Squeezing Green from the Data Center

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency issued a report to Congress that was intended to send a message to U.S. businesses: run your data centers more efficiently.

Given the EPA's findings that server and data center power consumption in 2006 is estimated to be more than double the electricity that was consumed for this purpose in 2000 and shows no signs of slowing, it's surprising that here has not been more heated debate in the boardroom between data center managers and chief information officers and facilities managers and chief informational officers.

Large corporations consistently shoulder substantial electricity and real estate costs. In addition, utilities in some parts of the country such as CA and NY have already stretched their resources think to satisfy the growing power needs of local businesses.

By working together, CIOs and CFOs can direct their efforts to successfully squeezing 'green' into and out of the data center. While many see the roles of CIO and CFO as most unrelated- the formers focused on adding value to business operations through innovative use of technology, the latter ensuring fiscal responsibility- both share a common interest of delivering value to shareholders.

CIO for Sun Microsystems offers ideas in greening IT. He recommends the use of eco-friendly technologies whenever possible when upgrading a server and data center hardware.

He also suggests that when designing new facilities, take advantage of the opportunity to evaluate space needs realistically. Today's energy-efficient technology takes up significantly less floor space than previous generations of hardware. Virtualization makes locations nearly irrelevant.

A final insight is for a company to work together. Understand the financial impact of technology on operating expenses and create a plan together. The technology is readily available, so by incorporating the best practices in data center design, the company saves money and reduces its environmental impact.