ST2403

MANAGEMENT: CLOUD STORAGE
"The cloud's impact on businesses is undeniable, but our
digital growth risks an unsustainable future with serious
environmental consequences. However, businesses shouldn't
have to choose between innovation and the planet. The
answer lies in green cloud storage. By embracing providers
powered by renewable energy, efficient data centres, and
innovative technologies, businesses can reap the cloud's
benefits without triggering a devastating energy tax."
reduction in overall emissions.
Furthermore, on-premise servers often
have higher storage and computing
capacity than needed just to handle
occasional spikes in demand, which is an
inefficient use of resources. Cloud data
centres, by contrast, pool large amounts of
equipment to manage these spikes more
efficiently.
In 2022, the average power usage
effectiveness of data centres improved. This
indicates that cloud providers are using
energy more efficiently and helping
companies reduce their carbon footprint
with cloud storage.
A SUSTAINABLE TRANSITION: 3 STEPS
TO GREEN CLOUD STORAGE
Importantly, there are ways to further
improve the sustainability of services like
cloud storage, which could translate to
energy savings of 30-50% per cent through
greening strategies. So, how can ordinary
cloud storage be turned into green cloud
storage? We believe there are three
fundamental steps.
Firstly, businesses should carefully
consider location. This means choosing a
cloud storage provider that's close to a
power facility. This is because distance
matters. If electricity travels a long way
between generation and use, a proportion
is lost. In addition, data centres located in
cooler climates or underwater
environments can cut down on the energy
required for cooling.
Next, businesses should quiz green
providers about what they're doing to
reduce their environmental impact. For
example, powering their operations with
wind, solar or biofuels minimises reliance on
fossil fuels and so lowering GHG emissions.
Some facilities will house large battery
banks to store renewable energy and ensure
a continuous, eco-friendly power supply.
Last but certainly not least, technology
offers powerful ways to enhance the energy
efficiency of cloud storage. Some providers
have been investing in algorithms, software
and hardware designed to optimise energy
use. For example, introducing frequency
scaling or AI and machine learning
algorithms can significantly improve how
data centres manage power consumption
and cooling. For instance, Google's use of
its DeepMind AI has reduced its data centre
cooling bill by 40 per cent - a prime
example of how intelligent systems can work
towards greater sustainability.
At a time when the world is warming up at
an accelerating rate, selecting a cloud
storage provider that demonstrates a clear
commitment to sustainability can have a
significant impact. In fact, major cloud
providers like Google, Microsoft and
Amazon have already taken steps to make
their cloud services greener, such as
pledging to move to 100 per cent
renewable sources of energy.
CLOUD STORAGE WITHOUT THE
CLIMATE COST
The cloud's impact on businesses is
undeniable, but our digital growth risks an
unsustainable future with serious
environmental consequences. However,
businesses shouldn't have to choose
between innovation and the planet.
The answer lies in green cloud storage. By
embracing providers powered by renewable
energy, efficient data centres, and innovative
technologies, businesses can reap the
cloud's benefits without triggering a
devastating energy tax.
The time to act is now. Businesses have a
responsibility to choose green cloud storage
and be part of the solution, not the
problem. By making the switch today, we
can ensure the cloud remains a convenient
sanctuary, not a climate change culprit.
More info: www.fasthosts.co.uk
www.storagemagazine.co.uk
@STMagAndAwards Mar/Apr 2024
STORAGE
MAGAZINE
31