So your company wants to go green, but it doesn't know where to start? bMighty's Green IT Toolbox has the tools you need, including which aspects of your business can go green, what resources you can refer to, and how to get started. After all, green IT can be good for the planet AND your wallet.
This one is a bit more complicated than resisting the urge to print out an e-mail. But it can also save you in several ways: you'll save cash, space, and the planet. Virtualization refers to the abstraction of computer resources, so, for example, one storage device can simulate multiple devices. You can virtualize hardware, networks, storage, and applications, saving on power costs as well as reducing the need for server space and your IT group's maintenance load.
Sound intimidating? Check out bMighty's step-by-step guide to virtualizing a server using VMware Converter (free) and VMware Infrastructure 3 (free 60-day evaluation). Because, yes, you can download vendors' products for free and give them a trial run to see if virtualization has benefits for your business.
Regardless of the size of your company, said Pouchet, there's a lot you can do with virtualization. For example, if you have two servers, do they have to be running all the time, he asked? Virtualize one, Pouchet suggested, and turn the other one off. Because merely putting a server in idle doesn't save much energy, he said -- 60 to 70 percent of its power runs at full performance in idle, and the same goes for computers.
Virtualization is catching on, with more than three-quarters of midsize companies reporting they've adopted some form of virtualization, with the majority stating the primary benefit was reducing hardware requirements. And a less-obvious green benefit is that since virtualization requires fewer machines running, less heat is generated, and that results in less air conditioning. In addition, ultimately you end up with fewer dead machines and less electronic waste to deal with.
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