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When Does Powering Down Servers Make Sense?
snydeq writes "Powering down servers to conserve energy is a controversial practice that, if undertaken wisely, could greatly benefit IT in its quest to rein in energy costs in the datacenter. Though power cycling's long-term effects on server hardware may be mythical, its effects on IT and business operations are certainly real and often detrimental. Yet, development, staging, batch processing, failover — several server environments seem like prime candidates for routine power cycling to reduce datacenter energy consumption. Under what conditions and in what environments does powering down servers seem to make the most economic and operational sense, and what tips do folks have to offer to those considering making use of the practice?"
Because you want to save the planet?
>> As long as power use is built into the fixed price I pay for the cabinet I rent at the colo, I'll never turn off my servers if I don't need to. Why would I?
Maybe because you care about our planet? Your attitude exemplifies the "Somebody Else's Problem" response... if everyone thinks like you, we're doomed. Maybe your single rack isn't going to change the world, but it certainly plays its part.
MadCow.
I used to have a sig, but I set it free and it never came back.