Greening the Data Center: Organizing Framework for Sustainable Energy Efficiency

With ongoing growth in demand for computing and web-based communications, data center energy use continues its dramatic rise—driving increased operating costs and carbon emissions. Vendors are offering an array of new and more efficient products, but this issue is by no means just a question of technology: IT managers must also confront the challenge from an architectural and business standpoint. There is a large body of work available on energy efficiency in data centers, but most of it describes individual approaches or technologies. This report, designed to provide top-level guidance to IT executives, facilities professionals, and data center solution providers, presents a comprehensive “state of the market” framework. It addresses energy efficiency in the data center on three interdependent levels, each of which is important to near-term and long-term success. At a strategic level, clear goals, metrics, and business alignment practices provide direction and accountability. And at lower levels, emerging architectural approaches and operating technologies are demonstrating significant energy and cost savings in many data center environments, when effectively implemented. Key resources, including government-sponsored initiatives, industry consortiums, and solution providers are discussed in this context. Written at a summary level, this report aims to provide a holistic view of the approaches and technologies being utilized to systematically reduce data center energy use and increase operational savings over time.