Semi-automated estimation of the cost benefits of green ICT practices

Transcription

1 Semi-automated estimation of the cost benefits of green ICT practices PATRICIA LAGO Qing Gu Giuseppe Procaccianti SOFTWARE AND SERVICES,

2 Lessons Learned & Motivation Online library for Green ICT practices users are able to search, browse and share best practices for Green ICT feedback received from users Quantification of effects from Green ICT practices is needed Organizations lack motivation to implement Green ICT practices, without explicitly showing economic gains and return-of-investments (ROI) Quantification of ROI should be tunable There is no one-size-fits-all green ICT solution

3 Our solution A web application, implementing a calculator of the ROI for Green ICT practices.

4 Example: desktop virtualization Green ICT Practice: "Virtualize Desktops" Desktop virtualization facilitates the use of thin clients. These thin clients are far more energy efficient than regular fat client computers. There is however an increase in server side computing due to the extra load of providing the desktops, which leads to an increase in energy consumption of servers. However, the energy consumption is compensated by the use of thin clients Estimated economic impacts (from Green ICT Online Library): Energy consumption cost of client workstations is decreased. Energy consumption cost of servers is increased. IT equipment acquisition cost is increased. Short term investment is needed for server side software.

5 Example: desktop virtualization Input Attributes As-Is situation To-Be situation 50 fat clients 50 thin clients Energy consumption of a client per month 39.6 kwh 4.4 kwh Energy consumption of a server per month 180 kwh 288 kwh Price of energy per kwh Maintenance cost per client per year Maintenance cost per server per year Number and type of clients Price for each clients Number of servers Desktop virtualization software license per year

6 Example: desktop virtualization Quantification of reusing the "desktop virtualization" practice on a 3-years time span: Attribute As-Is To-Be Impact Energy consumption costs of clients 35,640 3,960-31,680 Energy consumption costs of servers 3,240 5, ,944 Maintenance costs of clients 7,500 3,750-3,750 Acquisition of thin clients 0 20,000-20,000 Desktop virtualization software license 0 1,200-1,200 TOTAL Energy Consumption Reduction - 12,286 ~20%

7 Green ICT Calculator features Input The user selects one Green ICT practice selected among a pool of available best practices The user inputs parameters to customize the application of the practice to a specific business case Output The calculator presents a report quantifying the potential economic impacts of the selected Green ICT practice

8 Methodology (1/2) Definition of suitable metrics for quantifying the environmental/economic impact: from the online green ICT library and other past projects from collaboration with industrial partners: confirmed: IICD (International Institute for Communication and Development); Xerox Manufacturing; Panduit to be defined:? (in collaboration with Green IT Amsterdam)

9 Methodology (2/2) Ontological formalization of the metrics for calculation, by analyzing relationships and correlation between them Definition of models for ROI estimation of each practice Set up a web application implementing a ROI calculator for Green ICT practices

10 EXPECTED IMPACT Economic impact: reduce the cost and risk of exploring various investments in green ICT Give an impulse to new environmentally friendly business opportunities Identify and formalize new green practices for achieving more profitable results. Provide a rationale for promoting sustainable courses of actions We plan for Green IT Amsterdam to adopt the calculator for its members

11 Conclusions Do you want to contribute? A past/running project A case study Industrial collaboration Student experiments Mail us: Patricia Lago p.lago@vu.nl Qing Gu q.gu@vu.nl Giuseppe Procaccianti g.procaccianti@vu.nl Faculty of Sciences