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Save energy with a shared e-infrastructure

If educational and research institutions outsource their IT to a shared e-infrastructure, this can result in significant energy savings. It is estimated that these savings could run into tens of per cent.

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Examples of shared e-infrastructure

Examples of shared e-infrastructure include the joint use of a data centre, the sharing of computing capacity or data storage, a shared platform for research data management, a joint email environment provided by a commercial supplier, or a shared application for student administration. A federated cloud is a special case of e-infrastructure, whereby it is both provided and utilised between institutions.

More energy-efficient due to economies of scale

The reduction in energy consumption when switching from an on-premises setup to e-infrastructure is mainly due to the larger scale of interconnected IT equipment. With economies of scale, IT equipment can be utilised much more efficiently. This means fewer devices are required, and consequently less energy is consumed. Furthermore, e-infrastructure is usually newer, and the IT equipment and infrastructure are more modern and energy-efficient.

Demand maximum CO2 and energy efficiency

We make a number of recommendations for organisations wishing to make their IT more sustainable. The most important are: demand maximum CO2 and energy efficiency from your e-infrastructure provider; aim for maximum scale in the e-infrastructure; and organise your own business processes sustainably.

Towards a shared e-infrastructure

The report does not aim to provide a complete and detailed answer to the subject under investigation. It contains a summary of the key points for attention and an initial attempt at quantification. These help institutions to shape their own transition from on-premise IT to IT in the e-infrastructure from a sustainability perspective. The report also enables you to substantiate the transition with arguments and figures. As an appendix to the report ‘Sustainable in the e-infrastructure’, we have drawn up a clear checklist. This contains sustainability criteria for higher education and research institutions when deciding to switch from on-premise IT to IT in the e-infrastructure.