Green Networking - Google's Data Centres

Google's released an interesting set of documents and videos out detailing their set-up in their brand new Green Data Centres.

You can check it out on:

http://www.google.com/corporate/green/datacenters/summit.html

Whilst other industries have been under intense pressure to reduce their Carbon emissions, the ICT Industry has, so far, not done that much. Of course, the energy rating of computers and telecom equipment has been in the spotlight and most hardware manufacturers have displayed Energy Star ratings, but our ever increasing thirst for information has asked for faster and faster data centres. And that means more servers, more speed, more energy consumption and more heat to get rid of.

As other industries have complied with a reduction of carbon emissions, so will the ICT industry. Google's current initiative is pioneering. Others will no doubt follow. The physical topology of the Internet network might be changed radically, as data centers located in the middle of towns make way for out of town more secure mega-facilities built close to cheap and clean energy, and expandable at will.