Server Cost Hike due to Power Rates

One of the Data Centers that we get our dedicated servers has just announced a DC-wide server price hike. This is mainly due to the increase in power rates (electricity). The $8 per server increase might be a small amount if you have 1 dedicated server but that could tremendously hurt your bottom line if you’re carrying 10 or more servers which we do now.

In this age where bandwidth is growing and getting cheaper as well as hardware capacity and speed is steadily increasing, the overall cost of running a server should have become cheaper over the years. Well, in essence you get more bandwidth and disk space per buck but those (hardware) are one-time costs unlike power which is recurring (or on a monthly basis).

So, ok, some services do become cheaper while others getting more expensive. Just look at gas and water.

It reminds me of my growing electric bill from 3 years ago when I first moved into my current pad. I was just consuming around Php1,200 on electricity with a PC, TV, ref and regular florescent lamps and a couple of electric fans. I thought it was an okay rate back then considering that I’m working from home.

Now, I have air conditioning and fans, 2 PCs, 1 laptop, a ref, electric/gas range (seldom used), microwave oven, an oven toaster, a TV, 4000-watt stereo, and half a dozen lamps that amount to around Php3,500 to Php4,500 in electric bills monthly. I don’t know if that’s expensive for what I have but every time we exceed the Php4k threshold, I try to stay away from the aircon. :D

Once, I was even tempted to get that amp-regulator those salespeople trying sell me for Php7k. They claim it can reduce your electric bill up to 30%. Is that true? I didn’t bite it.