Green IT. 5 ways to save money on your IT infrastructure

Green IT, or green solutions are primarily associated with large financial outlays. Does it really have to be that way? Can green mean cheaper? Discover ways to reduce your company’s operating costs while helping you meet the demands of green IT.

Lower energy bills appeal especially to those who, in the current macroeconomic situation, are forced to look for savings or have faced the problem of staying afloat. To minimize power consumption as much as possible, companies are opting for sustainable and green solutions that simultaneously reduce their environmental impact.

Why is Green IT a necessity and not an alternative?

This is important considering that extreme weather conditions are increasingly taking a toll on business, especially in the IT area, where energy demands are very high.

A separate issue remains reports, such as ESRS, which can be (and increasingly are) required by contractors and legal obligations. Here, it is particularly noteworthy that companies with ESG reporting obligations (we wrote what ESG is here) must look to reduce resource consumption throughout the supply chain, including their service providers.

The indirect effect of implementing green IT solutions and constant monitoring of devices is much better organization of work and easier risk management. This is made possible by security, renewable energy or moving data to the cloud.

Regardless of the motivation that drives decision-makers in IT companies, it’s worth considering investing in savings. Data centers are already doing this, and Gartner forecasts that by 2027, 75% of the market will follow this course.

Green IT as a way to prevent overheating

A challenge facing both the planet and the wallet is heating or cooling buildings. However, there are ways to avoid having to reach for a thick sweater or the bottom of your wallet. First and foremost, all you need to do is manage the energy you already consume wisely and reduce energy waste. IoT-based environments with dozens of sensors monitoring the situation inside the parcel will help.

Method 1 – saving heat

Solutions such as Souly, for example, will ensure that the facility administrator has greater control over thermal energy consumption. This is a product that works well in office spaces or commercial properties. For users, the range of temperature control is limited to a fork set by the building manager, and the system will automatically detect an open window or door, turning off the heating. Energy is also not wasted when employees or tenants are away when the heating is turned down to a minimum. In addition, Soulbox, the heart of the system, can function as a router, providing Wi-Fi in its vicinity. The whole thing is quite simple to use and can be set up from an app on your phone.

Method 2 – sensors

The problem of server overheating, in turn, is addressed by Meraki. In data centers, only half of all power consumed is used to power devices. All the rest is used for cooling and moisture prevention – protecting equipment from overheating or failure. Properly placed sensors, air path design, free cooling and monitoring of equipment operation will make it possible to at least partially dispense with mechanical cooling. The system itself also takes into account physical barriers, such as separating hot and cool aisles to prevent air mixing.

Reduced network load

The appliances we use have a huge impact on how high the bills we pay. At first we think of large machines that scoop up more kilowatt-hours, but sometimes it’s not quality but quantity that counts. Corporate Wi-Fi networks consisting of dozens or even hundreds of switches, access points and other devices can be quite taxing.

Method 3 – lower energy consumption

1. A solution to reduce energy usage is to replace devices with less energy-consuming ones. In large organizations, for example, new-generation firewalls such as the Fortigate 1000F will work well, as they result in an 80% drop in power demand.

2. The second option is intelligent systems that control the energy consumption of, for example, switches themselves and, via a central hub, control all of them. Once again, Meraki is forging paths of innovation in this area.

Method 4 – innovaphone

In addition to the final energy consumption, it is also worth paying attention to how the IT equipment is manufactured. innovaphone, a manufacturer of PBXs and IP phones, also takes into account the cost of manufacturing the device and its environmental impact. Dedicated to cell phone operators, the Eco Rating system evaluates phones’ recyclability, length of use, resources, climate compatibility or chance of repair. If it’s possible not to throw away used equipment – they give it a second life. It’s implementing the idea of green IT through the entire supply chain.

Avoiding losses

In today’s economy, a business can’t afford such losses, not to mention affected customers. However, such situations may be becoming more frequent.

Energy supply problems caused by climate change, combined with increased demand, have caused 70% of companies to experience power outages last year alone, and at least half have had it happen more than once.

Method 5 – your own power supply

For such occasions, there are two types of devices that will avoid downtime and therefore losses.

• UPS – works on the principle of a battery. When the power goes out, even for several hours it will give back the stored energy. They are usually dedicated to one device and used in the most important machines from the perspective of the organization.
• Generator – is an alternative source of energy, its own power plant when the power grid fails. They can be in the form of small, fuel-powered engines, up to huge devices that are able to sustain the operation of a large company.

The key in both cases is to properly select equipment to meet the needs of the organization in such a way as not to overpay. Efficiency, that is, the ratio of energy produced to fuel burned, also matters. In the case of UPS, high efficiency is characterized by equipment from a manufacturer such as Schneider, and in the case of generators – Reichel & De-Masari.

Summary

Modern technology offers a whole range of green IT solutions that companies can use to take a step toward sustainability. This brings with it:

• Financial savings
• Lower environmental impact
• Better risk management through access to more information.

In that can be helpful systems which:

• Reduce energy consumption of appliances
• Improve the energy efficiency of buildings through better management of heating and cooling
• Provide uninterrupted access to energy

If you want to be sure that your project is carried out by the best in the industry, use certified suppliers. In Poland, Grandmetric, among others, is one of the companies distinguished by its Environmental Sustainability certification.

Regulations are one thing, but more and more experts are saying that green IT is not about following regulations, but a step forward. A modern industry like IT should strive to put it before others. Just as they are changing it with technology, change the world for the better with their own actions. While green doesn’t always mean cheaper, as experts point out, in the long run, by taking care of the planet, we also take care of our own pockets.