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Green ICT Series
Second part of interview
June 26, 2009
But generally you see a lot of interest on the part of customers?
It seems that the phrase "Green IT" is not the most effective. Customers tend to associate it exclusively with environmental aspects. But instead of changing the name, we need to define it accurately and illustrate its benefits. The concept won't be transparent until we do this because otherwise our customers are dealing with a lot of things that they can't measure, such as savings potential per employee. But all they really need to know is how many kilowatt hours they would save at their company and then multiply that number by the price. Then the whole thing becomes logical for everyone, including the executive management.
It seems that the phrase "Green IT" is not the most effective. Customers tend to associate it exclusively with environmental aspects. But instead of changing the name, we need to define it accurately and illustrate its benefits. The concept won't be transparent until we do this because otherwise our customers are dealing with a lot of things that they can't measure, such as savings potential per employee. But all they really need to know is how many kilowatt hours they would save at their company and then multiply that number by the price. Then the whole thing becomes logical for everyone, including the executive management.
What role does a company's image play in its decision to use green solutions?
Sustainability reports are published in some industries, for example at many insurance providers. This is a very important aspect. After all, an employee at a major insurance company uses around three times as much energy and heat as a typical four-person household. When a company is able to show that it has reduced its energy consumption, it can score points with customers and employees.
Sustainability reports are published in some industries, for example at many insurance providers. This is a very important aspect. After all, an employee at a major insurance company uses around three times as much energy and heat as a typical four-person household. When a company is able to show that it has reduced its energy consumption, it can score points with customers and employees.
Which green technologies are currently the most important?
Of course, one is virtualization. That's the topic with the most impact at the moment. The next is processor technology and a new generation of systems that were designed with Green IT in mind. Hardware manufacturers are making tremendous progress in this area. They've managed to reduce the clock rate, even for multi-core systems. For example, where a server used to have 12 kilowatts of connected wattage, the same computer now only has 4 kilowatts and performs better. The third deals with the question, "How can I operate a data center energy efficiently?" There are entire checklists on this topic, regardless of whether you're talking about restructuring or if you decide to go green right from the start, which is the ideal case. If you go with the second option, you can implement new technologies right away, something that pays off extremely fast. For example, you can use waste heat to heat your office space.
Of course, one is virtualization. That's the topic with the most impact at the moment. The next is processor technology and a new generation of systems that were designed with Green IT in mind. Hardware manufacturers are making tremendous progress in this area. They've managed to reduce the clock rate, even for multi-core systems. For example, where a server used to have 12 kilowatts of connected wattage, the same computer now only has 4 kilowatts and performs better. The third deals with the question, "How can I operate a data center energy efficiently?" There are entire checklists on this topic, regardless of whether you're talking about restructuring or if you decide to go green right from the start, which is the ideal case. If you go with the second option, you can implement new technologies right away, something that pays off extremely fast. For example, you can use waste heat to heat your office space.
Which aspects do you think will be promising in the future?
I'd have to say corporate responsibility. Companies need to be structured appropriately and incorporate Green IT into their general strategy. For manufacturers, this means being aware of possible contaminants and making sure you dispose of them as cleanly as possible. You see this included in invitations to bid more and more frequently. Next would be energy efficiency. After that, I would say carbon killer solutions. These include solutions for the logistics industry as well as video conferencing, which significantly reduces energy consumption outside the data center and that of IT systems as well.
I'd have to say corporate responsibility. Companies need to be structured appropriately and incorporate Green IT into their general strategy. For manufacturers, this means being aware of possible contaminants and making sure you dispose of them as cleanly as possible. You see this included in invitations to bid more and more frequently. Next would be energy efficiency. After that, I would say carbon killer solutions. These include solutions for the logistics industry as well as video conferencing, which significantly reduces energy consumption outside the data center and that of IT systems as well.
Where do you think we'll be with the concept of Green IT in 2015?
I hope we're no longer talking about it. By then, Green IT should be integrated everywhere and have become a commodity. There are only two stumbling blocks in our way: that the topic is not yet part of the (IT) budget and is therefore not given the attention it deserves and the lack of competence, especially at smaller system houses. Many still shy away from talking to their customers about Green IT and initiating sensible investments in this area. But they could use checklists to quickly and easily implement quite a bit. We at the Experton Group have developed a very efficient Green IT assessment process that helps users quickly recognize and realize their improvement potential.
I hope we're no longer talking about it. By then, Green IT should be integrated everywhere and have become a commodity. There are only two stumbling blocks in our way: that the topic is not yet part of the (IT) budget and is therefore not given the attention it deserves and the lack of competence, especially at smaller system houses. Many still shy away from talking to their customers about Green IT and initiating sensible investments in this area. But they could use checklists to quickly and easily implement quite a bit. We at the Experton Group have developed a very efficient Green IT assessment process that helps users quickly recognize and realize their improvement potential.
Mr. Zilch, thank you so much for your time.
