If you’ve recently picked up a newspaper, browsed through a magazine at the doctor’s office, or watched football games on the tube, you’ve no doubt run across ads or articles about green computing, or “virtualization” of computer systems. You may not have given this topic much thought, or maybe dismissed it as techno-geeky speak that doesn’t apply to you. However, the virtualization of computer technology can be an incredibly powerful tool for both your wallet and the planet, and it’s worth learning more about.

The web defines virtualization as “the creation of a virtual (rather than actual) version of something, such as an operating system, a server or desktop, a storage device, or network resources such as applications and shared folders.” But what does that really mean? In its simplest form, virtualization is taking one physical (real, you can touch it) machine and turning into two virtual machines. This is something like a picture-in-picture function on a TV, where the main picture is displayed on the full screen and one or more secondary channels are displayed in inset windows. If you are watching two different channels on the same TV, you only need one TV for the resources such as power and display.

Other services that help to “green” our computing include virtualizing computing resources over the internet—allowing you to use the internet to access resources that aren’t installed on your computer and could be halfway across the world. Here you pay for someone to provide you with all the resources you need to run your business without the large upfront investment for hardware and software.

How can virtualization help protect the environment?

Figure 1

• Reduced waste – If your company has 50 virtual servers running on 5 physical servers, when it comes time for replacement they are only throwing away, or recycling, 5 machines. This will help reduce computer waste that goes into our landfills. This concept also applies to the additional laptops, desktops and phones you will not need in a virtualized system.
• Use less power – 50 virtual servers running on 5 physical servers will only consume enough power to run 5 machines, not 50. This clearly benefits the environment by reducing energy consumption. Every opportunity for energy conservation eases the pressure on our power grids and reduces the need for more electricity generating facilities, such as additional substations, dams and power plants.
• Cut down on harmful emissions – Server environments tend to run hot and use a lot of cooling to make it run efficiently. If you generate less heat, you require less cooling and less power needed for that cooling. If you can work in a virtual environment from home, you would cut back on the emissions of your car and keep it running longer—further reducing waste.

How can virtualization save me money while increasing productivity?

Figure 2

If your company supports your working from home, they can save money on office space. And you personally can save time and money by skipping that hour long commute to the office, and log in right from home! Virtualization means that working from home or your business trip doesn’t interfere with your ability to get things done effectively and efficiently. If your boss needs you to revise a spreadsheet that’s on the company server and to print it on his printer, you can easily do this—from home, while traveling, or even from your phone while running an errand. Because with virtualization you can work from anywhere, any time, and from any device.

For you, this means more flexibility and productivity. And this technology is so secure that major insurance companies, medical records companies, and law firms are some of its main users, due to its reliability and secure firewalls.

As you can see, virtualization is not a gimmick but a real solution that can help companies of any size-—not 5 or 10 years down the road but right now, today.

Integral Consulting Inc. is a national science and engineering firm providing multidisciplinary services in the fields of health, environment, technology, and sustainability. We are a member of the NBIS sustainable business community and we look forward to sharing best practices and innovative solutions with you. To learn more or to share ideas, please contact DeJay Noy at Integral Consulting, dnoy@integral-corp.com, or 206.957.0350.