Nov. 16, 2009 ---

Written by Russ Levanway, SLO Chamber TAC Committee

Did the title catch your attention?  In the world of technology, a renewed focus on conservation and sustainability has resulted in new EPA Energy Star standards for servers, several incentive programs to use less power, and innovative new solutions to reduce wasted computing resources. Some of these programs will not only allow you to save hundreds of dollars monthly on your bill, but they will give you rebates for the equipment and software necessary to do so.

Improving Desktop Power Management

Desktop computers tend to be left on for long periods of time when they are not in use and people are unaware that both computers running Windows and Mac software have power management capabilities built in. A computer set up to take advantage of the power management can shut off the monitor, suspend the hard disks, and shut off the processor when idle.  If the computer is not used for a longer period of time, it can shut off or go into standby mode.  However, this software does have limitations. The settings often result in slower computer performance, especially right after a computer comes out of standby mode.  In addition, most companies do not have a central policy for power management and do not properly configure the software to achieve real power savings. 

The local power utilities recognize the potential to save 30% or more energy per computer through properly configured advanced power management. Both PG&E and Southern California Edison are offering rebates of up to 100% of the purchase cost and installation of special power management software on your company’s computer systems.

One of the software solutions that PG&E’s rebate covers is PowerSave by Faronics. This software provides non-disruptive PC power management and can be managed centrally by a company’s IT staff. The software configures a desktop or laptop computer with the most optimal power savings possible. It can also calculate the amount of money you are saving based on how many kilowatt hours of electricity are saved by using the software.  With this software it is possible to reduce the power consumption of your computers by 30% or more, and dramatically reduce your power bill as a result.

Energy Star Certified Servers

On May 18th of this year, the EPA released a new standard called Energy Star Servers. This standard certifies servers that are Energy Star compliant and use at least 30% less energy than a standard server. In the near future, the EPA will also be extending this standard to other devices, including routers and storage systems.

At this time, Energy Star certified servers cost slightly more than a standard server, however, your energy savings over the long term will more than offset this additional up front cost. In the near future, as the components of Energy Star servers become more commonplace, these costs will drop. So, the next time you are looking to upgrade your server and network equipment, make sure your IT support team looks for Energy Star compliant systems.

Virtualize

Consider virtualization as another method to cut power consumption. In most environments, servers tend to run at only 10% load or less on average. Many server components, even those of Energy Star servers, cannot cycle down to use only 10% of regular power consumption at a 10% load.

Conceptually, server virtualization is taking several physically separate servers and combining their software onto a single server. Environments using virtualization are configured to optimally use all system resources. In a virtual environment, resources are efficiently used so servers are being utilized consistently at close to their maximum load. As a result of this more efficient use of resources less energy is wasted and cost savings are realized.

Conclusion

You can take immediate steps to save money through rebate programs designed to reduce the power consumption of your desktop computers. Over the longer term, you can save even more through wise replacement of your server and network equipment.

More information on PG&E’s business computing incentives can be found here.

Russ Levanway is the CEO of TekTegrity, Inc.  TekTegrity is an IT Strategies and Management firm based in San Luis Obispo, California.  TekTegrity provides premium IT services to businesses, government, education, and non-profit organization in San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Monterey, and Kern counties.  TekTegrity’s goal is to become your organizations long-term strategic partner by supporting your IT infrastructure with your bottom line in mind.  Some of TekTegrity’s services include Virtual Hosted Servers, Priority Backup, Off-Site data replication,, and Total Systems Management™ (TSM).  TSM is an industry-leading managed services model that emphasizes proactive and preventative IT support with a focus on your organization’s long term goals.  For more information about TekTegrity, you can reach them by email at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , on the Web at www.tektegrity.com, or by telephone at 805-596-0135.