Virtualization : So you think you can do without it?

CIOs and CEOs of companies who are facing increasing electricity consumptions issues ought to take this message very very seriously! The power consumption has doubled in the past five years. We continue to not only consume more power but in the end run the risk of having nothing in our hands.

It really amazes me the amount of environmental issues that are being handled in Africa, Asia and S. America. Not because they "think" about the nature. It just comes as a pure need. In Africa there is huge amount of problems with power. It is the primary concern. When I began thinking about the project I didn't have to think twice when my director approached me to think up a strategy for the project. Simple: Vitualization and Wireless. Easy to deploy and very cost effective. We didn't even speak a word about power savings or the environment. We did talk about the Victoria lake whose level is lowering (and it too affects the power supply to the regions of East Africa, BTW). So people and communities are getting directly hit by the changes on our planet.

Bottom line: Today we in Europe and US have robust infrastructure. We get what we need. That makes us lazy and unaware of the dangers. What is worse is that makes us look like we really don't care! The world is warming up. It continues to warm up. Prices are on the rise. I pay through my nose to benefit from the traditional GPTs (General Purpose Technologies) like water, electricity, so I know it. IT is no where close to becoming a GPT and that obviously reflects in how bad we are at ravishing the resources and wasting them ruthlessly. I look at my own office and see monitors and PCs humming all the time. I close my eyes and picturize a reduction of almost 60% in my own room. Just one room!

Again to reiterate the issue. We are living on the same planet as the Africans, Asians and South Americans. We will, if we do not act, face the same issues of load shedding and limited water supply should we not act now. We have the opportunity to pioneer and steer the IT of today successfully into a GPT phase. And using Virtualization is the way to do it.

Don't worry I won't point you again to Al Gore. He is amazing though. So much effort and hard work to make us all understand. Although I am willing to contribute in whichever way to the cause. Maybe someday I will do it together with you, Albert!

Today we stand at the crossroads of making the right decision. We can stop the global warming and reduce the power consumption drastically. We owe this to our planet!

See this post to read more about the power consumption and check this about how bad it is going to be should we not make the right choice.