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Continuing to simply consume more and more data without considering the impact we are having on our environment is irresponsible and unsustainable .
a near impossible target to reach unless everyone is pulling in the same direction . A commitment such as this demands a ‘ cradle to grave ’ approach , which needs to address not only energy production and consumption , but also the technology needed to deliver these services .”
Group member , Dr Jon Summers , from the RI . SE Institute in Sweden , said : “ This needs to include everything from the ‘ chip to the cloud ’, alongside a serious look at the consumption and storage habits of consumers . With so many of us recycling household plastics and cardboard , we need to do the same as an industry with our historical data and the hardware it sits on . Not all ones and zeros need to be saved in triplicate or stored forever . Older technology can still be repurposed to extend its life .”
What ’ s in it for data centre managers ?
In a sector beset with all kinds of critical issues , sustainability has in the past seemed like a lower priority for data centre managers . However , there is a lot of evidence that performance on people and planet plays to the bottom line too , particularly in a sector that is responsible for high energy use .
Writing as a guest blogger for Schneider , IDC Research Director , Jennifer Cooke , said : “ Organisations are setting aggressive goals to reduce their carbon footprint and impact on the earth by 2025 – 2030 and beyond . Colocation providers that understand the critical role IT and data centre resources have in this journey are making investments today to prepare for their customers ’ needs in five years .”
According to the IDC , 55 % of organisations believe that a colocation provider has a better ability than they do for monitoring environmental conditions and power consumption in white space . In other words , they are buying into the cloud as a solution to their data transfer and storage energy optimisation . A total of 43 % said energy efficiency and green initiatives were top drivers in their choice of colocation provider .
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