The Greening of the CIO - ' Companies Find Ways to '
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Companies Find Ways to Conserve
Another way of managing server resources involves software. Just as gas-guzzling SUVs ferry lone drivers around town, many corporate computers operate well below capacity. The average server running the most common processors uses only about 10 percent of its capability, says IDC's Humphreys, the firm's program director of virtualization software. "They are being powered on and sucking energy."
Using virtualization programs that partition servers into multiple "virtual" machines can vastly increase the efficiency of operations by allowing one server to do the work of many machines. So far, a relatively small number of companies use virtualization software, but those that do tend to use it heavily. Humphreys says that up to 50 percent of the server environment at some companies will soon be virtualized, and that vendors are marketing the energy benefits of virtualization. "The energy message behind those numbers has become more prevalent in the past year, and especially in the past six months," says Humphreys. "Companies are waking up to the costs of data centers, and they would much rather squeeze a couple more years out of what they have now by making virtualization pay off. The IT folks are so concerned about keeping the level of service up that they have been behind the curve on the environmental aspect, but I think it is becoming more explicit."
As prices rise, companies are considering other ways to cut energy use. At Sun, says Douglas, energy conservation is "an issue of operations that is fueled by IT." Nearly half of Sun employees work outside the company on a regular basis, which cuts down on fuel use and, presumably, helps mitigate global warming via reduced automobile emissions. "The ability to make people effective wherever they are is a job for IT," says Douglas. "Technology has to be underneath a lot of that."
Corporate users are also saving power by rolling out LcD monitors instead of the familiar CRT technology (giving a whole new meaning to the old "green screen" moniker). LcD monitors use about 50 percent less power than their older counterparts, says NEC. Making the switch may not make much difference in a small shop (though if you want to save the planet, every little bit helps). But for a company running thousands or tens of thousands of machines, the numbers add up. According to NEC, operating 100 flat-screen monitors for four years could be $7,500 cheaper than running 100 CRTs.
Still, for all the progress U.S. companies are making in environmental areas, Humphreys says they lag their European counterparts. "I have not seen U.S. companies proclaim that they are pursuing green IT, but I do think it is coming," he says. "Meanwhile, the energy awareness is just good business practice."
Story Guide:
The Greening of the CIO
Energy Crisis in the Data Center
Companies Find Ways to Conserve
Safe Disposal Saves Money
Data Disposal
Sidebars:
Green Beyond Greenbacks
Solar Systems
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