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  • Greenwashing the Data Center

    • By: Rich Miller
      August 22nd, 2007

    Energy efficiency has been a primary concern of data center operators and vendors for some time. There are compelling reasons for this focus. As high-density computing gains traction, enterprise data center operators are struggling with rapidly escalating costs to power and cool their facilities. Energy efficient data centers are good for business.

    But in recent months the news pitches on “green data centers” have increasingly focused on corporate responsibility rather than cost savings. This trend has accelerated noticeably since IBM launched its Big Green initiative in May. The subsequent avalanche of environmental data center marketing has included some impressive new initiatives, and others that have sought to slap a green label on existing products and services. Matt Stansberry, who heads TechTarget’s data center coverage, has had enough:

    If one more person pitches me on a Green Data Center story, I will barf in my laptop. Unless your server literally sucks carbon dioxide out of the air and sequesters it below the earth, please don’t pitch me on your green angle. … The environmentalists’ worst nightmares are coming true. This whole green wave could be just another fad

    • Matt

    Posted August 22nd, 2007

    Great post Rich, and thanks for the link. I think it’s really hard for IT journalists to get a sense of the reality on the ground. By definition, we’re covering what’s new or coming soon. We try to take the temperature of our audience, make educated guessed based on page views of certain topics, but I feel like we’re always on the front end of these trends. Maybe data center operators are really excited right now about green — CFOs and politicians are paying attention the problems they’ve been running into for the past 5 years. Regardless, you’re right — efficiency will always be a popular mantra, scoring green in more ways than one.

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