CSCI Newsletter for June 2011

Beware the vampires

Another reminder that bears repeating is to eliminate "vampire" power consumers in your home and office.  Is your laptop fully charged?  Unplug the AC adaptor and you'll kill a vampire.  Your tablet is all full up on the battery meter?  Drive a stake through another vampire and unplug the charger.  Look for opportunites to eliminate these small-but-numerous users of power that serve no purpose.
July will see CSCI represented at the IEEE International Green Computing Conference in Orlando, Florida (see below for more info), where we'll have a roundtable-style engagement with software developers around the topic of software interactions and interference with power management.  We're putting increasing focus on whacking all the reasons that folks have for not using power management and the real and perceived problems with these interactions are a big one of those reasons.  Look at the Call to Action below for a reminder of how you can help...and help spread the word!
As always, if you've suggestions or would like to provide material for a future Newsletter, please contact me!

George O. Goodman
Executive Director, CSCI

Upcoming Events
New CSCI Website and Product Catalog design
      launching in July at ClimateSaversComputing.org.
IEEE International Green Computing Conference 2011(IGCC'11)
    July 25-28
    The Holiday Inn at Disneyworld
    Note: The CSCI Roundtable is on July 26

Workgroup Updates
AC-DC Workgroup: Work continues with the 80+ folks, looking at more aggressive efficiency targets to push beyond Energy Star.

Marketing Workgroup: We're preparing for two Roundtable venues on the topic of interactions between software apps & power management and pushing out CSCI's power management messages through traditional and social media, in support of the upcoming roundtables.

Networking Workgroup: The three subteams are moving toward complete drafts on their outputs, with the power-supply unit (PSU) team closest to buttoning things up, the Energy-Efficiency Guide group is working through their full document to make it consistent and clear, and the Networking Power Management folks are likewise working to refine their paper to be clear to the intended audience.  All three efforts are shooting for getting material to a reviewable state in July.

Power Management Workgroup: As June ends, the PM Workgroup is in the final days of content creation and polishing for the upcoming roundtable sessions with software developers.

Samsung joins CSCI's Board of Directors

In June we issued a press release announcing that Samsung has become a member of the CSCI Board of Directors.  Samsung joins representatives from Cisco, Emerson Network Power, F5 Networks, Google, Intel, Juniper Networks, Microsoft, and the World Wildlife Fund on the CSCI Board.  Check out the press release at this link.

Jim Elliott, Vice President of Memory Marketing and Product Planning at Samsung Semiconductor, Inc. will serve as the Samsung CSCI Board representative.  You can learn more about Jim on our website.

In CSCI, Samsung expects to work with other member companies to drive the increase of power efficiency for servers, notebooks, desktop computers, and a range of other equipment.  We offer a big welcome to Jim and the Samsung team!

Software Applications and Power Management: your examples are great!

Last month, we talked about the sometimes contentious relationship between the software applications that make your computer useful and the power management features that can make it friendlier to your energy wallet and the environment.  We asked you to send in your examples (a request reinforced below in this month's Call to Action!") and you did it.

The "offenders" span a range of software categories and types, including:

• Commercial software and open source community-supported software
• Applications and device drivers
• Applications running on Microsoft Windows, Apple OS X, and Linux distributions

CSCI won't be keeping these examples to ourselves.  They'll be part of what we discuss as we engage software developers and software development organizations in the coming months.

Thanks for what you've sent in!

CALL TO ACTION!
Keep it coming: examples of sofware interference with power management

We're repeating this Call, because the specific examples you're providing add realism to the conversations we have with software developers. Are there software applications you just know are interfering with power management on your computer(s)?  Do you have friends who have complained about this kind of problem? Tell us about these issues by sending a description that includes:

1. Name of application
2. Developer of application
3. Version/Release of application
4. Your Operating System and version (e.g., Windows7, OS x 10.5)
5. A description of what happens -- or doesn't -- when you try to use power management

If you don't know what's interfering, give us #4 and #5 with as much as you'd feel comfortable telling about the applications you generally use.
Pass this request along to your friends, or just point them to this link to our blog entry on the topic.
Send your info to george_at_climatesaverscomputing.org (change the "_at_" to "@") and CSCI's Power Management Workgroup will include your information in our discussions internally and with sofware developers.  Help us to help applications and power mangement to get along!

Reminding you of our Call to Action on software interfering with power management

CALL TO ACTION!
Have you seen problems between software apps and your own power management?

CSCI needs to hear your examples of software on your computer that appears to cause problems with power management.  Are there software applications you just know are interfering with power management on your computer(s)?  Does your monitor NEVER dim or turn off?  Does your computer never go to Sleep, even though you've set it to do so? Tell us about the "software vs. power management" problems you see by sending a description that includes:

1. Name of application
2. Developer of application
3. Version/Release of application
4. Your Operating System and version (e.g., Windows7, OS x 10.5)
5. A description of what happens -- or doesn't -- when you try to use power management

If you don't know what's interfering, give us #4 and #5 with as much as you'd feel comfortable telling about the applications you generally use.

Send your info to george@climatesaverscomputing.org and CSCI's Power Management Workgroup will include your information in our discussions internally and especially as we engage with software developers.  Help us to help applications and power management to get along!

Getting serious about how power management and software apps work together, CSCI call-for-input continues!

As many of our members know, last month we announced a call for input seeking information about how software applications may be interfering with power management on PCs and networked computers. A big thank you to the many CSCI members who have offered valuable feedback.  But we aren’t done yet. In fact, we’re just getting started on the next phase of addressing this important issue and your input matters more than ever.

Here’s how you can help. If you’ve experienced a software application causing a problem with how your power management performs, we want to know about it.  Perhaps Flash won't let your computer suspend. Or your anti-virus program seems to keep your computer awake. Or maybe you’ve noticed that since your last software update, hibernate no longer works. Your input on these types of issues will help us to move faster on addressing both real and perceived problems.

And you don’t have to be a CSCI member to participate. We’re looking for industry-wide input so that we can build a broad perspective, with information from both individuals and organizations. Please take just a few minutes to provide us with the following information.

1. The name of the application

2. Developer of application

3. Version/Release of application

4. Your Operating System and version (e.g., Windows7, OS x 10.5)

5. A description of what happens -- or doesn't -- when you try to use power management with the application

Your feedback will be added to the input to we’ve received to-date and will allow us to identify commonalties and trends. With information in hand, we’ll move forward by inviting software developers to a July 25 face-to-face meeting in Orlando at the IEEE International Green Computing Conference (info and registration at this link). This face-to-face will take place during a round-table event where software developers will come together with CSCI power management experts to discuss the information we’ve gathered, and to collaborate on potential solutions.

So keep the e-mails based on the above points coming to george@climatesaverscomputing.org. We’ll make sure your input is included during the round-table discussions. And if you’re a software developer interested in attending the July 25 round-table at the IEEE Green Computing Conference, shoot us an e-mail at the same address and we’ll get you details on the event.  

With your input, we can help ensure power management and software applications can always work together.

George O. Goodman

Executive Director, Climate Savers Computing Initiative

http://climatesaverscomputing.org/

Samsung Electronics Joins Climate Savers Computing Initiative

CSCI is very pleased that Samsung is joining to help advance our mission!  Below is a press release we sent out this morning announcing that Samsung has joined the Board of Directors of CSCI.
________________

Samsung Electronics Joins Climate Savers Computing Initiative

Takes CSCI leadership role to drive the next generation of energy efficient computing

PORTLAND, Ore. — June 21, 2011 — Climate Savers Computing Initiative (CSCI), a global consortium dedicated to reducing the energy consumption of end-to-end computing, today announced that Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd has become a member of the CSCI Board of Directors. Samsung Electronics joins CSCI board members from Cisco, Emerson, F5 Networks, Google, Intel, Juniper Networks, Microsoft, and World Wildlife Fund as a leader in driving the deployment and adoption of energy efficient technologies.

CSCI is addressing energy efficiency across all aspects of computing. This includes PCs, servers, networking equipment, and connected devices such as smartphones and tablets. Members work collaboratively in groups that drive improvements and best practices for AC/DC Efficiency, Networking, and Computer Power Management. Within CSCI, Samsung Electronics expects to work with other members to increase the power efficiency of servers, notebooks, and a range of other equipment.

“As a member of Climate Savers Computing Initiative, Samsung Electronics is further demonstrating its commitment to dramatically reduce the energy consumption of information technology,” said George Goodman, executive director, Climate Savers Computing Initiative. “We welcome Samsung Electronics to the CSCI Board of Directors where the company will play an important role in helping to drive a more energy efficient and sustainable future.”

With today’s news, CSCI has grown to nearly 680 members. Organizations join as Affiliates and Associates and pledge to use power management and to make high-efficiency systems a requirement for their next computer purchase. More than 10,000 people have joined as individuals by pledging to use energy efficient computers and power management at home and work. To become a member or pledge support visit http://bit.ly/dDje42

About Climate Savers Computing Initiative

CSCI works to reduce IT energy consumption by increasing the energy efficiency of computing equipment, increasing the adoption and deployment of power management, and providing education about the financial and environmental benefits of energy efficient computing. CSCI has long partnered with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) ENERGY STAR program to accelerate the adoption of energy-saving technology and practices. The Initiative provides technical input into ENERGY STAR specifications and recommends systems that have earned the ENERGY STAR, so CSCI members and others can easily identify and procure energy efficient systems. The organization offers an online catalog of PCs, laptops, servers, power supplies and power management software that meet CSCI technical specifications for energy efficiency at http://bit.ly/ba9PDy. Visit and interact with CSCI on

the Web www.climatesaverscomputing.org,

Facebook http://on.fb.me/MJhVU,

Twitter  http://twitter.com/csci_tweets  (#CSCI),

LinkedIn http://www.linkedin.com/groups?gid=44067&mostPopular=&trk=tyah

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Climate Savers® is a trademark or registered trademark of WWF, the international conservation organization. Used under license.

Contact:

Russ DeVeau

Email- russdeveau@comcast.net

Mobile/Text- 908-251-1549

Reflections on The Uptime Institute's 2011 Symposium

Two weeks ago, I had the pleasure of participating in The Uptime Institute's (UI) 2011 Symposium (http://symposium.uptimeinstitute.com/).  This annual gathering has previously focused almost exclusively on issues in data center infrastructure: HVAC, power distribution, and the like.  However, this year the folks at UI added a third program day with a focus on carbon and energy-efficiency issues associated with the "IT load" in the data center; that's what some of us call, "computers."

1. There are some solidly established data center infrastructure design and implementation best practices that will reduce energy use -- and, thus, carbon emissions -- of that infrastructure. These best practices are most often used in new, large data centers and use of them has not broadly extended down into smaller or older centers. So, there remains room for carbon and energy improvement at that level.
2. Data center operators and the organizations that actually run the IT equipment in the data centers are almost always in different organizations or even companies. In the case of co-location centers (where the IT organization has a Bring Your Own Servers model and effectively rents rack space & power) there is an even more tenuous connection between infrastructure and IT. This tends to result in a lack of clear motivation for the IT folk to reduce their energy use (e.g., through energy-efficient servers and adopting the power management features now appearing in servers) since they don't see the energy bills in terms of their use. Further, the data center operators have no visibility into what the IT systems are doing and, so, don't see the opportunities for improvements.
3. Progress made in the past decade on PC power management outside the data center is starting to find its way into the data center. When combined with techniques like server consolidation and virtualization, server power management stands ready to help achieve real reductions in data center server energy use. CSCI member company 1E was at the Symposium and talking about this topic; their "Nightwatchman Server Edition" product is one of the early entries in this move from desktop power management into the data center.
4. Just as is true elsewhere in the enterprise, the lack of connection between those paying the energy bills and those using the energy is blunting a potentially strong motivation for reductions in energy use. The company departments using desktop systems in office buildings have no visibility into the fact that their on-all-night computers are costing the company money; neither do the IT folk with underused or unused servers using energy and HVAC in the data center. There were a few case studies presented during the week that showed how this lack of connection and visibility can be addressed.

I was on the final panel session of the third day at the Symposium, on the topic of, "The Greening of IT." UI's Andy Lawrence moderated this discussion of "successes, failures, and the future" with Jon Haas (The Green Grid), KC Mares (Silicon Valley Leadership Group), Bruce Myatt (Critical Facilities Round Table), Pitt Turner (Uptime Institute), and yours truly for CSCI. The conversation ranged across topics I've mentioned above, but one thing seemed to be nearly universally agreed: the time has come to drive connections between the "infrastructure" and "IT" populations to make the next-level of progress in reducing energy and environmental impact from data centers.

Now comes the actual doing!