Commission Regulation (EU) 2019/424 of 15 March 2019 laying down ecodesign requirements for servers and data storage products pursuant to Directive 2009/125/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council and amending Commission Regulation (EU) No 617/2013 (Text with EEA relevance.)

Article 1

Subject matter and scope

This Regulation shall not apply to the following products:

(a) servers intended for embedded applications;

(b) servers classified as small scale servers in terms of Regulation (EU) No 617/2013;

(c) servers with more than four processor sockets;

(d) server appliances;

(e) large servers;

(f) fully fault tolerant servers;

(g) network servers;

(h) small data storage products;

(i) large data storage products.

Article 2

Definitions

For the purpose of this Regulation, the following definitions shall apply:

(1) ‘server’ means a computing product that provides services and manages networked resources for client devices, such as desktop computers, notebook computers, desktop thin clients, internet protocol telephones, smartphones, tablets, tele-communication, automated systems or other servers, primarily accessed via network connections, and not through direct user input devices, such as a keyboard or a mouse and with the following characteristics: (a) it is designed to support server operating systems (OS) and/or hypervisors, and targeted to run user-installed enterprise applications; (b) it supports error-correcting code and/or buffered memory (including both buffered dual in-line memory modules and buffered on board configurations); (c) all processors have access to shared system memory and are independently visible to a single OS or hypervisor;

(2) ‘server with more than four processor sockets’ means a server containing more than four interfaces designed for the installation of a processor. For multi-node servers, this term refers to a server having more than four processor sockets in each server node;

(3) ‘embedded application’ means a software application that permanently resides in an industrial or consumer device, typically stored in a non-volatile memory such as read-only memory or flash memory;

(4) ‘server appliance’ means a server that is not intended to execute user-supplied software, delivers services through one or more networks, is typically managed through a web or command line interface and is bundled with a pre-installed OS and application software that is used to perform a dedicated function or set of tightly coupled functions;

(5) ‘resilient server’ means a server designed with extensive reliability, availability, serviceability and scalability features integrated in the micro architecture of the system, central processing unit (CPU) and chipset;

(6) ‘large server’ means a resilient server which is shipped as a pre-integrated/pre-tested system housed in one or more full frame racks and that includes a high connectivity input/output subsystem with a minimum of 32 dedicated input/output slots;

(7) ‘multi-node server’ means a server that is designed with two or more independent server nodes that share a single enclosure and one or more power supply units. In a multi-node server, power is distributed to all nodes through shared power supply units. Server nodes in a multi-node server are not designed to be hot-swappable;

(8) ‘fully fault tolerant server’ means a server that is designed with complete hardware redundancy (to simultaneously and repetitively run a single workload for continuous availability in mission critical applications), 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);

(9) ‘network server’ means a network product which contains the same components as a server in addition to more than 11 network ports with a total line rate throughput of 12 Gb/s or more, the capability to dynamically reconfigure ports and speed and support for a virtualized network environment through a software defined network;

(10) ‘data storage product’ means a fully-functional storage system that supplies data storage services to clients and devices attached directly or through a network. Components and subsystems that are an integral part of the data storage product architecture (e.g., to provide internal communications between controllers and disks) are considered to be part of the data storage product. In contrast, components that are normally associated with a storage environment at the data centre level (e.g. devices required for operation of an external storage area network) are not considered to be part of the data storage product. A data storage product may be composed of integrated storage controllers, data storage devices, embedded network elements, software, and other devices;

(11) ‘Hard Disk Drive’ (HDD) means a data storage device which reads and writes to one or more rotating magnetic disk platters;

(12) ‘Solid State Drive’ (SSD) means a data storage device that reads and writes to non-volatile solid state memory instead of rotating magnetic platters for data storage;

(13) ‘data storage device’ means a device providing non-volatile data storage, with the exception of aggregating storage elements such as subsystems of redundant arrays of independent disks, robotic tape libraries, filers, and file servers and storage devices which are not directly accessible by end-user application programs, and are instead employed as a form of internal cache;

(14) ‘online data storage product’ means a data storage product designed for online, random-access of data, accessible in a random or sequential pattern, with a maximum time to first data of less than 80 milliseconds;

(15) ‘small data storage product’ means a data storage product containing a maximum of three data storage devices;

(16) ‘large data storage product’ means a high end or mainframe data storage product that supports more than 400 data storage devices in its maximum configuration and with the following required attributes: no single point of failure, non-disruptive serviceability and integrated storage controller.

Article 3

Ecodesign requirements and timetable

From 1 March 2020 online data storage products shall comply with the ecodesign requirements set out in Annex II points 1.1.1, 1.2.1, 1.2.2, 3.2, 3.3 and 3.4.

(a) From 1 March 2021 servers and online data storage products shall comply with the ecodesign requirement set out in Annex II point 1.2.3.

(b) From 1 January 2023 servers and online data storage products shall comply with the ecodesign requirements set out in Annex II point 1.1.2.

(c) Compliance with ecodesign requirements shall be measured and calculated in accordance with the methods set out in Annex III.

Article 4

Conformity assessment

Article 5

Verification procedure for market surveillance purposes

Member States shall apply the verification procedure set out in Annex IV to this Regulation when performing the market surveillance checks referred to in Article 3(2) of Directive 2009/125/EC.

Article 6

Circumvention

The manufacturer, importer or authorised representative shall not place on the market products designed to be able to detect they are being tested (for example by recognising the test conditions or test cycle) and to react specifically by automatically altering their performance during the test with the aim of reaching a more favourable level for any of the parameters in the technical documentation or included in any documentation provided.

Article 7

Indicative benchmarks

The indicative benchmarks for best-performing servers and data storage products available on the market on 7 April 2019 are set out in Annex V.

Article 8

Review

The Commission shall assess this Regulation and shall present the results of this assessment, including, if appropriate, a draft revision proposal, to the Consultation Forum by March 2022. This assessment shall review the requirements in the light of the technological progress and shall address in particular the appropriateness:

(a) to update the specific ecodesign requirements on server active state efficiency;

(b) to update the specific ecodesign requirements for servers on idle state power;

(c) to update the definitions or the scope of the Regulation;

(d) to update the material efficiency requirements for servers and data storage products, including the information requirements on additional critical raw materials (tantalum, gallium, dysprosium and palladium), taking into account the needs of the recyclers;

(e) to exempt server appliances, large servers, fully fault tolerant servers and network servers from the scope of the regulation;

(f) to exclude resilient servers, High Performance Computing (HPC) servers and servers with integrated APA from the ecodesign requirements set out in Annex II point 2.1 and point 2.2;

(g) to set specific ecodesign requirements on the Processor Power Management Function of servers;

(h) to set specific ecodesign requirements on the operating condition class;

(i) to set specific ecodesign requirements on the efficiency, performance and power demand of data storage products.

Article 9

Amendment to Regulation (EU) No 617/2013

Regulation (EU) No 617/2013 is amended as follows:

(1) Article 1 is amended as follows: (a) paragraph 1 is replaced by the following: ‘1. This Regulation establishes ecodesign requirements for the placing on the market of computers.’; (b) in paragraph 2, point (h) is deleted; (c) in paragraph 3, points (a) to (d) are deleted;

(2) Article 2 is amended as follows: (a) point 2 is deleted; (b) point 4 is replaced by the following: ‘(4)“Internal power supply” means a component designed to convert AC voltage from the mains to DC voltage(s) for the purpose of powering the computer and has the following characteristics: (a) is contained within the computer casing but is separate from the main computer board; (b) the power supply connects to the mains through a single cable with no intermediate circuitry between the power supply and the mains power; and (c) all power connections from the power supply to the computer components, with the exception of a DC connection to a display in an integrated desktop computer, are internal to the computer casing. Internal DC-to-DC converters used to convert a single DC voltage from an external power supply into multiple voltages for use by a computer are not considered internal power supplies;’; (c) points 12 to 16 are deleted; (d) point 22 is replaced by the following: ‘(22)“Product type” means desktop computer, integrated desktop computer, notebook computer, desktop thin client, workstation, mobile workstation, small-scale server, game console, docking station, internal power supply or external power supply;’;

(3) Article 3 is replaced by the following: ‘Article 3 Ecodesign requirements The ecodesign requirements for computers are set out in Annex II. Compliance of computers with the applicable ecodesign requirements shall be measured in accordance with the methods set out in Annex III.’;

(4) in Article 7, the second paragraph is replaced by the following: ‘Checking of computers for compliance with the applicable ecodesign requirements shall be carried out in accordance with the verification procedure set out in point 2 of Annex III to this Regulation.’;

(5) Annex II is amended as follows: (a) point 5.2 is deleted; (b) the title of point 7.3 is replaced by the following: ‘Workstation, mobile workstation, desktop thin client and small-scale server’.

Article 10

Entry into force

This Regulation shall enter into force on the twentieth day following that of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.

However, Article 9 shall apply from 1 March 2020.

This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States.

ANNEX I

Definitions applicable to Annexes II to V

For the purposes of Annexes II to V the following definitions shall apply:

(1) ‘server with one or two processor sockets’ means a server containing one or two interfaces designed for the installation of a processor. For multi-node servers, this term refers to a server having one or two processor sockets in each server node;

(2) ‘Input/Output (I/O) device’ means a device, which provides data input and output capability between a server or a data storage product and other devices. An I/O device may be integral to the server motherboard or may be connected to the motherboard via expansion slots (such as Peripheral Component Interconnect, or Peripheral Component Interconnect Express);

(3) ‘motherboard’ means the main circuit board of a server or a data storage product. For purposes of this regulation, the motherboard includes connectors for attaching additional boards and typically includes the following components: processor, memory, BIOS, and expansion slots;

(4) ‘processor’ means the logic circuitry that responds to and processes the basic instructions that drive a server or a data storage product. For purposes of this regulation, the processor is the CPU of the server. A typical CPU is a physical package to be installed on the server motherboard via a socket or direct solder attachment. The CPU package may include one or more processor cores;

(5) ‘memory’ means a part of a server or a data storage product external to the processor in which information is stored for immediate use by the processor, expressed in gigabyte (GB);

(6) ‘expansion card’ means an internal component connected by an edge connection over a common/standard interface such as Peripheral Component Interconnect Express providing additional functionality;

(7) ‘graphics card’ means an expansion card containing one or more graphics processing units with a local memory controller interface and local graphics-specific memory;

(8) ‘buffered double data rate (DDR) channel’ means a channel or memory port connecting a memory controller to a defined number of memory devices in a server. A typical server may contain multiple memory controllers, which may in turn support one or more buffered DDR channels. As such, each buffered DDR channel serves only a fraction of the total addressable memory space in a server;

(9) ‘blade server’ means a server that is designed for use in a blade chassis. A blade server is a high-density device that functions as an independent server and includes at least one processor and system memory, but is dependent upon shared blade chassis resources (e.g., power supply units, cooling) for operation. A processor or memory module will not be considered a blade server when the technical documentation for the product does not indicate that it scales up a standalone server;

(10) ‘blade chassis’ means 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 blade chassis may include power supply units, data storage, and hardware for direct current power distribution, thermal management, system management, and network services;

(11) ‘High Performance Computing (HPC) server’ means a server which is designed and optimized to execute highly parallel applications, for higher performance computing or deep learning artificial intelligence applications. HPC servers must meet all the following criteria: (a) they consist of multiple computing nodes, clustered primarily to increase computational capability; (b) they include high speed inter-processing interconnections between nodes;

(12) ‘server product family’ means a high-level description referring to a group of servers sharing one chassis and motherboard combination that may contain more hardware and software configurations. All configurations within a server product family must share the following common attributes: (a) be from the same model line or machine type; (b) either share the same form factor (i.e., rack-mounted, blade, pedestal) or share the same mechanical and electrical designs with only superficial mechanical differences to enable a design to support multiple form factors; (c) either share processors from a single defined processor series or share processors that plug into a common socket type; (d) share the power supply unit(s); (e) have the same number of available processor sockets and number of available processor sockets populated;

(13) ‘power supply unit’ (PSU) means a device that converts alternate current (AC) or direct current (DC) input power to one or more DC power outputs for the purpose of powering a server or a data storage product. A server or data storage product PSU must be self-contained and physically separable from the motherboard and must connect to the system via a removable or hard-wired electrical connection;

(14) ‘power factor’ means the ratio of the real power consumed in Watts to the apparent power drawn in Volt Amperes;

(15) ‘single output PSU’ means a PSU designed to deliver the majority of its rated output power to one primary DC output for the purpose of powering a server or a data storage product. Single output PSUs may offer one or more standby outputs that remain active whenever connected to an input power source. 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: (a) are generated from separate converters or have separate output rectification stages, or (b) have independent current limits;

(16) ‘multi output PSU’ means a PSU designed to deliver the majority of its rated output power to more than one primary DC output for the purpose of powering a server or a data storage product. Multi output PSUs may offer one or more standby outputs that remain active whenever connected to an input power source. The total rated power output from any additional PSU outputs that are not primary and standby outputs shall be no greater than or equal to 20 Watts;

(17) ‘direct current server’ means a server that is designed solely to operate on a DC power source;

(18) ‘direct current data storage product’ means a data storage product that is designed solely to operate on a DC power source;

(19) ‘idle state’ means the operational state in which the OS and other software have completed loading, the server is capable of completing workload transactions, but no active workload transactions are requested or pending by the system (i.e., the server is operational, but not performing any useful work). For servers where Advanced Configuration and Power Interface standards are applicable, idle state corresponds only to System Level S0;

(20) ‘idle state power’ (Pidle) is the power demand, in Watts, in idle state;

(21) ‘low-end performance configuration’ of a server product family means the combination of two data storage devices, processor with the lowest product of core count and frequency (in GHz) and memory capacity (in GB) that is at least equal to the product of the number of memory channels and the lowest capacity dual in-line memory module (DIMM) (in GB) offered on the server that represents the lowest performance product model within the server product family. All memory channels shall be populated with the same DIMM raw card design and capacity;