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Green IT: Simple is Best
Westborough, MA
Monday, August 03, 2009
As part of a sound, comprehensive, technology management strategy, Horizon Information Group recommends that small and mid-size businesses integrate Green IT concepts from planning through execution. While most businesses are concerned about adding complexity and cost, Horizon demonstrates that Green IT is actually simple and should result in savings.
"Most businesses see Green IT initiatives as requiring capital expenditures or additional bureaucracy", notes Allen Falcon, President of Horizon Information Group. "In reality, a well planned effort based on simplification we reduce infrastructure and result in tangible savings."
Falcon notes that the key to Green IT is simplicity: Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle.
Reduce: With technology, the best opportunities to "reduce" are power consumption and use of hazardous materials. With respect to the latter, many manufacturers are designing systems with fewer hazardous materials. Look for the manufacturer's branding.
While vendors' marketing machines try to encourage you to pay a little more for lower power consumption systems, the greatest way to reduce your carbon footprint is to lower electricity consumption for HVAC. Improving airflow in your computer room, or using in-rack cooling systems, will focus cooling on systems rather than open space, saving electricity and lowering costs. In many cases, repositioning HVAC vents and returns will improve airflow and result in savings.
Reuse: The fewer number of new systems, the less e-waste to manage. Resource reallocation, virtualization, and remote desktop services can all prolong the life of existing systems while reducing costs and carbon footprint. Migrating to Software-as-a-Service applications instead of upgrading in-house applications eliminates servers and infrastructure, relying on the more efficient systems and data centers run by the service provider.
Recycle: Many vendors now have programs that let you pre-arrange trade-ins of systems at the end of their useful life. As the e-waste industry grows, businesses can now recycle e-waste for little or no cost. As you plan your recycling program, remember to include UPS and laptop batteries, cell phones, printers, and other peripherals.
Working with clients, Horizon has demonstrated that with a small amount of planning, a willingness to embrace new solutions, and an executive commitment, Green IT is simple, achievable, and beneficial – to the environment and the bottom line.
"Most businesses see Green IT initiatives as requiring capital expenditures or additional bureaucracy", notes Allen Falcon, President of Horizon Information Group. "In reality, a well planned effort based on simplification we reduce infrastructure and result in tangible savings."
Falcon notes that the key to Green IT is simplicity: Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle.
Reduce: With technology, the best opportunities to "reduce" are power consumption and use of hazardous materials. With respect to the latter, many manufacturers are designing systems with fewer hazardous materials. Look for the manufacturer's branding.
While vendors' marketing machines try to encourage you to pay a little more for lower power consumption systems, the greatest way to reduce your carbon footprint is to lower electricity consumption for HVAC. Improving airflow in your computer room, or using in-rack cooling systems, will focus cooling on systems rather than open space, saving electricity and lowering costs. In many cases, repositioning HVAC vents and returns will improve airflow and result in savings.
Reuse: The fewer number of new systems, the less e-waste to manage. Resource reallocation, virtualization, and remote desktop services can all prolong the life of existing systems while reducing costs and carbon footprint. Migrating to Software-as-a-Service applications instead of upgrading in-house applications eliminates servers and infrastructure, relying on the more efficient systems and data centers run by the service provider.
Recycle: Many vendors now have programs that let you pre-arrange trade-ins of systems at the end of their useful life. As the e-waste industry grows, businesses can now recycle e-waste for little or no cost. As you plan your recycling program, remember to include UPS and laptop batteries, cell phones, printers, and other peripherals.
Working with clients, Horizon has demonstrated that with a small amount of planning, a willingness to embrace new solutions, and an executive commitment, Green IT is simple, achievable, and beneficial – to the environment and the bottom line.
Allen B. Falcon
President
Horizon Information Group, Inc.
Westborough, MA
508-329-2058
First Url: Follow Allen on Twitter
Second Url: Allen's Blog
