Test Lab Power Conservation Strategies 101
To varying degrees, Keysight has seen global customers grappling with a similar challenge. Telecommunication network carriers, services providers, equipment manufacturers, suppliers, and enterprise organizations have common areas of concern with controlling power and cooling costs in their test labs. In addition, sustainability and minimizing impacts on the environment are in focus.
Since January 2020, consumer energy service costs have risen approximately 34%. Energy costs are rising beyond that rate in parts of the US and regions around the world. Energy prices have shown greater volatility compared to general inflation, with significant regional disparities. While recent decreases in energy prices may offer temporary relief, long-term trends suggest continued fluctuations due to various economic and environmental factors.
And for test labs, 5G equipment requires 2-3 times more energy than 4G if network equipment is not intelligently controlled. Keysight has seen examples where that wasn’t the case.
While all labs are different, a case in point would include one Tier 1 carrier whose test equipment utilization policies were outdated, and were impacting their bottom line. In the old days, all the test gear was kept running, even when not in use. Today, with the cost of energy, that’s a non-starter. The degree to which gear is left on can be sobering.
In this example, 77% of the Tier 1’s test gear was left on 90% of the time. With that percentage of test gear running for that amount of time, it impacts operating costs in a significant measurable way. It’s a no-brainer for lab managers seeking to lower energy costs to make prioritized improvements in their lab management strategy. Adopt a solution that effectively manages lab equipment utilization.
But, that’s only part of the picture.
A comprehensive strategy for energy conservation
As inflation trends significantly impact already high energy costs, organizations see leaders searching for meaningful and holistic solutions to address this challenge, and more. ‘Holistic’ is the operative word here. To achieve that goal, decision makers need to recognize that test hardware in labs is energy-intensive and too often lab utilization is inefficient, with unused equipment often left on in highly air-conditioned environments. As well, beyond rising cooling and power costs, capital expenditure (Capex) costs soar as redundant equipment drives up budget spend across teams in the same labs, or other global locations, precisely when budgets are getting tighter.
But it doesn’t end there.
Organizations looking at these measures traditionally turn to a lab optimization solution to address this but recognizing the opportunity to realize wider efficiencies when adopting a solution of this nature is key to maximizing budget spend on a solution of this nature. Why? Because operational expenditure (Opex) costs will continue to rise as long as manual test configuration is involved in any aspect of testing. This also leads to high labor costs, lower productivity, and slower time to market.
The capabilities of a forward-looking test lab optimization solution should include:
- Lab consolidation — Reduce physical footprint, energy use, and carbon emissions.
- Equipment utility reduction — Share equipment and automate test scheduling.
- Automated power down of unused gear — Optimize power consumption management.
- Accurate equipment utilization reporting — Enable data-driven equipment investments and planning.
- Global solutions — Address a range of regional challenges, also take into account Net Zero and a variety of sustainability programs.
That’s a tall order for many organizations to achieve on their own with a do-it-yourself (DIY) approach, as well as for some test lab optimization partners. One of the key factors for success is a lab management and automation partner who has its own technology platform that interfaces seamlessly with all third-party test equipment in the lab.
Having its own platform means the platform evolves in alignment with customer needs. Too often, third-party lab optimization platforms have their own roadmap plans that are not directly aligned with the customers of their system integrators. As new customer needs emerge, and new challenges and opportunities are identified, the platform roadmap may not be in sync with this evolution.
Keysight has seen that happen, and it’s been the source of unnecessary frustration, and in the long run, can be an expensive proposition. In some cases, the solution fails to grow with the customer, and a transition to a new solution is required. Success begins with making the right choice from the start, and that involves asking the right questions at the right time.