Microsoft Free Journal on Green IT

Given the fact there is not much of well organized information available about the impact of environment on IT, it is heartening to know that Microsoft has dedicated Issue no: 18 of its IT publication The Architecture Journal entirely to cover various aspects of Green computing. The Architecture Journal acclaimed by many as the “platform for free thinkers and practitioners of IT architecture" is published by Microsoft exclusively for its IT managers.

The Issue no: 18 comprehensively cover a wide range of subjects pertaining to Green IT:

• Environmentally Sustainable Infrastructure Design
• Green Maturity Model for Virtualization
• Application Patterns for Green IT
• Architecture Journal Profile: Udi Dahan
• Profiling Energy Usage for Efficient Consumption
• Project Genome: Wireless Sensor Network for Data Center Cooling
• Green IT in Practice: SQL Server Consolidation in Microsoft IT

There is a highly informative article on ‘Sustainable Infrastructure Design’ on how to turn green all aspects of infrastructure building. The article on ‘Green IT in Practice: SQL Server Consolidation in Microsoft IT’ highlights the tremendous savings in power, cooling and recycling costs. The article on Project Genome explains how a sensor network effectively uses heat distribution facts to optimize data center design.

The article on power-efficient application design offers a wealth of useful suggestions regarding tools that help architects reduce energy waste. There is an article elaborating on the green maturity model for virtualization and yet another useful one on the need for comprehensive and constant monitoring of energy consumption for energy savings.

Achieving Green IT in the complicated technology sector companies is by no means easy. But more and more IT companies have lately started bestowing serious attention to Green IT. Cisco, in an earnest effort to help its customers go green, has launched its free software EnergyWise that allows businesses to monitor the energy consumption of various network devices, including IP phones, video cameras, and wireless access points.

Apple has been hailed for their efforts to launch more environmentally-friendly products which they had displayed at the Macworld show. Victor Creative Media, part of the JVC group, is expected to commence production of CD/DVD cases made from a mixture of non-food rice and plastic resin. This will mean less usage and disposal of carbon.

Considering the fact that The Architecture Journal is free, all IT professionals, seriously concerned about environmental issues, must read the Issue no: 18 and apply, wherever possible, the many useful suggestions contained therein.