Reference no: EM133165586
You may not immediately associate cloud computing and data center strategies with energy efficiency. As the demand for cloud services continues to increase, so does energy consumption, which can translate to increased carbon emissions. While many cloud providers might not put environmental responsibility at the top of their list, IBM does.
With close to 380,000 employees, IBM markets computer hardware and software and also offers infrastructure, hosting, cloud computing, and consulting services. IBM has green IT policies and takes energy-saving servers, cooling racks, and eco-friendly systems and data center needs seriously. The company helps clients focus on energy efficiency by evaluating energy needs and gaining insight into energy usage across a company's IT environment.
As companies move their systems to the cloud for cost savings and flexibility, it is also a much more environmentally friendly choice when compared to running servers in a business location. Research suggests that moving to the cloud can actually save a large enterprise the equivalent of 6,000 cars on the road each year, or 30,000 metric tons of CO2 within five years.
IBM offers its clients a green approach to building infrastructure and network-connected properties and assets. Offering data center strategies, design, building, and relocation services, IBM helps clients realize the reality of a green data center. This not only helps a company reduce costs, but it also allows for legal and regulatory requirements to be met.
By implementing green strategies, a data center can meet growing data volume and increased processing demands while managing rising resource costs. To avoid higher operating costs, IBM helps companies manage physical space and power and cooling capacity while making sure business decisions take the environment into consideration.
Questions for Critical Thinking
1. What other benefits might a company realize by implementing green strategies and IT policies?
2. Discuss the types of customers who might be an ideal fit for IBM's green IT policies.
Please answer each question.