Do Green Data Centers Exist?

Oct
Photo of a green planet

Perhaps one of the most important developments in the modern business environment is the internet and how important it is for businesses. In fact, most businesses now rely on the internet to communicate with important people and even conduct regular business operations. Most documents are reproduced and sent digitally, and depending on the size of your business, this may require a great deal of online support.

Further, some businesses may need to rely on outsourcing their internet and server capabilities to data centers because maintaining these could be costly and difficult. These data centers have a large number of computers and technology that could be detrimental to the environment. Along with the rapid spread of the internet, the toll that these servers and businesses take on the environment is also scrutinized. This begs the question – do green data centers exist? LightWave Networks explores more in the following article. 

What Is a Sustainable Data Center? 

As the name suggests, a sustainable data center is one that does not impact the environment as negatively as a traditional one. Sustainable data centers are not only better for the environment, but they also make critical business functions more effective and even lower costs. Sustainability is also very demanded by businesses because data center sustainability also translates into more effective use of energy.

Additionally, most modern businesses and customers are especially concerned with the impact on the environment that they have in their day-to-day life. Specifically, sustainable data centers also make an effort to use environmentally-friendly cooling and power systems since these are the things that most negatively impact the environment. This is achieved through reusing water or even using renewable sources of energy like windmills or solar energy and working to reduce the carbon footprint that a data center leaves. These efficient means of using fossil fuels also lead to lower costs for businesses that are using dedicated servers or other services that a data center typically provides. 

Along with a more modern infrastructure, some of the most common facets of a green data center are listed below: 

  • Adaptive control systems – Adaptive control systems help manage the output of a cooling system throughout a data center by managing the active airflow of a database. 
  • Cold/hot aisle containment – All of the equipment in a data center produces a large amount of heat, which means that they need to be cooled. Cooling systems that are energy efficient involve separating cold air from hot air, making the colder air as cold as possible, and using less air conditioning. 
  • Energy-efficient lighting systems – Some green data centers have motion-activated controls so that they are not permanently on in the facility. Rather, they just turn on when someone walks past their sensors. This maximizes the efficiency of electricity inside these data centers. 
  • Fuel cells – Fuel cells place electricity closer to the object that is using it, which increases its effectiveness. 
  • High-temperature chilled water set points – Water that is used to cool the data center is kept at very cold temperatures so that it cools the systems more effectively. 

What Is a Green Cloud Data Center? 

Green cloud is a term that is used to describe the positive environmental impact that cloud technology provides to society. The cloud consolidates remote workforces and consolidates data centers so that there is greater resource utilization and a reduction of emissions that stem from unconsolidated or connected systems or data centers. There are many positive impacts on the environment that a consolidated data center provides.

For one, without colocation data centers or IT infrastructure businesses, businesses would have to have their own facilities, maximizing the damage that they do to the environment. Put shortly, every data center is a green data center because they streamline communication and online practices. 

More About LightWave Networks

LightWave Networks is a business that is dedicated to providing our clients with services that allow them to take advantage of network consolidation and dedicated servers. Our full suite of services includes: 

Contact our business today to learn more about what we can offer you and your business.


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