It's Not Easy Being Green!
Written by: David Tan, CTO

Traditionally, standard business practice for Information Technology has dictated that the primary focus of IT decisions and initiatives is based on the economic impact and viability. In other words, how much will it cost, and how much will it save me over time, and when will I recoup my investment. This mindset has started to change drastically in the last year or so, as companies adopt a Green IT mentality, and start to consider not only the economic impact of their decisions, but the environmental and social as well. The problem is, for IT, it’s not easy being green.

Green IT is one of those industry catchphrases we love to use so much. Essentially it is the practice of using computer resources in a more efficient and environmentally conscientious way. This can include everything from reduced power consumption to recycling and safe disposal. The trend is growing fastest among large enterprises, but clearly this is something everyone can do, even the smallest business and home user. As a caveat, going green can also mean more green for the company – in the form of cost savings or tax benefits. Reducing power consumption can clearly lead to lower utility costs. Server consolidation can free up valuable office space for other revenue generating functions. Many states are offering incentives for the safe disposal of old computer components – and some that aren’t are starting to enact regulations mandating the practice. This is something you need to be thinking about for your business immediately. Here are some tips you can think about to help get you started:

Virtualization – The typical network server uses about 5-10% of its overall capacity. That means 90% of the time it is sitting there, doing nothing except consuming power and cooling. Not to mention the space it’s eating up. Problem is, every network application seems to demand its own server platform. You can overcome this by consolidating server hardware and using virtualization to meet the application requirements. Imagine being able to convert 20 physical servers into 3. This is a conservative estimate of the power of virtualization. If you’re not familiar with the term, virtualization means essentially running many logical servers on top of physical hardware. The concept dates back to mainframe systems of the ‘60s, but with the powerful servers being manufactured today, it has truly come back into style. Software being produced by companies like VMware and Microsoft make this a viable option for companies of all sizes, and a tremendous cost-savings opportunity.

New Hardware –There is a wide range of new computer hardware available today that is much more energy efficient than what you are probably using to read this article right now. Intel is making low-voltage CPU’s, new LCD monitors are being made with LEDs in place of traditional fluorescent bulbs, new solid state disk drives that don’t require power to spin are hitting the market (one great example is the new Mac Airbook), and new desktop computer power supply units are available which are 25-30% more efficient than traditional units. Next time you make a PC buying decision, think about the power consumption of the system, and look for the Energy Star certificate. That PC upgrade you have been putting off could have a much bigger impact than you thought.

Power Management – What is the first thing everybody does when they get a new computer? Disable the power setting in the control panel of course. These power saving settings can power down monitors, hard drives, and systems when not in use. Sure, it may take 2 minutes for the computer to spring back to life when you need to use it again, but think about how much power you will save over the course of a year.

System Recycling – Many times companies will simply dispose of out-dated systems that no longer meet their business needs. Even not-for-profit organizations turn down donations as the systems are useless to them as well. The problem is the lead and mercury and other harmful components in these systems end up in landfills which is potentially killing our environment. There is a growing trend known as “reverse logistics” in which a company comes in and removes old machines, refurbishes them if possible, strips out reusable parts, and disposes of the rest in an environmentally safe manner. Your IT service provider should be able to help you with this.

Telecommuting – This may not be an IT-centric philosophy, but it is certainly driven by IT. Things like videoconferencing and VoIP have significantly reduced the need to be in the same physical space as your co-workers. Cutting down travel (even just to the office) cuts down on carbon emissions and costs for a company. This is another example of how making a wise choice for the environment can also be a wise choice for your bottom line.

Clearly you can’t just sit down one day and make a massive shift in the way your company works. It is a philosophy that needs to be integrated over time. If you start to consider the green impact of all your decisions, pretty soon it will become just the way you do business.