Green Storage Programs

The Green Storage Initiative (GSI) was chartered out of the Green Storage Task Force, begun in the spring of 2007. The Green Storage Task Force, realizing the multi-faceted challenge of managing energy in the data center, decided to keep its focus on its area of expertise. The GSI member companies will address the efficiencies and management challenges of networked storage in running a more energy-efficient data center. Through collaborative linkages and liaison alliances with other stakeholders, the GSI will endeavor to develop best practices in the efficient use of power in networked storage. Through educational, marketing, and the sponsorship of SNIA Technical Work Groups like the Green Storage TWG, the GSI will advance its comparatively narrow agenda in a way that supports the best efforts of other groups and technologies.

Programs: Educational Awareness, Solutions Development

The GSI addresses topical issues of concern to the storage networking and information management industries. Its focus is on energy and technological efficiencies in networked storage. In addition to the creation of Green Storage Tutorials, GSI has developed developed , best practices documents for data center managers, print collateral, and other awareness-raising activities. As the Green TWG reaches consensus on metrics or energy use and "digital load" in storage, the GSI will serve as an advocate to support the findings of the TWG and continue to develop alliance relationships with other organizations working in the IT world on environmental matters.

The Green Storage Challenge

Thoughtful members of our community and member companies have identified the unique role that digital storage plays in our world, and how vital the goal of energy efficiency will be in supporting storage and information. The GSI's programs focus on a landscape that is challenged by both unparalleled growth in storage, and the costs (both environmental and economical) of increasing energy consumption. Other "facts on the ground" include the following:

• Storage data continues to grow at exponential rates
• Providing increased storage capacity requires more electrical power and data center cooling infrastructure
• Power is becoming increasingly scarce, expensive, and will become a major portion of data center budgets
• Little focus on power and environmental issues around networked storage

The GSI will focus on ways that it can serve the networked storage and information management industries, creating programs, providing educational awareness, and supporting solutions that will continue to improve networked storage efficiencies in the future. Our programs have included awareness-raising meetings at SNIA Symposia meetings and Storage Networking World conferences, and are focused on creating a rich set of collaborative opportunities for the GSI.

As initial committees are created to meet the educational, marketing, and technical needs of the , there will be opportunities for leadership and service within SNIA GSI. All companies are encouraged to join, get involved, and to help develop the agenda. For more information, please see our join page or contact GSI@snia.org.

• Green Storage Technical Work Group
• Green Storage Power Measurement Specification