Results tagged “news”

Cherrypal Africa Netbook Offers Green Computing for $99 - eWeek

The $99 netbook is geared toward developing networks and called the Cherrypal Africa, a tribute, the company said, to its "recent community-building initiative in Ghana." The 7-incher features a 400MHz processor, 256GB of RAM and 2GB of flash memory and can run Windows CE or Linux operating systems.

Citrix Debuts Disaster Recovery App - PCWorld

Citrix has released version 5.5 of its Citrix Essentials for Microsoft Hyper-V, a suite of tools for managing virtual containers created with the Microsoft Hyper-V virtualization software.

How Microsoft keeps its cloud green - GreenTech Pastures - ZDNet

The Microsoft Global Foundation Services team -- that would be the division that runs the data center powering Bing, Hotmail, Microsoft Office SharePoint Online and Xbox Live -- has published a new white paper describing how it keeps server sprawl and the associated suck on energy efficiency from creeping into its operations.

Cisco uses 3D modeling tool to achieve big data center energy cost savings - DatacenterDynamics

Technology giant Cisco is standing by the data center simulation tool it has used to design the air flow system in the data center housed at its San Jose, Calif., campus. According to the tool's manufacturer, the product enabled the customer to save more than $100,000 per year in energy costs generated by the facility.

Dell Executive: Virtualization Not Worth it for Most SMBs - ITBusinessEdge

In a nutshell, many of the "traditional" advantages such as space and power savings simply aren't noticeable by a small business with a motley assortment of two to five servers. Unless the servers are old and in dire need of replacement anyway, the amount of money required to get virtualization in place might never yield a ROI.

Two Major Geothermal Projects Abandoned Due to Induced Quake Risk - Popular Science

Two high-profile geothermal projects in the U.S. and Europe were both permanently halted late last week, after federal officials in both countries questioned their safety and propensity to cause earthquakes. Projects in Basel, Switzerland, and in northern California were both abandoned, raising questions about the danger of purposefully cracking open the Earth to extract its heat.

Borders and Kobo join forces for e-reader device they can call their own - Engadget

Fashionably late to the e-book handheld party, Borders and Kobo announced today a partnership that includes plans to develop and release both an e-reader and e-book service. Mum's the official word on hardware, but The New York Times Bits blog is claiming there'll be "more than one version" released, all with wireless connectivity and all sold at Borders retail locations, naturally.

EvoSwitch Facility Ups Energy Savings Rate to 50 Percent - Web Host Industry Review

European data center operator EvoSwitch (www.evoswitch.com) announced on Tuesday it has lowered the average Power Usage Effectiveness of its data center from 1.6 in 2008 to 1.5 in 2009.

As a result, the data center has increased its energy savings from 40 to 50 percent when compared to a conventional data center.

A-Data and SandForce Announce SSD Development Partnership - Softpedia

The two will be collaborating on a broad-scale basis. A-Data will build its next product lineup integrating SandForce-Based solid state drives and the latter's SF-1500 and SF-1200 SSD processors will be embedded into A-Data's storage units, giving them the performance capabilities needed to meet the demands of cloud computing environments. Next year, the two will focus on multiple interface connectivity and industrial solutions.

IDC: APac IT users can help reduce CO2 emission - InfoWorld

Having recently released its IDC's G20 ICT Sustainability Index, the research house said that a total of 5.8 billion tons (Gigatons) of CO2 emissions can be eliminated through the focused use of ICT-based tools by 2020, said IDC Monday.

Plus, don't forget more fresh-off-the-Web Green IT links at GigaOM Pro.

It's back! Enjoy today's juicy selections:

Black Friday 50 Times More Carbon-Intensive Than Cyber Monday - Earth2Tech

According to a report from GigaOM Pro research partner MindClick SGM (subscription required), in-store shopping on Black Friday is 50 times more carbon-intensive than Cyber Monday's online shopping. The report suggests that the higher carbon emissions of in-store holiday shopping are largely a result of the store's infrastructure, as well as transportation to and from the store.

Energy-Saving LED Traffic Lights Potentially Dangerous in Snow Storms - Treehugger

LED traffic lights have many advantages over incandescent technology: They last a lot longer and require less maintenance, they use a fraction of the electricity, reducing the city's power bills, and they are arguably easier to see (at least that has been my experience). But their high energy efficiency can go from upside to downside during certain types of snow storms; if snow somehow ends up covering the lights (heavy sticky snow being blown sideway by heavy wind, for example), LEDs don't emit enough heat to melt it down.

Sony Ericsson Announces 'Green' Phones and Headset - Sci-Tech Today

The phones are the Hazel and the Elm, and the accessory is the Noise Shield Handsfree VH700. The green claim stems largely from the reduction in CO2 emissions. The GreenHeart strategy was announced in June, and, according to Sony Ericsson, is "a testament of our continued commitment to the environment" and to helping customers reduce their carbon footprint.

DOE's Chu kicks off green-tech transfer fund - CNET Green Tech

Called the Renewables and Efficiency Deployment Initiative (Climate REDI), the goal is to promote the use of efficient and renewable energy products to cut greenhouse gas emissions and improve the quality of life in poor countries, according to the DOE.

Many IT shops budget for server, virtual desktop projects in 2010 - TechTarget

IT market-analysis firms predict a spending upswing. Gartner Inc. predicts a 3.3% increase in IT spending in 2010 following one of the worst years in IT spending history. And according to a recent survey by TheInfoPro, a New York-based research firm, IT budgets include optimization projects and a refresh of infrastructure components that support virtualization.

Plus, don't forget more fresh-off-the-Web Green IT links at GigaOM Pro.

Iceland: New Hot Spot for Data Centers? - CIO.com

The CEO of Verne Global, a wholesale data-center hosting company, has searched the world for places that offer cheap power, easy cooling and reliable communications. While energy costs in the United States are uncertain, Iceland, with its seemingly-unlimited renewable energy, cool temperatures and three (soon to be four) transoceanic cables fits the bill perfectly, he says.

Will the Intel/AMD settlement solve virtualization compatibility issues? - InfoWorld

In addition to the payout, the two companies also announced a five-year cross-licensing agreement that gives the companies access to each other's key chip technology. And while I wouldn't bet on any broad collaborations between the two companies, one can hope that this new cross-licensing agreement could help answer some of the problems found in the server virtualization market.

AT&T expands its cloud service - Cnet

The company announced on Monday its Synaptic Compute as a Service, designed to let IT staffers store and maintain internal applications and data via AT&T's cloud. Capacity and availability can be ramped up when needed, especially if a company's own data center resources become taxed, AT&T said.

More evidence of the coming collision between home broadband and the smart grid - GreenTech Pastures - ZDNet.com

Anticipating this convergence of interests, iControl Networks has come out with a platform called ConnectedLife Energy Management. The technology, which is intended for broadband operators, utility companies and other service providers, will allow for the development of demand response systems and other energy-efficiency services.

...and one by me, but elsewhere:

VCs Pump Cash Into Solid-state Storage - Earth2Tech

...That edge helps IT shops overlook storage capacities that fall short of hard drives and helps justify the lofty price tags attached to SSD-based storage systems. It's also an edge that's attracting VC investment.

Plus, don't forget more fresh-off-the-Web Green IT links at GigaOM Pro.

Smart Grid Needs Power From Enterprise BPM - Internet Evolution

The answer could be as simple as using enterprise-class business process management (BPM) software widely deployed in the telecom and IT industries. Such technology could enable better two-way communications with consumers, provide more insights into the state of network operations, and accommodate emerging alternative sources of power generation like solar and wind.

CoreSite to open Santa Clara data center in early 2010 - DatacenterDynamics

The data center is being built to the US Green Building Council's specifications for LEED Gold certification. It will take advantage of free cooling, 95-percent efficient UPS units, variable-speed fans, zoned lighting and other efficiency measures.

ADT allies with Z-Wave - Security Systems News

"They are the key part of the whole platform," Boerama said. In a separate announcement in October, iControl announced it had hired Letha McLaren to lead its energy management solution. McLaren said the mass market is absolutely ready to adopt energy management solutions in the home. Adding energy management "is not a huge additional cost [to the homeowner]," and it will mean lots of cost-savings that homeowners will be able to see. In addition, "a lot of utility companies will offer rebates to customers who use smart thermostats," she said. One of her tasks will be securing those partnerships.

Guiding daylight into a building for energy-saving illumination - SPIE.org

ADASY offers static illumination integrated into a building's façade. It consists of a horizontal structure inside the building core along a false ceiling. ADASY comprises a collection system, a light guide, and a system of daylight-extract luminaires (points of light): see Figure 1. ADASY's extractor system provides several degrees of freedom, making the structure more flexible and tunable to environmental conditions and performance requirements than previous natural-light-based approaches.

Toshiba Dynario Fuel Cell Device Charger - MetaEfficient

The limited run of 3,000 units was released in Japan at the end of October, retailing for about US$330. Replacement methanol packs are available for around $6 each. Toshiba states that it is treating the Dynario as a sort of market test, keeping a close eye on consumers' reactions to the charger.

And don't forget more fresh-off-the-Web Green IT links at GigaOM Pro.

VMware admins possess the IT skills needed in a down economy - InfoWorld

Last September, the analyst and consulting firm Enterprise Management Associates (EMA) released a research report on virtualization that found a lack of skills or knowledge was the No. 1 barrier to success with virtualization, while lack of time and/or people was third at 36 percent. According to Andi Mann, VP of research at EMA, these findings are consistent with EMA research going back to early 2006, with skills being one of the top three issues every time.

HP Targets Small Businesses With Virtualization Bundles - Small Business Computing

Virtualization remains one of the most talked-about technologies for businesses of all sizes. And while adoption may not be as high with small businesses as it is with larger enterprises, virtualization's promise to allow organizations to better use its available hardware makes it well-suited for small businesses looking to save on space, hardware costs and power consumption.

Intel promises fix for SSD firmware bug - Techworld

The firmware, dubbed the SSD Optimizer update, was made available late last month, but was quickly pulled by Intel. The decision by Intel to stop the firmware's availability was due to various reports, including several disgruntled forum posts, that the software was bricking certain users drives.

Surge in Federal Cloud Revenue for Terremark - Data Center Knowledge

The Obama administration's plan to shift federal IT services to a cloud computing model is beginning to boost revenues for Terremark Worldwide, one of the early leaders in the government cloud services market. The Miami-based company said yesterday that its revenue from cloud computing has surged to an annual rate of $13.2 million, with the majority of that growth coming from the federal government.

New Power Management Systems at the Ready - IT Business Edge

One potential growth area is in power management software systems for the data center. Newcomer Viridity Software is looking to tap into this vein through a series of systems and services aimed at energy management and asset optimization. The company aims to unite energy-saving efforts across the application and hardware layers, bringing under one roof the often conflicting efforts of IT management, facilities management and executive-level oversight.

And don't forget more fresh-off-the-Web Green IT links at GigaOM Pro.

Green IT: Thrifty CIOs should make it a priority - Silicon.com

A major contributor to this issue is the lack of understanding among many IT professionals about the best way to optimise energy-saving processes. A recent study revealed that 83 per cent of server managers admitted they do not have an adequate grasp of server utilisation. Nearly two-thirds said they relied on manual checks to find unused servers, or waited until something was broken.

Data Centers Focus on Greener Power - Data Center Knowledge

With carbon regulation looming on the horizon, companies with extensive data center operations are taking a harder look at the origin of their power, and its implications in a regulated environment.

Toronto Utility Provider Offers Financial Incentive For Data Centers To Increase Efficiency - Web Host Industry Review

Supported by the Ontario Power Authority, Toronto Hydro will provide $300 for each measurable peak kilowatt reduced from improvements in new or existing data centers. Toronto Hydro's DCIP helps customers cut their electricity use, resulting in immediate and on-going financial savings through reduced power consumption, as well as associated environmental benefits such as reduced carbon emissions.

Vendors Enhance the Sase for Solid State Disks - Channel Insider

Two new vendor initiatives are attempting to strengthen and enhance the business case for solid-state storage and the opportunities available to the channel. Texas Memory Systems has set new SPC-1 records for flash storage performance and value, and Dataram Corporation (www.dataram.com) has released a tech alert outlining the business benefits of solid-state storage appliances.

Going Green with Enterprise Fax Over IP - TMCnet.com

And according to Brine, the cost of not moving to FoIP with a VoIP network eventually could cost companies more money, considering that standalone fax machines add cost, inefficiency and risk with their document delivery requirements.

Sizing computer room air conditioners for data center energy efficiency - SearchDataCenter.com

Reheat was the norm for years, and it's the biggest energy waster of all. The CRAC over-cools the air and a heater warms it back up to discharge temperature. In many situations it's possible to design without reheat, or to use minimal reheat. But it takes a knowledgeable engineer to make that determination and to provide a proper design.

Sun Unveils 2 TB Flash Storage Array - InformationWeek

Sun says the F5100, which includes as many as 80 NAND flash modules, is comparable to 3,000 enterprise hard disk drives that span 14 data center racks and consume 40,000 watts. The F5100, however, is delivered in a single rack unit and consumes only 300 watts.

Brown cloud or green cloud? - Financial Times

From big companies such as Google to small office server rooms, the IT industry is grappling with huge power bills - a big part of the reason behind the industry's "Green IT" priority. But, while there's undoubtedly progress in reducing power consumption and emissions from new data centres, it is likely that demand will outpace gains from efficiency.

Dell pitches x86 in Oracle's Sun court - Channel Register

Dell told OpenWorld that buying batches of his company's x86 machines running virtualization and the latest in power efficiency and increased processing power will let you claw back around 15 per cent in IT costs.

Powering with rather than against Mother Nature - The Data Center Journal

Downloading data products has gained popularity for large sized items over a period of time and in significant manner. This type of choice reduces carbon footprints in a big way (88% approximately). Still, debates are on, as the peripherals and data centers involved in this task are themselves emitting carbon.

And don't forget more fresh-off-the-Web Green IT links at GigaOM Pro.

Every Little Bit Helps When It Comes to Saving the Forest - Tonic

The 48HourPrint.com company is switching to recycled paper that's made right in the U.S., taking a nice step in the direction of going green and also doing its part to stimulate the nation's lagging economy.

...psst data center operators:
Roof for let: Local tariffs could aid new solar development - SmartPlanet

Looking for a new source of income for your business? Why not consider renting your roof to a solar development company?

That's what distribution company ProLogis has just done in Spain, in partnership with San Francisco solar company Recurrent Energy.

Virtualization: Tips for avoiding server overload - Computerworld

Virtualization vendors may still be touting the potential of putting 20, 50, or even 100 VMs (virtual machines) on a single physical machine, but IT managers and industry experts say those ratios are dangerous in production environments, causing performance problems or, worse, outages.

Samsung's 32nm NAND Flash Problematic, Too Slow For SSDs - DailyTech

All of the companies we spoke with noted significant write speed issues with Samsung's 32nm flash. The problems are so bad that these SSD makers are unable to use them in their SSDs, which means that they have to source chips from other flash manufacturers like IM Flash Tech and Toshiba.

Microsoft Chicago Data Center Container Bay - Microsoft

And don't forget more fresh-off-the-Web Green IT links at GigaOM Pro.

Apple and the Environment

Probably more than you ever wanted to know about Apple and its impact on the environment.

Gartner: Turn server heat up to 75 - Computerworld

In addition to Gartner's report, a recent survey by CDW illustrates trends related to data center efficiency. CDW surveyed 752 IT pros in U.S. organizations for its 2009 Energy Efficient IT Report, finding that 59% are training employees to shut down equipment when they leave the office, and 46% have implemented or are implementing server virtualization.

BCS Launches New Green IT Certification Program - Web Host Industry Review

British IT organization BCS (www.bcs.org) announced on Monday it has launched a new green IT qualification (www.bcs.org/greenit) designed to help IT professionals and corporations gain an in-depth understanding of the environmental issues surrounding IT.

PSPgo is More Environmentally Friendly - Reuters/Matter Network

IGN touched on this point recently in a review of the system, pointing out that system sales are not very profitable or plentiful compared to software sales. This may just be a fact of life as more and more products go online, and for the environmentally conscious consumer this is a great thing because it means less driving to and from stores, less plastic disks cases and accessories, less boxes and papers, and less shipping.

Green IT Fuels Red Hot Careers - Earth2Tech

Among the handful of data center executives making big job moves recently is former Microsoft data center guru Debra Chrapaty. While Microsoft added thousands of servers a month to meet demand for its online services, she was at the helm, growing data center capacity and driving energy efficiency.

And don't forget more fresh-off-the-Web Green IT links at GigaOM Pro.