Imagine a large, unfinished basement. To use the space more efficiently, you could divide it into several smaller rooms - maybe a TV room, a craft room, a weight room, and a storage area. Server virtualization, a current trend in IT, uses the same concept.

Through server virtualization, a “host” server traditionally used for a single job is compartmentalized into 15 to 20 virtual machines. This results in more than 6,000 kilowatts (kWh) in energy savings - equal to offsetting the emissions from two cars or planting 20 trees for just one server.*

In 2008, with more than 5,000 Windows^® servers, we started server virtualization. By the end of 2009, 2,545 servers (43.44% of our total server population) were virtual, an energy savings of more than 16 million kWh and a 22,589,588 lb. reduction in our CO2 emissions. This is equal to offsetting the emissions from 3,818 cars or planting 50,900 trees.* Our goal is 100% server virtualization by 2013.

A win for us and the environment.

Reference: www.virtualserver.com.au/virtualserver.html

Calculations are based on the power consumption of a standard 2 CPU server
1 Assumes $6,500 per 2 CPU server
2 Assumes $0.10/kWh, and 550 Watts per 2 CPU server
3 Assumes 12,000 miles per year and 20 mpg
4 Assumes 1.341 lbs CO2 emission per kWh