Virtualization The pervasiveness of computing equipment has long made IT departments a significant source of environmental impact. Consolidating hardware combines sound business ethics with good business sense and virtualization provides the winning solution. Virtualization eliminates server sprawl, reduces costs related to space, energy consumption and maintenance, prevents unwanted impact from one application to another during updates or changes, allows for the deployment of multiple OS technologies from a single platform and provides progressive mobile solutions. A 2004 report by United Nations University shows that, on average, the production of a single piece of computing equipment requires ten times its weight in hazardous chemicals and fossil fuels. According to the EPA, the U.S. disposed of 2.9 million tons of electronic waste in 2006, of which only 11.4% were recycled. The remaining 88.6% ended up in landfills and incinerators, releasing toxins into air and groundwater. E-Waste represents the fastest growing municipal waste stream in the U.S., largely due to corporate activity and this trend will only increase as the integration of business and technology continues towards a singular cohesion. With these developments in mind, server virtualization and Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) solutions are clearly a necessity in the attainment of corporate environmental accountability.
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