AKIBIA'S PRACTICAL GUIDE TO ENTERPRISE TECHNOLOGY
Monday, October 12, 2009
A Couple Quick and Easy Green IT Steps
Last week Akibia’s team was busy attending some of the premier industry events, including AFCOM’s Data Center World down in Orlando and an ASCDI event in New York City. Both were great events and featured a number of compelling topics for the data center – from cloud computing, to virtualization to strategies for green IT.
Our clients often ask us for assistance with their Green IT strategies. Some companies are embracing Green IT wholeheartedly—moving to completely green data centers. Others are taking smaller steps to address power and cooling within their existing centers.
We realize that for many enterprise companies "going green" can be a big step to tackle. So, here are a few of the simpler green steps you can take today:
- Consider keeping well-performing post-warranty systems - Many companies regularly upgrade hardware the minute it comes off of warranty – this is not just costly, but also unnecessary. It puts many systems out to pasture (landfills) too soon. The cost of removing computer hardware is high, and the cost on the environment is higher if not handled appropriately. Why throw out a well-performing system? This is not only bad for the environment, but also bad on the IT budget.
- Leverage certified refurbished parts to repair your systems - Cost savings and social responsibility converge with refurbished hardware. Refurbished hardware is hardware that has been "recycled" - or fixed- by the manufacturer or another qualified third party vendor. These parts- if tested, and purchased from reliable, sources – run just as effectively as new parts, but cost significantly less. In addition to the cost savings, this extends the useful life of the hardware, and keeps the components from ending up in the environment.
- Improve asset management – By fully understanding the systems and functionality already in the data center, companies can make better decisions about the equipment they need to purchase. Before buying new systems consider swapping equipment already in the data center.
A total Green IT strategy involves more than purchasing "recycled" equipment and maximizing the use of existing systems, but these are a few small and practical steps any company can take immediately to become a "greener" data center.
