ChannelTrends: VARs Celebrate Earth Day—Every Day!

Today we celebrate the 42^nd annual Earth Day, intended to highlight the need for global ecological consciousness and inspire people to think of new ways to preserve our planet. Quite a hefty goal, but most everyone agrees we need to do all we can to safeguard our valuable resources.

In recent years, the tech community has gotten in the act with the advent of green IT, driven by a number of federal, state and local initiatives to reduce energy use and the waste associated with computing systems. Technology manufacturers are stepping up to create products that are either partially or entirely recyclable and more energy efficient, and building them with components made with “Earth friendly” elements.

These days many businesses are looking for ways to cut costs and green IT can play a significant part in accomplishing that goal. In addition to reducing a company’s energy consumption (thus saving them money), by implementing these technologies, the organization can tout its ecological responsibility to its customers and investors. Green used to be a niche, but now almost every marketing team is using it attract earth conscious consumers.

Although green IT may not seem to be making VARs a lot of money, in reality it’s a been an essential element of a number of successful solution providers and MSPs. From the early days where every large business had its own data center and a substantial power and cooling bill, the channel has been instrumental in creating greater business efficiencies and reducing the footprint of their client’s computing systems and networks.

The profile of green IT is much higher today, and cloud computing and managed services each are major contributors to the cause. Remote monitoring and support significantly reduces the number of on-site service calls (less truck rolls) and allows MSPs to better assess and tweak the efficiencies of their clients systems. Cloud computing allows VARs to remove some or all of the servers from their customers businesses, a reduction in equipment as well as the power required to operate and cool them.

None of this green IT is really new, but awareness and inclusion in marketing plans are. Solution providers do need to be careful not to just frivolously label themselves as “environmental heroes”. There has to be real benefits to the clients’ business, allowing them to operate at greater efficiency or use more recyclable products. Reducing the environmental exposure is critical to those businesses too, and the savvy solution providers give their customers tips on how to promote these technology benefits themselves. Green IT is no longer considered an IT channel fringe sale; it’s a part of the daily conversation and critical to VAR profitability and overall success. This week’s news backs up that claim.      

Cisco Flaunts Green Data Center

A number of technology manufacturers have consolidated their data centers over the past couple of years to not only cut costs, but to create a sales demonstration area for partners and end clients. IBM and HP have each created showcase facilities to show off the latest technologies and energy improvements. This week Cisco announced its own green data center in Allen, Texas, designed to highlight the manufacturer’s entire portfolio of technologies. Not only will the unified communications giant save significantly on its internal energy and infrastructure costs, but can use the location as a learning laboratory. The new data center includes a collection of IT services that VARs and MSPs can provide to their own customers, such as video, mobility, security and collaboration. 

The new facility includes a wide variety of computing, switching and data storage technologies, and supports Cisco's internal private cloud and IT as a service initiative. Of course, this data center employs an environment-friendly facility design, green power and cooling benefits, and virtualization and cloud computing capabilities.

Cisco points out that the technology running the data center also creates environmentally beneficial efficiencies. The Unified Fabric combines storage and data traffic, allowing the vendor to minimize the components and cabling required for the facility. According to the press release, “Cisco saved more than $1 million on cabling in this facility, and fewer cables translate to increased air circulation so the equipment runs cooler and more efficiently.”

Cloud computing is forecast to cut worldwide data center energy usage by 38 percent in 2020, according to "cleantech" analysts at Pike Research. This also could cut greenhouse gases by 28 percent in 2020 compared to 2010.

In the past these advances would have been attributed to progress, but today green IT and the resulting benefits are considered the driver. For solution providers, this same thought process should be employed. What consultative or solution options are you providing your clients currently that accomplish similar energy savings or meet the latest recycling initiatives? Take a few extra minutes on Earth Day and give yourself credit for all the environmental benefits you’re providing!

Brian Sherman is founder of Tech Success Communications, specializing in editorial content and consulting for the IT channel. His previous roles include chief editor at Business Solutions magazine and industry alliances director with Autotask. Contact Brian at Bsherman@techsuccesscommunications.com.