Companies adopting 'green' software packages can make a positive impact on the environment and save up to 30% on IT costs, according to leading call centre and communications expert Inter-Active Technologies.
As tougher legislation puts businesses under pressure to reduce their carbon footprints, the Johannesburg-based company notes that one of the most environmentally-friendly and effective ways of doing so is by adopting a 'green' IT policy.
Although a relatively new concept to South Africa, green IT involves the practice of using and disposing of computers, software, and all accessories linked to IT, with minimal or no impact on the environment.
One such example is virtualisation, which enables a company to host multiple IPs on a single server. Inter-Active Technologies business manager, Bennie Sch"onfeldt, explains: “The advantage of using virtualisation is that you can save a huge amount on electricity, due to the fact that multiple programs can be run on one server. What's more, extra office space can also be freed up, as there is less room required for the server. Virtualisation could easily save a company up to 30% in IT costs, and you would have the added benefit of knowing that you are assisting the company in becoming more socially responsible.”
Inter-Active Technologies provides virtualisation software packages to a number of large corporations in South Africa, although Sch"onfeldt notes that no more than 5% of local businesses have adopted the new technology.
“It is still a new concept locally and, as a result, businesses are not yet geared up for virtualisation. The initial set-up fee is also high - so a lot of companies are not willing to invest in it. At this point in time it is better suited to larger companies, although in the long run it will definitely pay for itself,” Sch"onfeldt continues.
Virtualisation offers the following benefits to companies:
* Get more from existing resources: pool common infrastructure resources and break the legacy 'one application to one server' model with server consolidation.
* Reduce data centre costs by reducing physical infrastructure and improving server-to-admin ratio: fewer servers and related IT hardware means reduced real estate and reduced power and cooling requirements. Better management improves server-to-admin ratio, thereby reducing personnel requirements.
* Increased availability of hardware and applications for improved business continuity: securely back-up and migrate entire virtual environments with no interruption in service. Eliminate planned downtime and recover immediately from unplanned issues.
* Gain operational flexibility: respond to market changes with dynamic resource management, faster server provisioning and improved desktop and application deployment.
* Improve desktop manageability and security: deploy, manage and monitor secure desktop environments that users can access locally or remotely, with or without a network connection, on almost any standard desktop, laptop or tablet PC.
The overall aim of 'green' IT, which has been officially recognised internationally for the last five years, is to reduce the use of hazardous materials, while maximising energy efficiency during a computer's lifetime, Sch"onfeldt notes. Research continues into key areas such as making the use of computers as energy-efficient as possible, and designing algorithms and systems for efficiency-related computer technologies.
Inter-Active Technologies is a specialist call centre and communication operation. Years of services innovation and system design in customer contact centres, business communication services and information communication technologies has positioned Inter-Active Technologies as a sought-after 'delivery channel'.
The company specialises in assisting its customers to improve communication with their clients through the provision of call and contact centre maximisation services, call and contact centre outsourcing and hosted application service models (ASMs), call and contact centre technologies, business process management and solution architectures.
Notes to the editor
There are numerous photographs specific to this press release. Please visit http://media.ngage.co.za and click the Inter-Active Technologies link.
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