Several exciting things caught my attention today in data center and green IT news.

First was a re-hash of something I missed last month but which sounds awesome - that Dell announced the y might never need to build another data center.  The idea is that instead of adding more data center space, they can just increase the efficiency of space they've already created.  Although this plan, which will involve staying very up-to-date with new technology and replacing equipment a lot, will still require a lot of money to maintain, it's much more environmentally friendly than it would be to build new facilities which will use more power and other resources.  All they save on energy goes a long way towards covering the cost of new equipment, anyway.  I suppose it's not as good for the job market, but it's definitely better for the environment.

Something else interesting is this piece outlining the importance of data center power-usage management.  Besides the obvious need to keep hardware up-to-date and as efficient as possible, it's also important to keep it all running as it should be and make sure all the parts of the system are working together as harmoniously as they can.  Despite the spamminess of the site, the article makes a good point about taking a holistic approach to data center power management.

Also worth mentioning is that there's word on new EPA standards. The standards for Energy Star certification for data centers are still in the works, but the EPA is also introducing efforts to create a certification for data center storage devices.  Doing so will be complicated, but an important step towards maximizing energy efficiency.

-Elizabeth English

---

Share this with your network!