We love cloud computing. There are so many ways that cloud computing improves a business. Businesses can expect to lower their power usage when not hosting their own server environment. There is also the cost saving associated with not purchasing or leasing server hardware. Servers do not take care of themselves, so businesses get the added benefit of lower IT admin costs. For now, we’ll focus on the environmental sustainability aspect of cloud computing.
We wish there were more studies on this topic. That being said, we are thankful that Accenture, Microsoft and WSP Environment and Energy have done a study on the environmental benefits of utilizing cloud computing in a business environment. The study is focused specifically on the benefits of utilizing Microsoft Cloud Computing systems (Sharepoint, Exchange and Dynamics CRM). While this study may focus on these products, the results could easily be applied to other cloud solutions such as Google Apps, cloud CRM solutions and Dropbox file sharing.
At Altitude Integrations, we always try to find ways to use technology in a more sustainable manner without compromising efficiency. The great thing about cloud computing is that there are gains in both efficiency and sustainability. After implementing Google Apps as a solution in a business, their total IT costs drop, their power consumption drops and their efficiency increases. This means benefits in the bottom line for these businesses. That excites us.
For more information on the benefits of Google Apps, check out our blog post, “10 Reasons Why Google Apps is the Perfect Solution for Your Business“.
To read the Cloud Computing study in its entirety, just download it here Cloud Computing and Sustainability Whitepaper Nov 2010.