What are the answers?

Reduce, Re-use, Repair and Recycle

There are four simple steps that can contribute significantly to a greener data centre. Reduce the size and volume of data centre devices, re-use both energy and equipment, repair existing devices and recycle systems and consumables as much as possible.

Consolidation and virtualisation are two current IT initiatives that sit alongside a move towards a greener IT environment, by reducing the size and number of systems within the IT estate as well as contributing to a reduced TCO and improved IT staff productivity.

Develop a sustainable green computing plan to define policies for: recycling, disposal, procurement and government guidelines and legislation.

The plan should encompass an organisation wide ‘green IT best practice’ covering power usage, energy consumption of individual systems and the handling of obsolete equipment. Create a focus on reducing paper consumption by encouraging: e-mail, electronic archiving and using the “track changes” feature in electronic documents. When users do print out documents endeavour to: use both sides of the paper, recycle all waste paper products, use smaller fonts and margins and selectively print only the required pages.

HP offers the options to go green across your IT infrastructure. In the data centre we can work with HP to undertake a Thermal Assessment Service that results in recommendations and best practices geared for short and long-term cooling efficiency or consider how HP Dynamic Smart Cooling can be applied across your IT infrastructure. HP Blade Systems are leading the way with unrivalled capabilities in power and cooling reductions, simplified infrastructure and enhanced

Virtualisation / utilisation capabilities. HP Integrity servers also offer substantial opportunities around consolidation and virtualisation to reduce the numbers of servers deployed whilst improving IT service delivery across your business.

HP Storage Works also offers up to 50% savings on power and cooling via technologies including; improved EVA systems, EVA Snapshots, HP Dynamic Capacity Manager and HP Thin Provisioning Manager.

What to do next / How to go green?

We are now working with vendors and our IT channel partners to deliver green IT skills, resources and strategies. There are already proven methodologies in place for reducing the energy consumption and environmental impact of the data centre and IT infrastructure that we can use within your business to really make a difference.

Consider emerging technologies such as blade systems, available from all the major vendors these have been designed specifically to attack the problems of rack-mounted server architecture. As well as reducing your energy costs, blade technology can reduce the footprint of your data centre and make life much simpler for your IT administrators.
Understand the European W.E.E.E directive (Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment). Affecting every UK business this directive aims to minimise the impact of electrical and electronic equipment on the environment during their lifetimes and when they become waste.

A good place to start is asking about a FREE Energy Survey (subject to status) from the Carbon Trust, who provides free surveys to organisations with annual energy bills of over £50,000. Their expert consultants help companies to identify energy saving opportunities and offer practical advice on how to achieve these.