As time passes, consumers and businesses alike are placing more emphasis on sustainability. However, this isn’t confined to spaces like the automotive or manufacturing industries.
Green computing and sustainable IT infrastructure support are receiving more attention. Using sustainable IT practices comes with many benefits, but not everybody understands how to get started. The good news is that this process is easier than it seems.
We’ve written a brief guide on how you can integrate IT infrastructure support to minimize your company’s digital footprint. Let’s explore the key information you should keep in mind when moving forward.
Optimize Device Lifespan
Chances are you use a large number of different devices at your company. These typically include phones, laptops, tablets, and industry-specific hardware. When these lose their efficiency or new versions are released, companies tend to replace them.
The same can be said when vendors stop providing support for certain hardware models. However, getting rid of devices too early can harm your company’s digital footprint.
You can maximize your device lifespan by training your employees to fully utilize what’s available. While newer hardware may be nicer to look at and work with, it’s not always necessary.
You should also limit the number of devices used for each task. Not only does this streamline workflow, but it also reduces the total number of devices you’ll need to replace. When it comes time to purchase new devices, don’t throw away your old ones.
It’s best to donate or recycle them when possible. This helps ensure you don’t cause a negative environmental impact.
You’ll likely be surprised at how far you can take this policy when you implement it the right way. If possible, consider purchasing used or refurbished devices.
These come at a lower price point and have less of an environmental impact. Many companies that offer refurbished devices conduct comprehensive tests. More often than not, these devices will be in “like new” condition.
Centralize Data
Centralizing data at your organization makes it far more accessible. This prevents you from having to transfer information across different platforms as often.
One of the best ways to do this is by using a shared drive. This doesn’t allow you to eliminate data transfer. However, it can reduce the number of scenarios where you need to send files back and forth between different locations.
To make the most of this opportunity, ensure that only the appropriate parties have access to shared drive data. Otherwise, dozens or even hundreds of unauthorized users could make transfer requests.
It’s also possible to use third-party platforms to streamline this obligation. These ease collaboration and make it possible to work closely together as a team. They also tend to have project management functionality to further improve performance.
It’s worth noting that video calls and teleconferences require large amounts of data compared to other forms of communication. Unless video is necessary, it’s best to keep these calls audio-only. There are also many situations where it’s more appropriate to use text-based chat to communicate with clients and employees.
Limit Cloud Usage
It’s no secret that cloud technology is one of the most powerful tools companies can leverage. It provides fast access to relevant information from anywhere that has an Internet connection.
It also reduces the amount of hardware you need at your company, something that can save you thousands of dollars. However, misusing cloud resources can have a major impact on your digital footprint.
Cloud applications work best when they have resource limitations in place. This allows you to limit consumption until it’s necessary. For this reason, many companies implement pay-as-you-use cloud models.
Not only does this minimize your environmental impact, but it also saves money. Unfortunately, there are plenty of businesses out there with no resource limitations in place.
Their applications are also unoptimized, causing them to use more resources than necessary whenever they access them. Legacy apps are a common cause of this issue.
They tend to use 100% of processing power even if they only require a fraction of this amount. Running a few of these apps at the same time can quickly drain your resources without providing a notable boost in performance. This tends to consume a large amount of electricity, as well.
Measure Carbon Use
There are several ways you can collect this information regarding your digital devices. One of the most straightforward is to look at your energy usage. This offers enough insight to extrapolate your digital footprint.
Going this route is only recommended for small businesses, though. Larger companies will find this tedious and impractical. Large organizations are better off working with a vendor that specializes in measuring this information.
Regardless of how you gain access to this data, it’s essential to do so regularly. You can quickly make the necessary changes from here and control your carbon use.
Work With a Professional
A professional IT infrastructure support manager has the tools and resources to help you implement sustainable IT practices. Many people work with managed IT firms so they can gain access to this knowledge. Without them, your IT infrastructure support operations will likely fall well beneath your goals.
When searching for someone to hire for IT infrastructure support, consider their reputation among previous clients. They should have plenty of positive feedback, and a simple Google search is often all it takes to find the information you need.
Keep an eye out for fake reviews when browsing different IT infrastructure support options. These are often posted in large batches and contain many of the same keywords. They could be negative or positive, and it’s essential to ignore them when you’re making your decision.
Look into their pricing structure before you make your decision. IT infrastructure support managers should be fully transparent about what you’ll pay so you can avoid financial surprises. However, it’s also important to avoid the cheapest firms you find.
These often underdeliver, causing you to waste time and money. This doesn’t mean you need to spend as much as possible, though.
There’s a point of diminishing returns regarding how much you pay for IT infrastructure support services. Somewhere in the middle of the price range can help you meet your needs without stretching your budget.
How easy is the IT infrastructure support team to get in touch with? It’s essential to have access to reliable IT infrastructure support when problems arise.
Dealing with problems on your own is impractical and sometimes even impossible. With enough vigilance during your search, you shouldn’t have an issue getting the results you need from your IT infrastructure support team.
Activities That Contribute
To further reduce your digital carbon footprint, it’s essential to understand the activities that contribute to it. This will help ensure you can avoid them at your organization. Listed below are some of the most notable.
Screen Time
The frequency and duration of screen time is one of the most notable contributing factors. This includes virtually all activities, such as streaming videos, browsing the Internet, or using online apps. These affect the device’s energy usage and contribute to the company’s overall carbon footprint.
Device Usage
Many people overlook that the type of devices you use plays a role in how much energy you consume. As you might guess, smaller devices (such as smartphones) tend to use less energy than larger ones (like servers). Newer devices tend to be more energy efficient than others, and it’s important to keep this in mind when looking for additions or replacements.
File Sharing/Cloud Storage
Sharing, downloading, and uploading files to the cloud requires data transmission. This process contributes to your company’s overall energy consumption.
Businesses that work with large amounts of data can use substantial amounts of energy in short periods. This problem can become exacerbated when you work with large data centers or have a large network.
Data Streaming
As previously mentioned, streaming video impacts the amount of energy you use. The same concept applies to music and other forms of media, as well. While data streaming isn’t inherently bad, there should be policies in place that minimize unnecessary streaming.
Email and Other Digital Communication
Using email, social media, and similar platforms to communicate requires data transfer. Each instance is negligible in terms of impact. When you have hundreds or thousands of employees sending unnecessary messages, though, problems can arise.
Online Services
It’s not uncommon for businesses to leverage online services. The more of them you use, the larger your digital footprint will be.
Many companies use unnecessary services to save a negligible amount of time on basic tasks. Avoiding situations like these is a great step you can take.
Don’t Neglect Green IT Infrastructure Support
When leveraged correctly, green IT infrastructure support can take your company’s sustainability to the next level. The information in this guide will help ensure you hit the ground running and avoid issues you may have otherwise encountered. Just be sure you work with the right IT infrastructure support provider.
Vertical IT Solutions is a premier technology service company based in Chino, California. We aim to reduce stress and help you quickly grow your company, and would love to be your IT infrastructure support team.
We own our cloud infrastructure, and we create customized IT infrastructure support plans for our clients. You’ll learn more about the benefits we can provide when you book a consultation today.