Data Center Energy: Reduction Is Not Really the Priority
White papers are pouring out of vendors in the information technology space as they shift their marketing positions to "green" as fast as they can. Many have locked onto an imagined want in data centers to reduce energy consumption from equipment and cooling. Energy efficiency is out of line with the business goals of most IT departments.
October 01, 2008
Reducing overall power consumption is not the mission of most data center managers. Their priority is to expand IT services within energy load capacity and thermal constraints.
Consumption has plateaued (or soon will) by necessity. Meanwhile there is growing revenue tied somehow to IT services in almost every organization. Until recently, management hasn't had an issue with IT costs growing with revenue. In a viable business, IT has a positive ROI.
Energy-efficient servers and cooler processors are all well and good. If energy consumption goes down, good, but it will bounce back as IT expands again to bump against its constraints.
If revenue plateaus because of the data center -- "Houston, we have a problem."
What are your thoughts?