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data center infrastructure efficiency (DCiE)

By Mark Fontecchio

What is data center infrastructure efficiency?

Data center infrastructure efficiency (DCiE) is a metric used to determine the energy efficiency of a data center by measuring what percentage of total facility power is consumed by IT equipment.

DCiE was developed by members of The Green Grid, an industry group focused on data center energy efficiency.

How to calculate DCiE

DCiE, which is expressed as a percentage, is calculated by dividing IT equipment power by total facility power.

DCiE = IT Equipment Power / Total Facility Power x 100%

DCIE is the reciprocal of power usage effectiveness (PUE). PUE is defined as the total facility power divided by the IT equipment power.

DCiE = 1 / PUE

How to determine energy use

Admins can monitor and measure the total facility power and IT equipment load.

Total facility power measurement

Measure energy use at or near the facility's utility meter. If the data center is in a mixed-use facility or office building, measure only at the meter that is powering the data center. If the data center is not on a separate utility meter, estimate the amount of power being consumed by the non-data center portion of the building and remove it from the equation.

IT equipment load measurement

Measure the IT equipment load, which should be measured after power conversion, switching and conditioning are completed. According to The Green Grid guidelines, the most likely measurement point would be at the output of the computer room power distribution units. This measurement should represent the total power delivered to the server racks in the data center.

Current standards and measurement levels

The Green Grid specifies three different levels for measuring energy usage for both PUE and DCiE calculations.

• Level 1 (Basic): Monthly/weekly measurements.
• Level 2 (Intermediate): Hourly/daily measurements.
• Level 3 (Advanced): Continuous measurements taken in intervals of 15 minutes or less.

Modern context and limitations

As of 2024-2025, while DCiE and PUE remain key metrics for measuring data center efficiency, industry experts recognize their limitations. The Green Grid now recommends using additional complementary metrics, such as:

• Advanced Mechanical Load Component (AMLC)
• IT Equipment Work Capacity (ITWC)
• Total Usage Effectiveness (TUE)
• Water Usage Effectiveness (WUE)

These additional metrics provide a more comprehensive picture of data center sustainability and efficiency, especially as the industry faces growing demands from AI workloads and increasing focus on environmental responsibility.