In an era of digitalization, the volume of data processed is increasing, with adverse environmental consequences. Demand for data centers and IT infrastructure continues to grow and the entire lifecycle of IT equipment, from production to usage and disposal, significantly contributes to environmental pollution and CO2 emissions. The Green IT Movement emerged in response to the negative impact of IT operations on the environment.
Third Party Maintenance predates the Green IT Movement and was for the purpose of cost savings, not sustainability, causing many to claim it is outside of the Green IT Movement. However, it can be argued that one of the most straightforward ways to reduce CO2 emissions in the data center industry was to extend the life span of hardware, a core focus of Third Party Maintenance. With Third Party Maintenance, you chose when to refresh IT infrastructure rather than relying on the dictates of OEMs.
While the latest technology is more energy efficient, most recent studies show that they do not justify the emissions generated in the production phase. No matter which side of the debate you are on, there is no doubt that Third Party Maintenance and extending the lifetime of hardware can be beneficial for our environment.