The "greening" of IT is very a la mode right now, especially in storage. But this umbrella term
suffers from overuse, and near as I can tell, is a euphemism for using less electricity. It's also
a "feature" that enables some vendors to bump up their prices. So what exactly is the fuss again?
What we used to call consolidation and virtualization (for servers or storage) now gets the green
treatment. One of Ford's IT directors touted the two data center movements at a conference Thursday.
I don't doubt there's probably a really good business case behind it. But do fewer servers and LUNs
make an enterprise green?
Vendors of data deduplication and MAID (massive array of idle disks) technology have jumped on this
eco-bandwagon. Are we really going to label any technology that conveys the slightest operational
efficiency as green?
I click off the power strip in my home office every night. Where's my Nobel?
Personally, I'd like to see all IT vendors expand their understanding and implementation of green
technology. How about getting really serious about wide-scale recycling of servers, laptops, cell
phones, batteries -- you name it. Maybe they could trumpet the amount of reclaimed metals in
their products.
Or maybe vendors could funnel some of their foundation money or R&D budgets to a joint venture
with a solar- or wind-power company to demonstrate (or expedite) the off-grid data center? They
could even lobby state and national lawmakers for tax incentives to make this happen. I'm not a
Prius owner, but rebates and credits did wonders for the sales of hybrids here in California.
It would be nice to see the greening of IT take another couple big, logical steps -- something a
little larger than turning off the lights in the data center on the way out at night.
What's your view? Are vendors "green" strategies trying to save the planet, or pump up their
sales? Weigh in at my
blog entry.
Also, check out our new
Green Computing Blog by Cora Nucci.
Terry Sweeney
[email protected]
www.informationweek.com
Today's Top Story: Careers
12 USB Thumb Drives Keep Your Data Secure
Keep your important files mobile but safe with these USB thumb drives -- most under $100 -- from
Kingston, SanDisk, Lexar, Imation, and more, which offer enhanced protection via encryption,
biometrics, and self-destruct mechanisms.
3. Highlighted Coverage
Microsoft's Ballmer On Windows Server, Yahoo, Linux
How does Microsoft beat Linux? The same way "you beat any other competitor: You offer good value,
which in this case means good total cost of ownership," Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer says.
VCs Invested $3 Billion In Clean Tech In 2007
High oil prices and growing public concern over carbon emissions helped push venture capital
investment in clean technologies to a record $3 billion in 2007, a 43% rise over the year before,
according to a report released Friday.
Apple's Mac OS X Vulnerable To Networking Exploit
A security researcher at Digit-labs.org posted a proof-of-concept exploit that takes advantage
of a flaw in the way the Apple implements IPv6 support.
Google Buys Into Undersea Cable
Google will join with five other companies to invest in a 10,000-km trans-Pacific submarine
cable to carry data to and from Asia.
4. Eye Candy: Featured Image Galleries
5 Desktop Search Apps That Make Finding Files Simple
Having trouble finding the right information in the sea of documents, e-mails, and other
data on your computer? Check out these desktop search products from Copernic, Google, ISYS,
Microsoft, and X1.
A Buyer's Guide To Digital Cameras
Find the right DSLR, point-and-shoot, or ultra-compact digital camera for your needs from
Nikon, Olympus, Sony, and Canon.
5. A QUICK UPDATE FOR OUR READERS
As some of you may know, we have been a thriving division of CMP Technology, which is owned
by United Business Media (UBM). We have recently formed a powerful new business unit directly
under UBM called TechWeb to serve the information and business needs of 10,000,000 business
technology decision-makers like you that use our Web sites, attend our events, utilize our
services, and read our magazines. To learn more about TechWeb and how we can help drive your
business, go to techweb.com/aboutus.
6. Get More Out Of InformationWeek
Try InformationWeek's RSS Feed
Discover all InformationWeek's sites and newsletters
Recommend This Newsletter To A Friend
Do you have friends or colleagues who might enjoy this newsletter? Please forward it to them and point out the subscription page.
7. Manage Your Newsletter Subscription
You are subscribed as #emailaddr#. To unsubscribe from, subscribe to, or change your E-mail address for this newsletter, please visit the InformationWeek Subscription Center.
Note: To change your E-mail address, please subscribe your new address and unsubscribe your old one.
Keep Getting This Newsletter
Don't let future editions of InformationWeek Daily go missing. Take a moment to add the newsletter's address to your anti-spam white list:
[email protected]
If you're not sure how to do that, ask your administrator or ISP. Or check your anti-spam utility's documentation. Thanks.
We take your privacy very seriously. Please review our Privacy Policy.
InformationWeek Daily Newsletter
A free service of InformationWeek and the TechWeb Network.
Copyright (c) 2008 CMP Media LLC
600 Community Drive
Manhasset, N.Y. 11030
State of the Cloud
Cloud has drastically changed how IT organizations consume and deploy services in the digital age. This research report will delve into public, private and hybrid cloud adoption trends, with a special focus on infrastructure as a service and its role in the enterprise. Find out the challenges organizations are experiencing, and the technologies and strategies they are using to manage and mitigate those challenges today.
Getting Started With Emerging TechnologiesLooking to help your enterprise IT team ease the stress of putting new/emerging technologies such as AI, machine learning and IoT to work for their organizations? There are a few ways to get off on the right foot. In this report we share some expert advice on how to approach some of these seemingly daunting tech challenges.
Tweet This
