@Barbara, thank you for being the first to comment again -lol. I appreciate your view . However, I understand that with Cloud computing there is no standard measurement or parameter which binds all opinion to indicate better or worst result for the environment. I think it is worth noting that the increase efficiency of the hardware and that of the components in most cloud data centres and coupled with the increase in usage of these components means or suggest that we are doing more work per unit of energy consumed than before. Hence, research suggest that this might significantly increase even more, as a result this is bound to impact the environment. Like you said it is a topic to keep on top of.
Yes, Bolaji. The particular challenge the experiment is dealing with is keeping the power on even when there is a lack of sun or wind in one area by seamlessly shifting the data center to another power source where there is an adequate supply of those energy sources. The idea is to avoid having to use traditional electric sources as backup.
DennisQ, The size of server farms (yes, they call them farms!) that companies like Google, Facebook, Amazon and Apple have to maintain to support cloud computing is enormous and I suspect that's what Cisco and Ecodesk may be referring to. The individual user may be leaving smaller footprints behind but the support technology behind our smartphones, tablets and notebooks is leaving giant marks across the planet.
I'm not sure if my own technology footprint is as small as yours, too. I am at any time staring at a multitude of screens (my laptop and the external monitor), phones and of course, the fax/printer/scanner combo. Then there's the turnover rate. The phones last about one to two years, the computers three years, the printer/scanner/fax about six months (I've tried many brands and they still seem to break down too fast) and even if I haven't already, the probability of my getting a tablet is high. That's a lot of gear!
Ariella, Thanks for posting this resource. Companies operating cloud computing server plants can benefit from using renewable energy because of their facilities can often be located in remote areas where they can benefit from solar energy, for instance.
@Barbara, those were my thoughts as well... to me, the move to the cloud is not a negative from an environmental standpoint. The cloud has many issues, but I don't think hurting the environment is one of the downsides.
Security? That's of course a valid concern. I think that will be the biggest challenge and concern that the technology will need to overcome.
As for how clean my services are, I can tell you I certainly use less computing resources than I did years ago. Remember the old days, with giant rooms filled with giant machines? Those days are over; everything has shrunk and continues to shrink.
Hi Anna--first comment again! I found this really interesting becuase I just was involved with a Webinar that came to a different conclusion. The general idea is that because there is less physical structure in the cloud, there will be more virtual computing--less equipment and manufacturing--and therefore less of an impact on the environment. It is too soon to tell, of course, but a great topic to keep on top of.
EBN Dialogue enables and encourages you to participate in live chats with notable leaders and luminaries. Not only editors and journalists, but the entire EBN community is able to comment and ask questions. Listed below are upcoming and archived chats.
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Thailand Stages a Comeback Join EBN contributor Jennifer Baljko on Thursday August 23, 2012, at 11:00 a.m. EST for a live chat on how electronic manufacturers in Thailand have shored up their supply chain to reduce the impact of future natural disasters.
Euro-Crisis: What It Means for High-Tech Firms Join EBN Editor in Chief Bolaji Ojo and Contributing Editor Jennifer Baljko on Thursday, July 12, at 10:00 a.m. EDT for a Live Chat on high-tech and Europe's economic difficulties.
Microsoft Surface: Potential Winners & Losers What are the implications for the electronics industry supply chain of Microsoft Corp.'s decision to launch its own tablet PC? Join industry veteran and EE Times' systems and OEM expert Rick Merritt on Tuesday, July 3, at 12:00 pm EDT for a Live Chat on this subject.
Join EBN contributor Jennifer Baljko on Thursday August 23, 2012, at 11:00 a.m. EST for a live chat on how electronic manufacturers in Thailand have shored up their supply chain to reduce the impact of future natural disasters.
Peter Drucker famously said "Trying to predict the future is like trying to drive down a country road at night with no lights while looking out the back window." Yet in the razor's-edge world of electronics—with a lean supply chain and just-in-time demands—the need to know the future is vital.
While no one really can accurately predict the future, we can take guidance from another Drucker saying which is the best way to predict the future is to create it.
You've heard the saying "the No. 1 supply chain risk is your people." That hasn't always been the case. But today's complex global supply chain requires a new type of multitalented employee. It's one who understands, finance, marketing, economics, is savvy with technology, graceful with relationships and can think analytically.
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Brian Fuller, editor-in-chief of EBN, will lead a 60-minute Avnet Velocity panel discussion that will ask and answer these and other questions swirling around today's supply-chain talent challenges.
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