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The invisible footprint
As the old saying goes, "Out of sight, out of mind." With neither smokestacks nor drainage pipes, it's easy to forget that our clean, cool data centers can have significant environmental impact. In fact, every data center transaction requires power, and every IT asset purchased must eventually be disposed of. Unless efficiency becomes a priority, expanding global IT capacity will lead to power scarcity, over-consumption of non-renewable resources, and increased pollution.
Crisis point
Energy demand
Most data centers were built before 2001, when traditional capacity models and technology limitations forced system architects to expand capacity by attaching new assets—one server per workload, with every asset requiring dedicated floor space, power, and cooling. These siloed infrastructures are inherently inefficient, leading to asset underutilization, greater hardware expenditure, and higher total energy consumption.
Explosive growth in the global demand for IT capacity threatens to overwhelm energy production capabilities even as we confront the reality of dwindling energy resources and the need for environmental preservation.
- Between 2000 and 2010 sever installations will grow by 6x and storage by 69x. (IBM / Consultant studies)
- US energy consumption by data centers is expected to almost double in the next 5 years (US EPA, August 2007)
- US commercial electrical costs increased by 10% from 2005-06 (EPA Monthly Forecast, 2007)
Solution
Virtualization and consolidation solutions
IBM virtualization technologies can help you do more with fewer physical assets, reducing the energy demands of your infrastructure while expanding capacity and enabling greater flexibility.
Virtualization-ready hardware assets offer the ability to function as numerous, distinct virtual assets, allowing workloads access to dedicated virtual processors, I/O, memory and storage.
As part of a massive internal transformation, new IBM Strategic Data Centers implemented IBM virtualization strategies and solutions to achieve remarkable results.
- 18,500 virtualized images deployed to consolidate 3900 servers down to 40 physical servers
- 72,000 sq ft data center achieved a 71% energy efficiency rating
- Annual energy usage reduced by as much as 80%
- Reduced floor space at one location by 85%
Crisis point
eWaste
With the degradation of the environment, shrinking landfill space, and the need to conserve scarce resources, what.we do with our everyday trash is an important issue.
Heavy metals and other toxic substances used in technology manufacturing, can make data center trash—the millions of tons of eWaste discarded each year—an even more pressing concern.
As the number of IT assets purchased—and eventually discarded—increases year over year, the eWaste problem is becoming critical.
- Only 45% of US companies have eco-friendly disposal plans
- Improper disposal increases the risk of toxic contamination
- Failure to recycle usable computer parts represents a financial inefficiency and leads to the consumption of more "new production" resources
Solution
Resource conservation and asset recovery
Virtualization can reduce the number of assets needed to support the data center, but what can you do with the aging assets you need to dispose now?
IBM can help develop a responsible, eco-friendly plan for eWaste management.
- Each week IBM takes in more than 40,000 pieces of IT gear from hundreds of companies, and then recycles or refurbishes them at 22 sites around the world.
- Last year IBM processed more than 100 million pounds of used and obsolete IT equipment. Of all the material the company recycled, less than 1 percent was sent to landfills.
- With IBM strategies, manufacturers are becoming environmental stewards by improving the design of products to make them more easily recyclable, "designing out" hazardous materials, and "designing in" environmentally sound materials, including recycled content.
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