Cloud computing offers a number of benefits to public sector organizations, especially in the face of rising energy costs. Here, QuickThink Cloud examines the potential savings of the green cloud
Going green cloud isn’t just common sense; it is also an environmental imperative. Public sector organizations are facing increased pressure to move their operations to the cloud, both from stakeholders and from the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy.
And with good reason: According to the Microsoft-WSP collaboration study, cloud computing can improve energy efficiency by 93% and produce 98% fewer greenhouse gas emissions than on-premises IT infrastructures.
energy efficiency targets
With better resource management, optimized data storage and the ability to adapt workloads to renewable energy availability; The green IT revolution is here. It’s time for public sector organizations to arm themselves with concrete means of making significant energy savings. We’re here to show you how.
what is the green cloud
A green cloud is an approach to cloud computing that aims to reduce the energy consumption and environmental impact of using digital devices and systems. Cloud services are inherently more sustainable than on-premises IT infrastructure. Public cloud data centers not only use energy more efficiently and offer fixed pricing structures, but they are also able to consolidate the energy needs of multiple organizations and thereby better manage resource utilization.
Although public sector organizations can be wary of the disruptions caused by cloud migrations, the entire process can be completed in a matter of days with best-in-class standards. And while every organization will be different, one report claims cloud migrations have the potential to reduce energy use by 65% and carbon emissions by 84%. Total cost of ownership savings are as much as 30-40%!
For many public sector organizations dealing with public pressure and rising energy costs, these statistics will be tempting. The good news is that harnessing the power of green cloud computing is within your reach – you just need an experienced cloud partner to get you there.
How cloud computing can increase energy efficiency in the public sector
Less hardware
The migration of on-premises IT systems to the cloud means that companies do not need their own hardware to run software and applications. Instead of companies managing their own devices, a cloud hosting provider can take on the load, hosting and provisioning IT infrastructure with greater efficiency and scale.
This means businesses use less energy and produce far less IT waste at the end of its lifecycle. In 2019, the volume of e-waste reached 53.6 million tons – a figure that urgently needs to be addressed.
High Density Storage
Servers must run 24/7 with high-carbon equipment, which consumes massive amounts of energy and emits large amounts of greenhouse gases in the process. Cloud computing requires less physical hardware to run large workloads and store large amounts of data, making it a more efficient way of running ERP systems and applications. And using fewer resources means lower organizational costs.
Consolidated demand
Working with a cloud hosting provider to manage their IT infrastructure allows organizations to run multiple applications on the same server and even securely share server space with other organizations to limit energy wastage. This means fewer physical servers overall are required to deploy the same ERP software and applications, and resources can be shared across the network. Organizations working in multiple locations can also consolidate their cloud infrastructure, with many who have migrated reporting faster speeds – and therefore lower energy consumption.
Efficient use of resources
An important feature to note about cloud computing is its flexibility. This means providers can dynamically scale resources up and down to meet demand, but limit potential energy wastage. This flexible allocation of resources means companies only pay for what they use and provides another avenue to lower costs and reduce direct emissions. Cloud providers can also manage workload according to renewable energy availability, allowing public sector workers to reduce their reliance on carbon-derived fuels.
Optimized data center
It is important to understand that not all cloud services are created equal. Cloud data centers can of course run with better energy efficiency given their size, but not all of them will implement sustainability best practices. From the data center cooling system to e-waste management, a number of factors contribute to your provider’s overall carbon footprint. At QuickThink Cloud, our hosting partners have received awards for their energy saving initiatives, including the SIG GIGA Trophy for implementing innovative systems to efficiently cool their data centers.
Indirect Benefits
Shifting to the cloud can increase organizational sustainability in a number of other ways as well. First and foremost, it facilitates the hybrid and remote work trend, minimizing emissions and employee energy consumption for commuting to and from work. It can also enable companies to harness the power of virtual productivity tools and thereby produce less paper waste. For any public sector organization looking to improve its environmental profile, moving to the cloud is an essential first step.
Public Sector Cloud Hosting: It’s time to make the switch
Energy efficient cloud hosting for the public sector
Soaring energy costs and increasing demands on the public sector to meet environmental targets mean there has never been a better time to move to the cloud.
QuickThink Cloud provides public sector organizations with ERP and UNIT4 cloud hosting, managed services and expert technical advice. We believe that the public sector deserves to reap the rewards of a streamlined, streamlined and energy-efficient IT infrastructure – and should never settle for second best. Ready to go green? Let us realize your transformation.