During the first few days in March, The Green Grid will be holding a conference that signals a watershed moment for the data center industry.  After four years of focus on energy efficiency, TGG is expanding its scope to include other, adjacent areas of sustainability.  The interest in areas such as Carbon emissions and water usage is being driven, not by non-governmental organizations (NGOs), but by data center professionals that see these issues as both important and relevant to their business.

From my vantage point, I see this not as a single data point, but as a trend.  The data center has evolved from a place to store IT equipment, to a complex system-of-computers, to an integral part of the information economy.  Not only do they provide compute capabilities and data storage, they also offer electronic and social connectivity.  Many of us manage both our businesses and our lives through these facilities.

Given their increasing role in society and the economy, we should not be surprised to find that data centers are beginning to be viewed within the same contexts as the rest of the economy’s activities.  According to a report by Gartner, Data Centers are responsible for 0.5% of global carbon dioxide emissions.  Are the resources that our data centers are consuming being put to use in a productive manner?  Are the benefits that we receive from these facilities being provided in an environmentally and socially responsible manner?  As energy costs and availability become increasing concerns, are data center professionals correctly managing the risks associated with these issues?

The combination of Dell’s transformation to a more solutions-oriented company, its desire to give customers the power to do more, its focus on the Efficient Enterprise and the strength of its Corporate Responsibility program, place Dell in a unique position that will enable the data center of the future not only to be productive, but also sustainable.

Dell offerings such as its latest generation of blade systems, Dell KACE Appliances, and the Advanced Infrastructure Manager (AIM) help IT organizations fully leverage the Dell equipment they purchase, reducing energy waste and resultant emissions, regardless of how mixed the data center environment infrastructure might be.  With key Dell services offerings, these products enable Dell customers to build the Efficient Enterprise. 

Our commitment, however, is not just to the products and services that support the Efficient Enterprise, but also to be a strong industry participant in driving key issues.  We’ll continue to work within arenas such as The Green Grid.  We’ll work with both our partners and our competitors to help our industry and our customers understand and address these issues.  The TGG event will showcase the latest of the organization’s accomplishments.  If you’d like to see some of this work and get a feel for the issues that will affect tomorrow’s data center professionals, join us.

The Green Grid’s 4th Annual General Members’ Meeting and Technical Forum will be at the Santa Clara Convention Center on March 1st and 2nd.  For more information, please visit The Green Grid at http://www.thegreengrid.org/Home/events/tech-forum-2011.aspx .

Regards,

John Pflueger

Principal Environmental Strategist