additional research would need to be done to address issues identified with the approach and to
determine impact on product design and procurement. Based on the proposed Tier 1 timeline and
the significant additional research required to implement this new approach, EPA has decided to
move forward with specifying power supply energy efficiency. In the meantime, EPA plans to
continue development of the net power loss approach for use with storage and networking
equipment. Based the results of this research, EPA may revisit net power loss under Tier 2 of this
specification.
10% Loading: EPA is retaining the 10% loading requirement and continues to believe that some
servers, especially redundant configurations, will operate at these low load conditions during the
life of this Tier 1 specification. EPA recognizes that several key manufacturers are working to
ensure that servers operate at optimum loading conditions (e.g., > 20%). However, EPA also
needs to balance this knowledge with ensuring that efficiency requirements cover all servers
available in the market, including those that may continue to follow the current trend of operating
at low load conditions on the power supply. Furthermore, this specification also intends to reduce
idle power in servers, and as idle power drops, more systems might be running at lower load
conditions closer to 10%. Discussions with stakeholders and comments received to date indicate
an interest in creating an exemption to the 10% load requirement for manufacturers that can verify
that their systems do not operate near this loading condition. EPA is open to discussing this idea
and encourages stakeholders to submit suggestions on what such an exemption might entail.
ENERGY STAR Program Requirements for Computer Servers: Draft 2

-------
Notes cont.: EPA understands that although absolute power losses in a power supply at 10%
and 20% loads can be comparable, there may be a large difference in the efficiency level when
expressed as a percentage of power drawn. As such, EPA has adjusted the proposed 10%
load level so that units which pass at the 20% level generally also pass at the 10% level. Using
this approach EPA still covers the 10% loading condition, but not in a manner more stringent
than at the 20% and 50% conditions. EPA has also kept the 100% loading condition, but has
loosened the criteria, as server computers will generally never run at this operating point, and
there are recognized tradeoffs between efficiency at high loads (100%) and low loads (10%).
Multi-Voltage Ac-DC Supplies: EPA decided to retain the levels for multi-voltage supplies
previously proposed at the Redmond stakeholder meeting. Our understanding is that multi-
voltage supplies are generally found in smaller servers and therefore, separate criteria for larger
supplies are not needed. Furthermore, based on the limited data received to date, the levels
proposed in Table 1 appear to be relevant to both larger and smaller supplies. Testing at 10%
loading is not required based on stakeholder comments that these power supplies are not
typically used in redundant configurations. The specification continues to require that these
power supplies be tested at 115V. However, EPA is considering altering this requirement to
require testing at 230V, which better emulates operating conditions within the data center (i.e.,
208V). Stakeholders are encouraged to comment on this voltage requirement and where
available, share performance data for EPA consideration.
Fan Power: Due to the many different approaches to power supply and system cooling for
servers, and the complexity of creating requirements that would be fair to these different
approaches, EPA has decided to exclude fan power for single voltage power supply energy
efficiency testing. This is inline with the method found in the most recent Generalized Test
Protocol for Calculating the Energy Efficiency of Internal AC-DC and DC-DC Power Supplies
referenced in Section 4, below, and coincides with the majority of the feedback received from
stakeholders on this issue. Some of the power supplies within EPA's dataset were tested with
fan power included in the calculation, giving artificially low efficiency numbers. To account for
this, EPA has adjusted the efficiency numbers based on the average difference between
efficiency with fans included and with fans excluded for each individual loading condition, using
data supplied by stakeholders on power supplies tested in both conditions. In cases where
there were multiple fan configurations (i.e., max fan speed vs. reduced fan speed) EPA took the
least consumptive fan mode (reduced speed as opposed to max speed) prior to adjusting the
analysis.
Power Factor: EPA received comments that the amount of power saved with high power factor
at lighter loads is very small and therefore, EPA should drop the power factor requirement for
10% and 20% loading points. While the impact on an individual server level may be minimal,
the collective impact from employing several servers within a data center or office could be
significant. In addition, because of the high power draw of these products, they are typically
drawing large amounts of power and current even at low loads. The impact of power factor also
continues to be of great interest in the utility community. For these reasons, EPA is retaining
power factor requirements for all proposed loading points. EPA has also proposed power factor
levels for multi-voltage power supplies at 20, 50, and 100% load points to be consistent with the
approach and rationale for single voltage supplies. The same power factor levels are proposed
for multi-voltage units to be consistent with single voltage. Based on the limited data available,
these levels are reasonable for these types of units. Industry members that believe the levels to
be too stringent are encouraged to provide additional data for EPA review and consideration.
The new levels proposed in Table 2, above, allow the majority of high efficiency power supplies
in EPA's dataset to qualify. These levels serve as a cap to ensure that power factor continues
to be considered in new energy-efficient designs. There was some concern regarding the trade
off between energy efficiency and power factor in power supply design. EPA's dataset shows
that there are power supply designs currently available that achieve both high power factor and
energy efficiency at all loading points. It is EPA's hope that manufacturers continue to design
power supplies keeping both of these energy saving parameters in mind.
ENERGY STAR Program Requirements for Computer Servers: Draft 2

-------
Notes cont.
DC-DC Power Supplies: EPA received limited initial data on DC-DC power supplies. The data
includes eight power supplies, with single voltage, multi-voltage and blade units, all tested at 48 V
DC or -48 V DC. While the current dataset suggests some trends in efficiency, more data is
needed to determine proposed levels that are truly representative of the DC-DC server market.
Manufacturers are encouraged to test DC-DC power supplies using the test protocol referenced in
Section 4, below, and submit this data to EPA for consideration. In addition, EPA is open to
creating separate criteria for multi-voltage and single voltage DC-DC supplies (in a similar manner
to how AC-DC units are being proposed to be treated) if enough data is collected to support
separate criteria for these products.
ENERGY STAR Data Set: A masked version of EPA's AC-DC power supply efficiency dataset is
available on the ENERGY STAR computer server specification development Web page at
www.enerqvstar.gov/productdevelopment (click on New Specifications in Development).
239
240	B. Idle Power
241
242	Computer servers qualifying for ENERGY STAR must meet the maximum idle power values based on
243	the appropriate category in accordance with Tables 3 and 4, below. Note: In the below tables,
244	processor counts(i.e., 1P-4P) and memory capacity refer to the amount installed in the system, and
245	not the amount the system is capable of supporting (i.e. installed processors, not processor sockets).
246
Table 3: Maximum Idle Power Requirements for Standard Redundancy Systems

Low Memory Systems (<16 GB)
High Memory Systems (> 16GB)
Single Processor Systems (1P)
TBD Watts
TBD Watts
More than One Processor
Systems (2P & 4P)
TBD Watts
TBD Watts
Table 4: Maximum Idle Power Requirements for High Redundancy Systems

Low Memory Systems (<16 GB)
High Memory Systems (> 16GB)
Single and Dual Processor
Systems (1P or 2P)
TBD Watts
TBD Watts
Multi Processor Systems (4P)
TBD Watts
TBD Watts
248
Note: Due to a variety of factors, EPA believes many servers will continue to spend significant amounts of
time operating in an idle mode for the foreseeable future. As a result, EPA believes there is an important
opportunity to establish criteria recognizing those server models that idle at lower power levels compared to
their peers. EPA also understands that any attempt to address idle should not be a one-size-fits-all
specification and must address the variety of possible configurations and computing capabilities available in
the marketplace. Based on stakeholder comments and observations of data collected to date, EPA is
proposing a simple categorization system for server systems based on system redundancy, number of
processors, and the amount of installed memory. EPA believes this proposed system creates a good
balance between fair system coverage and simplicity. However, the final categories must be based on
noticeable and significant differences in energy performance between categories. To ensure fair and
balanced categories, EPA is requesting that additional idle and configuration data be submitted using the
accompanying data collection sheet. Manufacturers are encouraged to submit data on multiple units with
varying configurations within each proposed category. Proposals for new categories beyond those proposed
here should be supported by accompanying data. Absent sufficient data, EPA may be required to eliminate
or combine certain categories. EPA also realizes that there are other energy using components, such as I/O
and storage (hard disks), which are not included in the proposed categorization system at this time. With
appropriate supporting data, EPA might consider additional power allotment for extra devices above a single
I/O device and single hard disk. However, it's important to note that extending the list of components, which
may have to be maintained overtime to account for new devices, and requiring additional power allotment
per component will bring added complexity to the specification.

-------
249
250
Notes cont.
The test that will be performed to determine idle mode consumption will be based on the
SPECpower_ssj2008 methodology (http://www.spec.org/power ssi2008/docs/SPECpower-
Methodoloqy.pdf). Several industry stakeholders have indicated that this benchmark serves as an
acceptable proxy for emulating the idle state. Any data submitted by manufacturers will be kept strictly
confidential and would only be shared in a masked form, which does not reveal manufacturer or model
names. Data should be sent to Arthur Howard, ICF International, at ahoward@icfi.com by September 19.
Several approaches to addressing active power efficiency have been discussed and EPA continues to
believe that proposing idle requirements based on product categorization is the best option. However,
EPA is also open to discussing additional proposals that include a clear path forward and accompanying
data to support the approach. Some of the alternatives that have been proposed include 1) idle power
normalized for specific features (e.g., number of processors, amount of RAM, or number of disk drives); 2)
idle power as a percent of maximum power; 3) a base power allowance plus adders for additional features
such as processors, RAM, or disk drives; and 4) a power-saving feature checklist (power management
capability, low power components, etc.). EPA has included specific comments on some of these proposals,
below.
Idle as a Percent of Maximum Power: Some stakeholders suggested specifying idle power as a percent
of the maximum power of the system. This approach would allow the idle ceiling to scale with increased
performance and complexity in configuration. EPA has considered this approach but has some
reservations about its implementation. The goal of including an idle requirement is to reduce the amount of
energy being consumed by servers absent of a workload. Using an approach based on maximum power
of the system will not guarantee a reduction in the absolute power drawn by the system during idle. In
addition, determining a consistent method of measuring maximum power will be a challenge since a variety
of different approaches are being used in the marketplace. Furthermore, several stakeholders have
suggested that SPECpower ssj_2008 cannot serve this role because it does not effectively stress certain
components, such as hard disks and I/O. This and other factors would give such an approach added
complexity and yet questionable benefits in terms of energy saved by the metric. However, EPA remains
open to discussing this approach if stakeholders can produce compelling information that alleviates these
concerns.
Power Saving Checklist: Several stakeholders have suggested a system of active power savings based
on available power saving functions in lieu of an idle requirement. Some of the proposals received include
a list of specific power management features that would be required in an ENERGY STAR system. EPA
has considered this approach, but anticipates several issues emerging, such as:
•	Savings through power management are difficult to characterize to determine programmatic savings
and are user-dependant.
•	Addressing power saving features instead of the absolute watts drawn could overlook new energy
saving technologies, unrelated to power management, which enter the market after the specification
takes effect.
•	A prescriptive approach will become quickly outdated. EPA believes that specifics about power
management features are best identified as a reporting requirement rather than a pass/fail
requirement.
As such, the power management section has been removed from this version of the specification. Power
management features will be required to be reported via the Power and Performance Data Sheet.
Blade Systems: EPA understands that the currently available SPECpower benchmark (ssj_2008) is not
intended to run on blade server systems. According to industry sources, the next update of the
SPECpower benchmark should include this capability. Given that an idle test methodology is not yet
available using SPECpower, manufacturers are encouraged to provide recommendations on how to define
and measure idle for blade servers for purposes of this Tier 1 specification.
ENERGY STAR Program Requirements for Computer Servers: Draft 2	9

-------
251	B. Standard Information Reporting Requirements
252
253	Manufacturers must provide standardized power and performance data with each ENERGY STAR
254	qualified computer server that includes the information provided in Appendix A of this specification.
255	This information must be posted on manufacturer's Web site where information for the qualified model
256	is posted. A Manufacturer may provide one data sheet per model number with information on
257	maximum, minimum, and typical configurations, and is encouraged to link to a power calculator where
258	information on the power use of individual user configurations can be found.
259
Note: EPA believes key areas of interest on the data sheet are available power management
functions (including which are enabled upon shipment and which were active for power testing),
available benchmark scores and related power information, and idle power. EPA has included a list
of potential characteristics in Appendix A of this Draft 2 specification, which would be required for
each model. As proposed, manufacturers would be required to provide information on maximum,
minimum, and typical configurations for any given model. At this juncture, EPA is very interested in
feedback regarding the specific format and/or layout for displaying this information in a standardized
way across server vendors.
EPA is also interested in a list of vendor neutral terms for key power saving features and envisions
a checklist of the most common features where manufacturers can indicate which are enabled for
shipment (and used during testing) and other features that are available but require end-user
enabling. EPA has included an initial list of possible features in Appendix A, based on stakeholder
comments, and is interested in suggestions to further refine this list.
During the Redmond meeting, several stakeholders suggested that EPA coordinate with ASHRAE
on some of the proposed reporting requirements, specifically in regards to reporting of airflow and
thermal characteristics. EPA has referenced the TC9.9 Thermal Report and is working with
ASHRAE to identify further areas for coordination.
260
261	C. Power and Temperature Measurement Requirements
262
263	Standardized Data Measurement: All servers must have the ability to provide real time data on AC
264	power consumption, inlet air temperature, and processor utilization during server operation.
Note: EPA has received significant support for a standardized data measurement requirement from
both manufacturers and end users. Currently, there are a number of different specifications being
used to transfer this information, including DMTF, IPMI, DCMI and SNMP. To encourage continued
innovation and competition in the marketplace, EPA is only requiring standardization of the type of
information being reported as opposed to specific technologies used to measure and display the
data. Stakeholders are encouraged to provide any additional suggestions on how EPA can ensure
that the data is easily accessible and comprehensive for purposes of end user monitoring.
265
266	Tier 2 Requirements: Effective TBD
267
268	TBD
269
270
271	4) Test Criteria: Manufacturers are required to perform standardized tests to determine ENERGY
272	STAR compliance for a given product model. The results of those tests may be self-certified by the
273	ENERGY STAR Partner, or by a third-party laboratory on behalf of the manufacturer, and must be
274	reported to EPA using the ENERGY STAR Computer Server Qualified Product Information (QPI) form.
275	When testing computer servers, the partner agrees to use the following test procedures to determine
276	ENERGY STAR compliance:
277
278	• Power Supply Efficiency: Generalized Internal Power Supply Efficiency Test Protocol Rev. 6.2.
279	• Idle Power: Idle output as collected using SPECpower_ssj2008
ENERGY STAR Program Requirements for Computer Servers: Draft 2	10

-------
280
281	Power supplies should be tested with the following input test conditions, as indicated in the above test
282	procedure:
283
Power Supply Type
Input Test Conditions
AC-DC Single-Voltage
230 Volts, 60 Hz
AC-DC Multi-Voltage
115 Volts, 60 Hz
DC-DC (All)
48 Volts or -48 Volts DC
284
Note: EPA intends to adopt the test procedure above for purposes of evaluating power supply efficiency
under this specification. As noted earlier in this document, EPA is considering using the more recent
version of this test procedure (revision 6.4.1), which addresses DC-DC power supply testing. If DC-DC
powered servers are added to the specification, EPA will update this test procedure reference, as
appropriate. More information can be found at http://efficientpowersupplies.epri.com.
EPA has also added a table that provides additional direction on the required input test conditions to be
used for ENERGY STAR testing. Several stakeholders have suggested that EPA require multi-voltage
power supply testing at 230 Volts since the specification is intended for data center environments, which
typically draw 208 Volts. However, it is EPA's understanding that many servers that use multi-voltage
power supplies are used in office environments and requiring testing at 115V would also represent the
worst case scenario in terms of efficiency. EPA's goal is to provide a consistent voltage so that power
supplies can be fairly compared and where possible, to create testing conditions that best emulate how
the server will be used in practice. Stakeholders are encouraged to comment on this requirement.
285
286
287
288
289
290
291
292
293
294
295
5) Effective Date: The date that manufacturers may begin to label and promote qualifying products as
ENERGY STAR will be defined as the effective date of the agreement.
A.	Tier 1 Requirements: The first phase of this specification will commence on January 1, 2009.
B.	Tier 2 Requirements: The second phase of this specification, Tier 2, will commence on TBD. All
products, including models originally qualified under Tier 1, with a date of manufacture on or
after TBD, must meet the Tier 2 requirements in order to qualify for ENERGY STAR.
Note: This specification will take effect on the date specified by EPA in its final document. EPA is
continuing to work toward finalizing Tier 1 requirements by the end of this year and will present a
timeline for Tier 2 in the final specification. As a reminder, new ENERGY STAR specifications are
established to recognize approximately the top 25% of models currently available in the marketplace
and available from a variety of manufacturers across a range of product types. It is also important that
these products provide energy efficiency in a cost-effective manner to the end user. Overtime EPA will
assist in creating demand for ENERGY STAR qualified models and will look to manufacturers to
design, manufacture and sell an increasing number of new compliant products in response to this
demand. EPA intends to initiate plans to begin working towards a Tier 2 framework in late 2008. The
goal is to finalize Tier 2 requirements in 2009, well before the Tier 1 expiration date, to provide
manufacturers ample transition time to redesign to the new requirements. EPA understands that such
a transition may result in an initial decrease in the number of available models during this transition
period but expects market share to again increase overtime.
296
297
298
299
300
301
302
6) Future Specification Revisions: EPA reserves the right to change the specification should
technological and/or market changes affect its usefulness to consumers, industry, or the environment.
In keeping with current policy, revisions to the specification are arrived at through industry
discussions. In the event of a specification revision, please note that ENERGY STAR qualification is
not automatically granted for the life of a product model. To carry the ENERGY STAR mark, a product
model must meet the ENERGY STAR specification in effect on the model's date of manufacture.
ENERGY STAR Program Requirements for Computer Servers: Draft 2
11

-------
303	APPENDIX A : REQUIRED ENERGY STAR QUALIFIED PRODUCT INFORMATION
304	(SERVER MODEL NAME AND NUMBER)
305
306	• System Characteristics
307	- Form factor (e.g., 1u, 2u, tower, blade chassis, etc.)
308	- Available processor sockets
309	- Available Dimm slots / maximum memory capacity
310	- Available I/O slots
311	- Minimum and maximum # of hard drives
312	- Service processor availability
313	- OS listed as being supported
314
315	• System Configurations for Maximum. Minimum and Typical Configurations (As tested)
316	- Processor information (# installed, model number, speed, # of cores, etc.)
317	- Memory information (total memory installed, memory types, # Dimms, Dimm Size, etc.)
318	- Power supply -#, redundancy configuration (n / 2n / n+1), and size (Watts)
319	- I/O capability (# and type of devices, speed)
320	- Hard drive information (#, speed, size)
321	- Installed operating system
322	- Service processor installed?
323	- Other hardware features / accessories
324
325	• Power Saving Features Enabled on Shipment (used for testing) and Those Available Once
326	Enabled by User (a check list of vendor neutral terms as well as room for "other"
327	features not included on check list):
328	- Dynamic voltage and frequency scaling of processor(s);
329	- Processor/core sleep;
330	- Power capping;
331	- Dropping into lower static power modes as workload reduces;
332	- Variable speed cooling fan control based on power or thermal readings;
333	- Lower power memory states;
334	- Lower power I/O interfaces;
335	- Liquid cooling capability;
336	- Available low power components
337
338	• Air Flow Rate Information/Delta T (as reported in ASHRAE Thermal Guidelines, ASHRAE,
339	Atlanta GA, 2004)
340	- Total power dissipation for maximum (full), minimum and typical configurations at 100%
341	load
342	- Delta T at exhaust of server for full, minimum and typical configurations at 100% load
343	(i.e., temperature rise across system)
344	- Airflow at maximum fan speed (CFM) at nominal and at peak (35C ambient inlet)
345	temperatures
346	- Airflow at minimum fan speed (CFM) at nominal and at peak (35C ambient inlet)
347	temperatures
348
349	• Power and Temperature Measurement and Reporting
350	- Compatible protocols for data collection (DMTF, IPMI, DCMI, SNMP, etc.)
351	- AC input power available?
352	- DC power available (power supply output)?
353	- Input/output temperature available?
354	- Processor utilization available?
355
ENERGY STAR Program Requirements for Computer Servers: Draft 2	12

-------
356	• Power and Performance Data for Maximum, Minimum and Typical Configurations
357	- Benchmark(s) used and type of workload
358	- Benchmark performance score(s)
359	- Link to full benchmark results where applicable (e.g., SPECpower_ssj2008)
360	- Maximum power
361	- Idle power
362	- Power supply efficiency at 10%, 20%, 50% and 100% rated load (10% only for single
363	voltage supplies)
364	- Estimated kWh/year (Assumptions TBD)
365
366	• Link to manufacturer supplied savings calculator for power numbers on customer specific
367	configurations
ENERGY STAR Program Requirements for Computer Servers: Draft 2	13

-------