With the current trend to green all products, larger SMP-based computers and large monolithic storage arrays are being offered by all the major market players, but the question we should be asking is, are these real green initiatives? Or is this the clever use of natural technology advancements to spin a favourable message?
The common message is that the power consumption of storage products is down by large percentages, the cooling is better, and fewer disks are needed - even though these large disks often offer lower performance and lower reliability. So keep an eye out for this tactic before risking company data.
But all things considered, technology is advancing and processing power is increasing, while requiring less electrical power to drive it, and disk sizes are exploding.
In general, as much as 70% of data on networks has not been accessed in 90 days.
Adam Day is product manager at SYSDBA.
I would suggest this is just natural technology progression taking place, with no specific design or engineering to focus on protecting the environment, or to reduce power usage in devices.
The common wisdom is to invest in new technology as it uses less power; throw in new disks, add software to protect data and companies will largely decrease power usage. While this may be true, I challenge that this is just an attempt to sell more storage to the unsuspecting customer.
So where to, if green is a real concern?
I would say the above advances, in terms of lower power usage controllers and utilising lower cost disks, offer the minimum that should be considered when going green.
So what can we look for in an array, if we want to truly go green and reduce our environmental impact footprint in our data centre?
There are various ways to view it, ranging from standards bodies, to new technologies and some simple methods that require no additional capital outlay on the company's behalf whatsoever.
* Data management: This option can be done via management programs for storage, known as storage resource management, to automate the process. Or in truth, it can be done with a little bit of manual labour by staff and is as simple as removing the unused data from network devices. In general, as much as 70% of data on networks has not been accessed in 90 days.
I know we all like to keep copies of that six-month-old PowerPoint or e-mail, but is it really necessary to keep it? Either delete it, or look at a policy to move it to a low-cost and low-power device such as tape or archival storage.
* Thin provisioning as a technology: With thin provisioning, storage capacity utilisation can be increased by large percentages, while maintaining administrative simplicity and offering level or performance guarantees. In other words, purchase less storage capacity upfront, delay upgrades in line with actual storage usage, and save the power costs associated with keeping unused disk capacity running.
* Internal programmes: This encompasses corporate or OEMS that support multiple recycling programmes, including paper, glass and plastics; as well as supporting employee initiatives that focus on protecting the environment and recycling, or things as simple as reducing power usage.
* Green manufacturing: This includes hardware engineering and manufacturing practices that reflect environmental policies within an organisation, such as implementing green practices in all aspects of business. This includes participating in the recycling of IT products and components that may be bought back or obsolete, as well as adhering to standards such as the EU RohS laws, implementing ISO 14000 practices, European electrical and electronic waste directives, and Japan's green laws.
With all the above taken into account when making a purchasing decision, be sure to look for products and/or companies that pride themselves on making a difference in conserving energy and reducing the impact it has on the environment.
* Adam Day is product manager at SYSDBA.
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