Green IT: Difference between revisions
Article created |
Expanded |
||
| Line 1: | Line 1: | ||
'''Green IT''' is the practice of reducing the environmental footprint of the information system itself: equipment, [[Data centre|data centres]], networks and software. | '''Green IT''' is the practice of reducing the environmental footprint of the information system itself: equipment, [[Data centre|data centres]], networks and software. | ||
It is the oldest identified strand of [[Sustainable IT|sustainable IT]]. | It is the oldest identified strand of [[Sustainable IT|sustainable IT]], and the one organisations usually start with. | ||
== Scope == | == Scope == | ||
* | * '''Equipment''': purchasing policy, useful life, repair, [[End of life|end of life]] ; | ||
* [[Ecodesign|ecodesign]] | * '''Data centres''': energy efficiency, cooling, heat recovery, actual server utilisation ; | ||
* | * '''Networks''': sizing and equipment lifespan ; | ||
* '''Software''': [[Ecodesign|ecodesign]], decommissioning unused applications ; | |||
* '''Data''': retention policy, deduplication, deletion. | |||
== Where the effort pays == | |||
Organisations commonly begin with data centre efficiency, because it is measurable and under their control. The larger gains usually sit elsewhere. | |||
Extending the useful life of the device fleet by one or two years typically outweighs any realistic improvement in [[Power Usage Effectiveness|PUE]], because it acts on [[Manufacturing|manufacturing]], which dominates the life cycle. | |||
Decommissioning unused applications is the second underrated lever: it removes servers, storage, backups, licences and maintenance at once. | |||
== What it does not cover == | == What it does not cover == | ||
Green IT addresses the impact '''of''' digital technology. It says nothing about using digital technology for environmental ends ([[IT for Green]]), nor about | Green IT addresses the impact '''of''' digital technology. It says nothing about using digital technology for environmental ends ([[IT for Green]]), nor about accessibility, inclusion and working conditions, which fall under [[Human for IT]] and [[IT for Human]]. | ||
== See also == | == See also == | ||
* [[Sustainable IT]] · [[IT for Green]] · [[Ecodesign]] · [[Digital sobriety]] · [[Carbon footprint]] | * [[Sustainable IT]] · [[IT for Green]] · [[Ecodesign]] · [[Digital sobriety]] · [[Carbon footprint]] · [[Data centre]] · [[End of life]] | ||
[[Category:Concepts]] | [[Category:Concepts]] | ||
Revision as of 05:34, 6 August 2026
Green IT is the practice of reducing the environmental footprint of the information system itself: equipment, data centres, networks and software.
It is the oldest identified strand of sustainable IT, and the one organisations usually start with.
Scope
- Equipment: purchasing policy, useful life, repair, end of life ;
- Data centres: energy efficiency, cooling, heat recovery, actual server utilisation ;
- Networks: sizing and equipment lifespan ;
- Software: ecodesign, decommissioning unused applications ;
- Data: retention policy, deduplication, deletion.
Where the effort pays
Organisations commonly begin with data centre efficiency, because it is measurable and under their control. The larger gains usually sit elsewhere.
Extending the useful life of the device fleet by one or two years typically outweighs any realistic improvement in PUE, because it acts on manufacturing, which dominates the life cycle.
Decommissioning unused applications is the second underrated lever: it removes servers, storage, backups, licences and maintenance at once.
What it does not cover
Green IT addresses the impact of digital technology. It says nothing about using digital technology for environmental ends (IT for Green), nor about accessibility, inclusion and working conditions, which fall under Human for IT and IT for Human.
