Poster Session #2: UC Ballroom
Sustainable Computing Through Desktop Virtualization
Presentation Type
Poster
Faculty Mentor’s Full Name
Tom Gallagher
Faculty Mentor’s Department
Applied Computer and Electronics
Abstract / Artist's Statement
Green IT involves implementing sustainable practices in computing and information technology and centers around four core concepts; virtualization, workforce mobility, e-waste recycling and energy efficiency. The University of Montana’s Climate Action Plan outlines strategies for achieving campus-wide carbon neutrality by 2020. Desktop computers in a university environment are significant overall contributors to the university’s carbon footprint. Energy-wise IT is presented in the Climate Action Plan as a strategy for achieving greater energy efficiency and conservation. Our study implemented the four core concepts of Green IT by using a virtualized Windows desktop (operating system was housed on a server and distributed to user via network connection), remote VPN (Virtualized Private Network), repurposing and re-commissioning of legacy hardware and the use of energy efficient thin-client devices. Our study focused on information workers at The University of Montana. Three categories of the information worker were defined as; faculty, staff and kiosk users. Our study had two users from each group. The energy output of each user’s normal workstation was measured for approximately one week and compared with energy output of the virtual desktop environment including the client and server. The first client consisted of a re-commissioned legacy desktop computer that was stripped of the internal components and booted from solid state media. The second client was an energy efficient thin-client computing device that was completely dependent on the server to perform. The data was gathered and extrapolated to the larger university system to measure the reduction in carbon footprint that could be achieved through energy efficient thin-client devices and the repurposed workstation model.
Sustainable Computing Through Desktop Virtualization
UC Ballroom
Green IT involves implementing sustainable practices in computing and information technology and centers around four core concepts; virtualization, workforce mobility, e-waste recycling and energy efficiency. The University of Montana’s Climate Action Plan outlines strategies for achieving campus-wide carbon neutrality by 2020. Desktop computers in a university environment are significant overall contributors to the university’s carbon footprint. Energy-wise IT is presented in the Climate Action Plan as a strategy for achieving greater energy efficiency and conservation. Our study implemented the four core concepts of Green IT by using a virtualized Windows desktop (operating system was housed on a server and distributed to user via network connection), remote VPN (Virtualized Private Network), repurposing and re-commissioning of legacy hardware and the use of energy efficient thin-client devices. Our study focused on information workers at The University of Montana. Three categories of the information worker were defined as; faculty, staff and kiosk users. Our study had two users from each group. The energy output of each user’s normal workstation was measured for approximately one week and compared with energy output of the virtual desktop environment including the client and server. The first client consisted of a re-commissioned legacy desktop computer that was stripped of the internal components and booted from solid state media. The second client was an energy efficient thin-client computing device that was completely dependent on the server to perform. The data was gathered and extrapolated to the larger university system to measure the reduction in carbon footprint that could be achieved through energy efficient thin-client devices and the repurposed workstation model.