ENERGY STAR® Program Requirements
Product Specification for Computer Servers
Eligibility Criteria
Draft 2 Version 2.0
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Following is the Version 2.0 ENERGY STAR Product Specification for Computer Servers. A product shallmeet all of the identified criteria if it is to earn the ENERGY STAR.

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1 DEFINITIONS

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Note: The definitions in this section largely mirror those distributed with EPA’s data assembly
documentation. Further revisions are indicated with noteboxes.

6A) Product Types:

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1) Computer Server: A computer that provides services and manages networked resources forclient devices (e.g., desktop computers, notebook computers, thin clients, wireless devices,
PDAs, IP telephones, other computer servers, or other network devices). A computer serveris sold through enterprise channels for use in data centers and office/corporate environments.
A computer server is primarily accessed via network connections, versus directly-connecteduser input devices such as a keyboard or mouse. For purposes of this specification, acomputer server must meet all of the following criteria:

14a) is marketed and sold as a computer server;

1516b) is designed for and listed as supporting one or more computer server operating systems(OS) and/or hypervisors, and is targeted to run user-installed enterprise applications;

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c) provides support for error-correcting code (ECC) and/or buffered memory (including bothbuffered DIMMs and buffered on board (BOB) configurations)-systems with greater than
50 nodes sharing the same chassis are exempt from this requirement; and

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d)

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e) is designed such that all processors have access to shared system memory and are
independently visible to a single OS or hypervisor.

is packaged and sold with one or more ac-dc or dc-dc power supplies; and

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Note: EPA had proposed removing the ECC/buffered memory provision from the Computer Server
definition in response to stakeholder concerns about excluding products relying on non-ECC memory
solutions. The products at issue contain a significantly higher number of computer nodes than present inboth mainstream and blade configurations and offer the opportunity to save energy through use of lessresilient memory. This was offset in their design by the ability to power up nodes dynamically to scalecapacity with power consumption. These products are targeted at the data center server market.

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Because EPA recognizes a) the scope challenges possible with a complete removal of the existing
memory provision; b) the unique nature of non-ECC memory products and concerns brought to EPA’s
attention as described above; and c) the information-disclosure goals of this version of the specification,
an exemption from the ECC/buffered memory provision is proposed for systems with greater than 50
nodes.

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2) Managed Server: A computer server that is designed for a high level of availability in a highly
managed environment. For purposes of this specification, a managed server must meet all of
the following criteria:a) is designed to be configured with redundant power supplies; andENERGY STAR Program Requirements for Computer Servers – Eligibility Criteria

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b) contains an installed dedicated management controller (e.g., service processor).
3) Blade System: A system comprised of a blade chassis and one or more removable blade
servers and/or other units (e.g., blade storage, blade network equipment). Blade systems
provide a scalable means for combining multiple blade server or storage units in a single
enclosure, and are designed to allow service technicians to easily add or replace (hot-swap)
blades in the field.

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a) Blade Server: A computer server that is designed for use in a blade chassis. A blade
server is a high-density device that functions as an independent computer server andincludes at least one processor and system memory, but is dependent upon shared blade
chassis resources (e.g., power supplies, cooling) for operation. A processor or memory
module that is intended to scale up a standalone server is not considered a Blade Server.

4950(1) Multi-bay Blade Server: A blade server requiring more than one bay for installation ina blade chassis.

5152(2) Single-wide Blade Server: A blade server requiring the width of a standard blade
server bay.

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54(3) Double-wide Blade Server: A blade server requiring twice the width of a standard
blade server bay.

5556(4) Half-height Blade Server: A blade server requiring one half the height of a standard
blade server bay.

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b) Blade Chassis: An enclosure that contains shared resources for the operation of blade
servers, blade storage, and other blade form-factor devices. Shared resources provided
by a chassis may include power supplies, data storage, and hardware for dc power
distribution, thermal management, system management, and network services.

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c) Blade Storage: A storage device that is designed for use in a blade chassis. A blade
storage device is dependent upon shared blade chassis resources (e.g., power supplies,
cooling) for operation.

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4) Fully Fault Tolerant Server: A computer server that is designed with complete hardware
redundancy, in which every computing component is replicated between two nodes running
identical and concurrent workloads (i.e., if one node fails or needs repair, the second node
can run the workload alone to avoid downtime). A fully fault tolerant server uses two systems
to simultaneously and repetitively run a single workload for continuous availability in a
mission critical application.

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5) Resilient Server: A computer server that is designed with resiliency, RAS, and self-correction
features integrated in the micro-architecture of the CPU and chipset to ensure data resiliency
and accuracy. A resilient server is often used for a limited set of workloads that may include
business processing, decision support, or handling of virtualized workloads. For purposes ofthis specification, a resilient server must meet all of the following criteria:

75a) contains hot-swappable components (e.g., I/O, hard drives, and ac-dc power supplies);76b) contains multiple physical banks of memory and I/O busses;

77c) provides machine check architecture (i.e., both Fault Isolation and Resiliency;

7879d) provides memory fault detection and system recovery though DRAM chip sparing,extended ECC, and mirrored memory;8081e) provides support for error-correcting code (ECC) and/or buffered memory (including bothbuffered DIMMs and buffered on board (BOB) configurations);

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f)

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g) supports on-line expansion/retraction of hardware resources without the need for
operating system reboot (“on-demand” features).

provides end-to-end bus retry; andENERGY STAR Program Requirements for Computer Servers – Eligibility Criteria

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Note: EPA understands that stakeholders are actively developing a more cohesive set of criteria
describing Resilient Servers. EPA plans to evaluate the resulting proposal once available and welcomescomments on this issue.

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6) Multi-node Server: A computer server that is designed with two or more independent server
nodes that share a single enclosure and one or more power supplies. In a multi-node server,
power is distributed to all nodes through shared power supplies. Server nodes in a multi-nodeserver are not designed to be hot-swappable.

9293a) Dual-node Server: A common multi-node server configuration consisting of two server
nodes.

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7) Server Appliance: A computer server that is bundled with a pre-installed operating system
and application software that is used to perform a dedicated function or set of tightly coupledfunctions. Server appliances deliver services through one or more networks (e.g., IP or SAN),
and are typically managed through a web or command line interface. Server appliancehardware and software configurations are customized by the vendor to perform a specifictask (e.g., name services, firewall services, authentication services, encryption services, andvoice-over-IP (VoIP) services), and are not intended to execute user-supplied software.

1018) High Performance Computing (HPC) System: TBD.

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Note: A definition for High Performance Computing System was suggested by stakeholders during
development of the server dataset. EPA has removed the definition text and intends to engage
stakeholders regarding the need to define this product type.

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9) Direct Current (Dc) Server: A computer server that is designed solely to operate on a dc
power source.

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B) Product Category: A second-order classification or sub-type within a product type that is based on
product features and installed components. Product categories are used in this specification todetermine qualification and test requirements.

110C) Computer Server Form Factors:

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1) Rack-mounted Server: A computer server that is designed for deployment in a standard 19­
inch data center rack as defined by EIA-310, IEC 60297, or DIN 41494. For the purposes ofthis specification, a blade server is considered under a separate category and excluded fromthe rack-mounted category.

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2) Pedestal Server: A self-contained computer server that is designed with PSUs, cooling, I/O
devices, and other resources necessary for stand-alone operation. The frame of a pedestal
server is similar to that of a tower client computer.

118D) Computer Server Components:

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1) Power Supply Unit (PSU): A device that converts ac or dc input power to one or more dc
power outputs for the purpose of powering a computer server. A computer server PSU must
be self-contained and physically separable from the motherboard and must connect to thesystem via a removable or hard-wired electrical connection.

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a) Ac-Dc Power Supply: A PSU that converts line-voltage ac input power into one or more
dc power outputs for the purpose of powering a computer server.

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b) Dc-Dc Power Supply: A PSU that converts line-voltage dc input power to one or more dc
outputs for the purpose of powering a computer server. For purposes of this specification,a dc-dc converter (also known as a voltage regulator) that is internal to a computer server
and is used to convert a low voltage dc (e.g., 12 V dc) into other dc power outputs for use
by computer server components is not considered a dc-dc power supply.

130c) Single-output Power Supply: A PSU that is designed to deliver the majority of its rated

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output power to one primary dc output for the purpose of powering a computer server.
Single-output PSUs may offer one or more standby outputs that remain active wheneverconnected to an input power source. For purposes of this specification, the total rated
power output from any additional PSU outputs that are not primary and standby outputs
shall be no greater than 20 watts. PSUs that offer multiple outputs at the same voltage as
the primary output are considered single-output PSUs unless those outputs (1) are
generated from separate converters or have separate output rectification stages, or (2)have independent current limits.

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d) Multi-output Power Supply: A PSU that is designed to deliver the majority of its rated
output power to more than one primary dc output for the purpose of powering a computer
server. Multi-output PSUs may offer one or more standby outputs that remain active
whenever connected to an input power source. For purposes of this specification, thetotal rated power output from any additional PSU outputs that are not primary andstandby outputs is greater than or equal to 20 watts.

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2) I/O Device: A device which provides data input and output capability between a computer
server and other devices. An I/O device may be integral to the computer server motherboard
or may be connected to the motherboard via though expansion slots (e.g., PCI, PCIe).
Examples of I/O devices include discrete Ethernet devices, InfiniBand devices, RAID/SAS
controllers, and Fibre Channel devices.

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a) I/O Port: Physical circuitry within an I/O device where an independent I/O session can beestablished. A port is not the same as a connector receptacle; it is possible that a single
connector receptacle can service multiple ports of the same interface.

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3) Motherboard: The main circuit board of the server. For purposes of this specification, themotherboard includes connectors for attaching additional boards and typically includes thefollowing components: processor, memory, BIOS, and expansion slots.

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4) Processor: The logic circuitry that responds to and processes the basic instructions that drivea server. For purposes of this specification, the processor is the central processing unit
(CPU) of the computer server. A typical CPU is a physical package to be installed on theserver motherboard via a socket or direct solder attachment. The CPU package may include
one or more processor cores.

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5) Memory: For purposes of this specification, memory is a part of a server external to theprocessor in which information is stored for immediate use by the processor.

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6) Hard Drive (HDD): The primary computer storage device which reads and writes to one ormore rotating magnetic disk platters.

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7) Solid State Drive (SSD): A disk drive that uses memory chips instead of rotating magnetic
platters for data storage.

167E) Other Datacenter Equipment:

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1) Network Equipment: A device whose primary function is to pass data among various network
interfaces, providing data connectivity among connected devices (e.g., routers and switches).
Data connectivity is achieved via the routing of data packets encapsulated according toInternet Protocol, Fibre Channel, InfiniBand or similar protocol.

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2) Storage Equipment: A system composed of integrated storage controllers, storage devices(e.g., hard drives or solid state storage) and software that provides data storage services to
one or more computer servers. While storage equipment may contain one or more embedded
processors, these processors do not execute user-supplied software applications but may
execute data-specific applications (e.g., data replication, backup utilities, data compression,
install agents).

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3) Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS): Combination of convertors, switches, and energy
storage devices (such as batteries) constituting a power system for maintaining continuity ofload power in case of input power failure.

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Note: The definition for UPS is updated to align with the Final Draft ENERGY STAR Specification for
Uninterruptible Power Supplies.

183F) Operational Modes and Power States:

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1) Idle State: The operational state in which the OS and other software have completed loading,the computer server is capable of completing workload transactions, but no active workloadtransactions are requested or pending by the system (i.e., the computer server is operational,
but not performing any useful work). For systems where ACPI standards are applicable, Idle
State correlates only to ACPI System Level S0.

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2) Active State: The operational state in which the computer server is carrying out work in
response to prior or concurrent external requests (e.g., instruction over the network). Active
state includes both (1) active processing and (2) data seeking/retrieval from memory, cache,or internal/external storage while awaiting further input over the network.

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G) Other Key Terms:
1) Controller System: A computer or computer server that manages a benchmark evaluation
process. The controller system performs the following functions:

196a) start and stop each segment (phase) of the performance benchmark;197b) control the workload demands of the performance benchmark;

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c) start and stop data collection from the power analyzer so that power and performancedata from each phase can be correlated;

200d) store log files containing benchmark power and performance information;

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e) convert raw data into a suitable format for benchmark reporting, submission andvalidation; and

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collect and store environmental data, if automated for the benchmark.

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2) Network Client (Testing): A computer or computer server that generates workload traffic fortransmission to a UUT connected via a network switch.

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3) RAS Features: An acronym for reliability, availability, and serviceability features. RAS issometimes expanded to RASM, which adds “Manageability” criteria. The three primary
components of RAS as related to a computer server are defined as follows:

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a) Reliability Features: Features that support a server’s ability to perform its intended
function without interruption due to component failures (e.g., component selection,
temperature and/or voltage de-rating, error detection and correction).

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b) Availability Features: Features that support a server’s ability to maximize operation at
normal capacity for a given duration of downtime (e.g., redundancy [both at micro- andmacro-level]).

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c) Serviceability Features: Features that support a server’s ability to be serviced without
interrupting operation of the server (e.g., hot plugging).

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4) Server Processor Utilization: The ratio of processor computing activity to full-load processor
computing activity at a specified voltage and frequency, measured instantaneously or with ashort term average of use over a set of active and/or idle cycles.

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5) Hypervisor: A type of hardware virtualization technique that enables multiple guest operating
systems to run on a single host system at the same time.

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H) Product Family: A high-level description referring to a group of computers sharing one
chassis/motherboard combination that often contains hundreds of possible hardware and software
configurations.

2251) Common Product Family Attributes: A set of features common to all models/configurations

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within a product family that constitute a common basic design. All models/configurations
within a product family must share the following:

228a) Be from the same model line or machine type;229b) Share the same form factor (i.e., rack-mounted, blade, pedestal);

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c) Either share processors from a single defined processor series or share processors thatplug into a common socket.

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d) share PSUs that perform with efficiencies greater than or equal to the efficiencies at all
required load points specified in Section 3.2 (i.e., 10%, 20%, 50%, and 100% of
maximum rated load for single-output; 20%, 50%, and 100% of maximum rated load for
multi-output).

2362) Product Family Tested Product Configurations:

237a) Purchase Consideration Variations:

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(1) Low-end Performance Configuration: The combination of Processor Socket Power,
PSUs, Memory, Storage (HDD/SDD), and I/O devices that represents the lowest­
price or lowest-performance computing platform within the Product Family.
Note: The phrase “lowest-performance” has been added to the Low-end Performance definition.

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(2) High-end Performance Configuration: The combination of Processor Socket Power,
PSUs, Memory, Storage (HDD/SDD), and I/O devices that represents either thehighest-price or highest-performance computing platform within the Product Family.

245b) Typical Configuration:

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(1) Typical Configuration: A product configuration that lies between the Minimum andMaximum Power configurations and is representative of a deployed product with highvolume sales.

249c) Power Utilization Variations:

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(1) Minimum Power Configuration: The minimum configuration that is able to boot andexecute supported OSs. The Minimum Configuration contains the lowest Processor
Socket Power, least number of installed PSUs, Memory, Storage (HDD/SDD), andI/O devices, that is both offered for sale and capable of meeting ENERGY STAR
requirements.

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(2) Maximum Power Configuration: The vendor-selected combination of components thatmaximize power usage within the Product Family once assembled and operated. The
Maximum Configuration contains the highest Processor Socket Power, greatest
number of installed PSUs, Memory, Storage (HDD/SDD), and I/O devices that is bothoffered for sale and capable of meeting ENERGY STAR requirements.

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Note: After examining the results of the data assembly process, EPA is moving forward with the five-point
product family approach originally presented in conjunction with dataset development. EPA believes that
this structure reduces the product testing burden while providing sufficient information to customers andallows for verification of results.

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2.1

Included Products

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2.1.1

A product must meet the definition of a Computer Server provided in Section 1 of this document
to be eligible for ENERGY STAR qualification under this specification. Eligibility under Version 2.0
is limited to blade-, rack-mounted, or pedestal form factor computer servers with no more thanfour processor sockets. Products explicitly excluded from Version 2.0 are identified in Section 2.2.

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2.2

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2.2.1

Products that are covered under other ENERGY STAR product specifications are not eligible for
qualification under this specification. The list of specifications currently in effect can be found atwww.energystar.gov/products.

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2.2.2

The following products are not eligible for qualification under this specification:

Excluded Products

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Fully Fault Tolerant Servers;

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Server Appliances;277

iii. Storage Equipment including Blade Storage; and278

iv. Network Equipment.

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3 QUALIFICATION CRITERIA

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3.1

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3.1.1

All calculations shall be carried out with directly measured (unrounded) values.

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3.1.2

Unless otherwise specified, compliance with specification limits shall be evaluated using directly
measured or calculated values without any benefit from rounding.

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3.1.3

Directly measured or calculated values that are submitted for reporting on the ENERGY STAR
website shall be rounded to the nearest significant digit as expressed in the corresponding
specification limit.

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3.2

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3.2.1

Power supply test data and test reports from testing entities recognized by EPA to perform power
supply testing shall be accepted for the purpose of qualifying the ENERGY STAR product.

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3.2.2

Power Supply Efficiency Criteria: Power Supplies used in products eligible under this specificationmust meet the following requirements when tested using the Generalized Internal Power Supply
Efficiency Test Protocol, Rev. 6.6 (available at www.efficientpowersupplies.org).

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Note: The test protocol version is updated to the most recent available – Revision 6.6. Power Supply
requirements for efficiency and power factor remain consistent with proposals made in Draft 1.

Significant Digits and Rounding

Power Supply Requirements

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i.

Pedestal and Rack-mounted Servers: To qualify for ENERGY STAR, a pedestal or rack­
mounted computer server must be configured with only PSUs that meet or exceed theapplicable efficiency requirements specified in Table 1 prior to shipment.

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ii.

Blade Servers: To qualify for ENERGY STAR, a blade server shipped with a chassis must be
configured with only PSUs included in the chassis that meet or exceed the applicableefficiency requirements specified in Table 1 prior to shipment.

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Table 1: Efficiency Requirements for PSUs

3.2.3

Power Supply Type

Rated Output Power

10%
Load

20%
Load

50%
Load

100%
Load

Multi-output(Ac-Dc & Dc-Dc)

All Output Levels

N/A

85%

88%

85%

Single-output(Ac-Dc & Dc-Dc)

All Output Levels

80%

88%

92%

88%

Power Supply Power Factor Criteria: Power Supplies used in Computers eligible under thisspecification must meet the following requirements when tested using the Generalized InternalPower Supply Efficiency Test Protocol, Rev. 6.5 (available at www.efficientpowersupplies.org).

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i.

Pedestal and Rack-mounted Servers: To qualify for ENERGY STAR, a pedestal or rack­
mounted computer server must be configured with only PSUs that meet or exceed theapplicable power factor requirements specified in Table 2 prior to shipment, under all
loading conditions for which output power is greater than or equal to 75 watts. Partners are
required to measure and report PSU power factor under loading conditions of less than 75
watts, though no minimum power factor requirements apply.

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ii.

Blade Servers: To qualify for ENERGY STAR, a blade server shipped with a chassis must be
configured with only PSUs included in the chassis that meet or exceed the applicable power
factor requirements specified in Table 2 prior to shipment, under all loading conditions forwhich output power is greater than or equal to 75 watts. Partners are required to measure
and report PSU power factor under loading conditions of less than 75 watts, though nominimum power factor requirements apply.

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Table 2: Power Factor Requirements for PSUs
Power Supply Type

Rated Output Power

10%
Load

20%
Load

50%
Load

100
%
Load

Dc-Dc (All)All Output Ratings

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

Ac-Dc Multi-output

All Output Ratings

N/A

0.80

0.90

0.95

Output Rating ≤ 500 W

N/A

0.80

0.90

0.95

Output Rating > 500 W
andOutput Rating ≤ 1,000
W

0.65

0.80

0.90

0.95

Output Rating > 1,000
watts

0.80

0.90

0.90

0.95

Ac-Dc Single-output

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3.3

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3.3.1

Power Management Requirements
Server Processor Power Management: To qualify for ENERGY STAR, a server must offer
processor power management that is enabled by default in the BIOS and/or through amanagement controller or service processor. All processors must be able to reduce power
consumption in times of low utilization by

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reducing voltage and/or frequency through Dynamic Voltage and Frequency Scaling (DVFS),
or

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enabling processor or core reduced power states when a core or socket is not in use.

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3.3.2

Supervisor Power Management: To qualify for ENERGY STAR, a product which offers a pre­installed supervisor system (e.g., operating system, hypervisor) must offer supervisor system
power management that is enabled by default.

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3.3.3

Power Management Disclosure: To qualify for ENERGY STAR, all power management
techniques that are enabled by default must be itemized on the Power and Performance Data
Sheet.

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3.4

Blade System Criteria

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3.4.1

Blade Chassis Thermal Management: To qualify for ENERGY STAR, a blade chassis that is (1)shipped with an ENERGY STAR qualified blade server, or (2) marketed for use with an ENERGYSTAR qualified blade server, must provide real-time chassis temperature monitoring and fan
speed management capability that is enabled by default.

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3.4.2

Blade Server Shipping Documentation: To qualify for ENERGY STAR, a blade server that isshipped to a customer independent of a blade chassis must be packaged with documentation to
inform the customer that the blade server is ENERGY STAR qualified only if it is installed in a
blade chassis meeting requirements in Section 3.4.1 of this document. A list of qualifying blade
chassis and ordering information must also be provided as part of product collateral provided withthe blade in either a printed format or an alternative format approved by EPA.

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Note: References to blade chassis power requirements have been removed. After discussions withstakeholders and review of blade systems currently on the market, EPA has determined that setting
levels applicable to the range of chassis solutions available is not possible due to differences in how
vendors choose to design shared resources. While a chassis power disclosure option was also
considered to allow for investigation in future versions, EPA believes that such information for different
blade systems would not be comparable for the same reason.

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3.5

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3.5.1

Active State Efficiency Criteria
Active Mode Efficiency Disclosure: To qualify for ENERGY STAR, a computer server or computer
server family must be submitted for qualification with the following information disclosed in fulland in the context of the complete active mode efficiency rating test report:

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i.

final rating tool results; and

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ii.

intermediate rating tool results over the entire test run at all of the following load levels:[TBD].

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Public disclosure and formatting requirements are discussed in Section 3.7 of this specification.

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3.5.2

Incomplete Disclosure: Partners shall not selectively report individual workload module results, orotherwise presenting efficiency rating tool results in any form other than a complete test report, incustomer documentation or marketing materials.

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Note: Section 3.5 remains to be determined and will be updated as the SERT development process
comes to a close.

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3.6

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3.6.1

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Note: The Idle State Power requirement structure above is maintained from Version 1 for single and dual
socket systems. Guidance for application of adders and allowances also remain consistent with Version
1.

Idle Mode and Full Load Efficiency Criteria – One-Socket (1S) and Two-Socket (2S)
Servers
Idle Mode Efficiency: Measured Idle State power (PIDLE) shall be less than or equal to theMaximum Idle State Power Requirement (PIDLE_MAX), as calculated per Equation 1.

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Equation 1: Calculation of Maximum Idle State Power

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PIDLE _ MAX = PBASE + ∑ PADDL _ i

n

i =1

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Where:

PIDLE_MAX is the Maximum Idle State Power Requirement,
PBASE is the base idle power allowance, as determined perTable 3,PADDL_i is the Idle State power allowance for additional
components, as determined per Table 4

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i.

These Idle power limits are applicable to single and dual socket systems only, regardless ofthe number of processors (e.g., a three or four socket system with only one or two processors
installed would not be subject to this requirements).

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384

ii.

All quantities in Table 3 and Table 4 refer to the number of components installed in thesystem, not the maximum number of components the system can support (e.g., installed
processors, not processor sockets; installed memory, not supported memory; etc.)385

iii. Additional Power Supply allowance: TBD.

386
387

iv. For the purposes of determining Idle power allowances, all memory capacities shall be
rounded to the nearest GB.

388
389
390
391

v.

392
393
394

vi. The Additional I/O Device allowance shall be calculated based upon the rated link speed of asingle connection, rounded to the nearest Gbit. I/O devices with less than 1 Gbit speed do
not qualify for the Additional I/O Device allowance.

395
396
397

vii. The Additional I/O Device allowance shall only be applied for I/O devices that are
active/enabled upon shipment, and are capable of functioning when connected to an active
switch.

The Additional I/O Device allowance may be applied for all I/O Devices over the Base
Configuration (i.e., Ethernet devices additional to two ports of 1 Gigabit per second (Gbit/s),
onboard Ethernet, plus any non-Ethernet I/O devices), including on-board I/O devices andadd-in I/O devices installed through expansion slots.

398

Table 3: Base Idle State Power Allowances for 1S and 2S Servers

Category
A
B
C
D
399
400
401
402
403
404

Number of
Installed
Processors
(# P)
1
1
2
2

Managed ServerBase Idle State Power
Allowance, PBASE(watts)

No
Yes
No
Yes

55.0
65.0
100.0
150.0

Note: EPA thanks stakeholders for the information provided during the data assembly process for thisversion of the Servers specification. Based on the information received as well as data contained in the
ENERGY STAR Servers Qualified Product List, EPA has not revised the Base Idle Levels for 1 and 2
socket servers. The above levels, combined with updated allowances for components in Table 6 below,
meet EPA’s goal of ensuring a sufficient range of labeled products are available to consumers while
maintaining the program’s focus on recognizing superior energy efficiency.

405

ENERGY STAR Program Requirements for Computer Servers – Eligibility Criteria

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406

Table 4: Additional Idle Power Allowances for Extra Components

SystemCharacteristic

Applies To:

Additional Idle Power Allowance

Additional
Power Supplies

Power supplies
installed explicitly for
power redundancy(iii)[TBD] watts per Power Supply

Additional Hard
Drives (including
solid state drives)

Installed hard drives
greater than one

8.0 watts per Hard Drive

Additional
MemoryInstalled memory
greater than 4 GB(iv)0.75 watts per GB(iv)Installed Devices
greater than two portsof 1 Gbit, onboard
Ethernet< 1Gbit: No Allowance= 1 Gbit: 2.0 watts / Active Port
> 1 Gbit and < 10 Gbit: 4.0 watts / Active Port
≥ 10 Gbit: 8.0 watts / Active Port

Additional
I/O Devices(v), (vi),
(vii)

407
408

Note: Power Adders for Additional Hard Drives and I/O devices are maintained from Version 1 as current
data shows that these levels continue to recognize the more energy efficient products.

409
410
411

The adder for Additional Power Supplies is changed to TBD. EPA believes that a revision to both themagnitude and application of this adder is warranted and invites stakeholder comment on the mostappropriate approach to determine this allowance.

412
413
414
415
416
417
418
419
420

The Additional Memory Adder is reduced to 0.75 watts per GB to reflect EPA’s review of the current
generation of memory technology and opportunities to reduce Idle power through memory selection. EPA
received a recommendation from a stakeholder suggesting that a reduction to as low as 0.5 W/GB would
be feasible based on the capability of the memory itself. In reviewing the ENERGY STAR dataset, EPA
noted a) that the Version 1.0 adder of 2.0 W/GB resulted in numerous systems eligible for adders inexcess of consumed Idle Power; and b) that there was variation among systems in the dataset when thescaling of system Idle Power was examined in relation to memory installed. The proposed adder isintended to provide an updated allowance for memory without ignoring the possibility of differences insystem overhead suggested in the dataset.

421
422

3.6.2

Full Load Data Disclosure: Measured Full Load power (PFULL_LOAD) shall be measured andreported, both in qualification materials and as required in Section 4.

423
424

3.7

Idle Mode and Full Load Efficiency Criteria – Three-Socket (3S) and Four-Socket(4S) Servers

425
426

3.7.1

Idle Mode Data Disclosure: Measured Idle State power (PIDLE) shall be measured and reported,
both in qualification materials and as required in Section 4.

427
428

3.7.2

Full Load Data Disclosure: Measured Full Load power (PFULL_LOAD) shall be measured andreported, both in qualification materials and as required in Section 4.

429

3.8

430
431

3.8.1

Idle Mode Data Disclosure: Measured Idle State power (PIDLE) shall be measured and reported,
both in qualification materials and as required in Section 4.

432
433

3.8.2

Full Load Data Disclosure: Measured Full Load power (PFULL_LOAD) shall be measured andreported, both in qualification materials and as required in Section 4.

Idle Mode and Full Load Efficiency Criteria – Blade Servers

ENERGY STAR Program Requirements for Computer Servers – Eligibility Criteria

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434

3.9

435
436

3.9.1

Other Testing Criteria
GPGPUs: For all Computer Servers sold with GPUs installed for general-purpose tasks(GPGPUs), the following additional criteria apply to meet Idle Mode criteria:

437
438
439

i.

For single configurations: All Idle Mode testing shall be conducted both with and without the
GPGPU installed. Idle Power measurements taken both with the GPGPU installed andremoved shall be submitted to EPA as part of ENERGY STAR qualification materials.

440
441

ii.

For Product Families: All Idle Mode testing shall be conducted both with and without the
GPGPU installed in no less than one of the defined test points in 1.H)2).

442
443

iii. Idle Power measurements taken both with the GPGPU installed and removed shall be
submitted to EPA as part of ENERGY STAR qualification materials.

444
445

iv. Idle Power data with the GPGPU removed shall be used as PBASE for the purposes ofqualification of the single configuration or Product Family test point.

446
447
448

Note: 3.9.1 is intended to support acquisition of data showing the power impact of GPGPUs installed in
Computer Servers. EPA welcomes stakeholder input on any existing industry-recognized benchmarksthat might be referenced as part of this requirement.

449
450
451
452

A stakeholder raised the topic of add-in compute capability via I/O cards as a similar topic to GPGPUs.
EPA is interested in discussing this issue further with stakeholders, particularly on the appropriate scope(GPGPUs, add-in I/O cards, etc.) and measurements to take in support of the possible future inclusion ofadders for these components.

453

4 STANDARD INFORMATION REPORTING REQUIREMENTS

454

4.1

455
456
457
458
459
460

Note: As part of the ENERGY STAR Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) specification development
effort, EPA has initiated development of an improved approach to the Power and Performance Datasheet
process. Under this approach, data will be maintained in a centralized database instead of individualforms, with a consumer-facing “widget” available for embedding on websites. It is anticipated that such assystem would also have the benefit of tying data from qualification directly into the online PPDS, reducing
the level of effort for ENERGY STAR Partners.

461
462

Information about this approach will be provided in conjunction with further drafts of the Version 2.0
Server Specification.

463
464

Power and Performance Datasheet (PPDS)

4.1.1

Data for a standardized Power and Performance Data Sheet (PPDS) shall be submitted to
EPA for each ENERGY STAR qualified Computer Server or Computer Server Product Family.

465
466
467

i.

Partners are encouraged to provide one set of data for each ENERGY STAR qualified
product configuration, though EPA will also accept a data set for each qualified productfamily.

468

ii.

A product family PPDS must include data for all defined test points in 1.H)2), as applicable.

469
470
471

iii. Whenever possible, Partners must also provide a hyperlink to a more detailed power
calculator on their Web site that purchasers can use to understand power and performancedata for specific configurations within the product family.

472
473
474
475
476

4.1.2

Templates for the Power and Performance Data Sheet can be found on the ENERGY STARWeb site at www.energystar.gov/products.
The PPDS contains the following information:i.

model name and number, identifying SKU and/or configuration ID;

ENERGY STAR Program Requirements for Computer Servers – Eligibility Criteria

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477

ii.

478
479
480

iii. system configuration(s) (including Low-end Performance Configuration, High-end
Performance Configuration, Minimum Power Configuration, Maximum Power Configuration,
and Typical Configuration for Product Family qualification);

481

iv. Data from required Active State Efficiency Criteria testing;

482
483

v.

484
485

vi. additional power and performance data for at least one benchmark as chosen by the Partnerfrom the EPA list of power-performance benchmarks;486

vii. available and enabled power saving features (e.g., power management);

487
488
489

viii. power consumption and performance data, along with guaranteed accuracy levels for all
power and temperature measurements, disclosure of the time period used for data averaging,
and a hyperlink to a detailed power calculator, as available;

490

ix. a list of selected data from the ASHRAE Thermal Report;

491
492

x.

493
494

xi. for a blade server, a list of compatible blade chassis that meet ENERGY STAR qualification
criteria.

495
496

4.1.3

system characteristics (form factor, available sockets/slots, power specifications, etc.);

power data for Idle and full load, estimated kWh/year, link to power calculator (whereavailable);for product family qualifications, a list of qualified configurations with qualified SKUs or
configuration IDs; andEPA may periodically revise this PPDS, as necessary, and will notify and invite stakeholder
engagement in such a revision process.

498

5 STANDARD PERFORMANCE DATA MEASUREMENT AND OUTPUTREQUIREMENTS

499

5.1

497

Measurement and Output

500
501
502
503
504

5.1.1

A computer server must provide data on input power consumption (W), inlet air temperature(°C), and utilization of all logical CPUs. Data must be made available in a published or user­
accessible format that is readable by third-party, non-proprietary management software over a
standard network. For blade servers and systems, data may be aggregated at the chassis
level.

505
506
507
508
509

5.1.2

Servers classified as Class B equipment as set out in EN 55022:2006 are exempt from therequirements to provide data on input power consumption and inlet air temperature in 5.1.1.
Class B refers to household and home office equipment (intended for use in the domestic
environment). All servers in the program must meet the requirement and conditions to reportutilization of all logical CPUs.

510
511
512
513

Note: Provision 5.1.2 is added to exclude “value” products intended for non-datacenter use from thescope of the measurement and output requirements. Stakeholders suggested an alternative approach toinstead exclude single processor socket pedestal servers. EPA welcomes comments on whether there
are products in the single socket pedestal category that might be managed remotely.

514

5.2

515
516
517

Reporting Implementation

5.2.1

Products may use either embedded components or add-in devices that are packaged with thecomputer server to make data available to end users (e.g., a service processor, embedded
power or thermal meter (or other out-of-band technology), or pre-installed OS);ENERGY STAR Program Requirements for Computer Servers – Eligibility Criteria

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518
519
520
521

5.2.2

Products that include a pre-installed OS must include all necessary drivers and software forend users to access standardized data as specified in this document. Products that do notinclude a pre-installed OS must be packaged with printed documentation of how to accessregisters that contain relevant sensor information;

522
523

5.2.3

When an open and universally available data collection and reporting standard becomes
available, manufacturers should incorporate the universal standard into their systems;

524
525
526

5.2.4

Evaluation of the accuracy (5.3) and sampling (5.4) requirements shall be completed throughreview of data from component product datasheets. If this data is absent, Partner declaration
shall be used to evaluate accuracy and sampling.

527

Note: 5.2.4 is added to clarify CB responsibilities in evaluating requirements in Section 5.

528
529
530
531

In conversation, a stakeholder raised the topic of required timestamping of environmental data (power
and temperature) as a necessary prerequisite to generation of useful output. EPA seeks stakeholder
feedback on this topic and the capability of Computer Servers to meet a possible timestamping
requirement for power and temperature.

532

5.3

Measurement Accuracy

533
534
535
536

5.3.1

Input power: Measurements must be reported with accuracy of at least ±5% of the actual
value, with a maximum level of accuracy of ±10W for each installed PSU (i.e., power reporting
accuracy for each power supply is never required to be better than ± 10 watts) through theoperating range from Idle to full power;

537
538
539

5.3.2

Processor utilization: Utilization must be estimated for each logical CPU that is visible to the
OS and must be reported to the operator or user of the computer server through the operating
environment (OS or hypervisor);

540

5.3.3

Inlet air temperature: Measurements must be reported with an accuracy of at least ±2°C.

541

5.4

Sampling Requirements

542
543
544
545

5.4.1

Input power and processor utilization: Input power and processor utilization measurements
must be collected at a rate of ≥ 1 measurement per contiguous 10 second period. A rolling
average, encompassing a period of no more than 30 seconds, must be reported at afrequency of greater than or equal to once per ten seconds.

546
547

5.4.2

Inlet air temperature: Inlet air temperature measurements must be collected at a rate of ≥ 1
measurement every 10 seconds.

548

6 TESTING

549

6.1

550
551

6.1.1

Test Methods
When testing Computer Server products, the test methods identified in Table 5 shall be used todetermine ENERGY STAR qualification.

552

Table 5: Test Methods for ENERGY STAR Qualification
Product Type orComponent
All

553

6.2

554

6.2.1

Test Method
ENERGY STAR Test Method for Computer Servers, Rev. TBD

Number of Units Required for Testing
Representative Models shall be selected for testing per the following requirements:

ENERGY STAR Program Requirements for Computer Servers – Eligibility Criteria

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555
556
557

i.

For qualification of an individual product configuration, the unique configuration that is
intended to be marketed and labeled as ENERGY STAR is considered the Representative
Model.

558
559
560
561

ii.

For qualification of a product family of all product types, one product configuration for eachof the five points identified in definitions 1.H)2) within the family are considered
Representative Models. All such representative models shall have the same Common
Product Family Attributes as defined in 1.H)1).

562
563

Note: The section above is added to specify representative testing based on the definitions for Product
Family.

564

6.3

565
566
567
568

Qualifying Families of Products

6.3.1

Partners are encouraged to test and submit data on individual product configurations for
qualification to ENERGY STAR. However, a Partner may qualify multiple productconfigurations under one Product Family designation if each configuration within the family
meets one of the following requirements:

569
570
571

i.

Individual products are built on the same platform, are eligible under and meet the same
specific requirements in this specification, and are identical in every respect to the tested,
representative product configuration except for housing and color; or

572
573

ii.

Individual products meet the requirements of a product family, as defined in Section H),
above. In this case, partners must test and submit data as required in Section 6.2.1ii.

574
575

6.3.2

Partners are required to submit a Power and Performance Data Sheet for each product family
that is submitted for qualification.

576
577

6.3.3

All product configurations within a product family that is submitted for qualification must meet
ENERGY STAR requirements, including products for which data was not reported.

578
579
580
581
582
583

6.3.4

If a Partner wishes to qualify individual product configurations within a product family that
contains non-qualifying products, the Partner must assign a unique identifier to ENERGYSTAR qualified product configurations. This identifier must be used consistently in association
with qualifying configurations in marketing collateral and on the ENERGY STAR Qualified
Product List (e.g., model A1234 for baseline configurations and A1234-ES for ENERGY STAR
qualifying configurations).

584

7 EFFECTIVE DATE

585
586
587
588
589

7.1.1

Effective Date: The Version 2.0 ENERGY STAR Computer Server specification shall take effecton the dates specified in Table 6, below. To qualify for ENERGY STAR, a product model shallmeet the ENERGY STAR specification in effect on its date of manufacture. The date of
manufacture is specific to each unit and is the date (e.g., month and year) on which a unit isconsidered to be completely assembled.

590
591
592
593
594

7.1.2

Future Specification Revisions: EPA reserves the right to change this specification should
technological and/or market changes affect its usefulness to consumers, industry, or theenvironment. In keeping with current policy, revisions to the specification are arrived at throughstakeholder discussions. In the event of a specification revision, please note that the ENERGYSTAR qualification is not automatically granted for the life of a product model.

ENERGY STAR Program Requirements for Computer Servers – Eligibility Criteria

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595

Table 6: Specification Effective Dates
Effective Date
Version 2.0
TBD

596
597

8 CONSIDERATIONS FOR FUTURE REVISIONS

598

8.1

TBD

599

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600
601
602
603
604

APPENDIX A:
Sample Calculations
Note: This appendix will ultimately include sample calculations for reference in calculating performancelevels for products covered in this specification.

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