Optimizing IT: The Green Data Center

With energy costs rising and information technology (IT) equipment stressing the power and cooling infrastructure—which, in turn, threatens operating resiliency—many see an economic and operational crisis looming. CIOs today are being challenged to rethink their data center strategies, adding energy efficiency to a list of critical operating parameters that already includes serviceability, reliability and performance. A green initiative can help a company regain power and cooling capacity, recapture resiliency and help meet business needs—while, at the same time, dramatically reducing energy costs and the total cost of ownership. To further reward companies for energy-conscious behavior, many local utility and state energy funds are offering economic incentives or rebates for measures that reduce energy consumption.

Transitioning to a green data center and optimizing operating efficiency can be a complex undertaking. There are multiple components to factor into the equation—and best results can often be achieved by integrating improvements from multiple fronts. The good news is that there are many solutions and techniques available to support such a transition. Furthermore, the process can occur in a step-wise manner, reducing risks and helping to realize benefits along the way. Going green is becoming more than an altruistic aspiration to save the planet. It's now clear that going green is a necessity that companies will need to embrace—sooner rather than later—to survive economically.

Transitioning to a green data center

How do you go about creating an energy-efficient green data center? IBM's 30-plus years of extensive, hands-on experience in designing, supporting and operating data centers has allowed it countless opportunities to learn what works and what doesn't. It's also provided us with a unique perspective on how to apply that learning to help create workable strategies for improving energy efficiency.

Companies typically achieve the best results by integrating power and cooling changes with advanced technologies such as virtualization, energy efficient hardware and software, and power and workload management initiatives.