IT giants collaborate over datacentre energy consumption

Industry giants IBM, Hewlett-Packard, Sun Microsystems and AMD have joined forces to launch an environmental project aimed at reducing energy consumption at computer datacentres.

The Green Grid project aims to bring together IT professionals who want to lower the overall consumption of power in datacentres worldwide. It will operate as an association of members who can share best practice in datacentre power management.

It plans to raise awareness and stir up debate around the issue through online discussion boards, live chats and web seminars with industry experts.

Concern about power use is growing among IT chiefs, amid fears that datacentres are struggling to cope with the amount of heat generated by server infrastructures. 

Last month, industry analyst firm Forrester Research highlighted the “substantial” savings in electricity costs that IT departments could make by paying more attention to datacentre cooling requirements.

The Green Grid will also lobby the IT industry to improve power-saving measures.

IT professionals involved in datacentre operations and facilities management are invited to get involved in through the Green Grid’s website http://thegreengrid.org/