Hardware Reference
In-Depth Information
Both the U.S. and U.K. versions of the Strata exam objectives include two specifi c green
building infrastructure topics:
Eliminating Cool Air Leaks in Server Rooms
If servers are kept in a room that is
signifi cantly cooler than the rest of the facility (which is a good idea, as mentioned earlier,
to extend the server's life), make sure the room is well insulated, with tight-fi tting seals at
the doors and windows.
Proper Spacing for Cooling IT Equipment
When you use fans or air conditioning to keep
IT equipment cool, allowing space for the air to fl ow between items makes the cooling
process easier and more effi cient. Placing rows of servers tightly in racks is ill advised
because they will keep each other hot.
The U.S. version of the Strata exam also includes a third topic under the heading Green
Building Infrastructure. It's arguably not really an infrastructure issue, but an issue for
individual PCs:
Energy-Efficient Cooling Fans (BIOS Adjustable)
Some PCs include a temperature sensor
inside that enables the BIOS to adjust the fan speed according to the temperature it registers.
This enables the fan to slow down, so that it uses less energy, whenever the fan isn't needed
to keep the system at a safe running temperature.
Cloud Computing
Cloud computing
means performing computing activities by accessing the network or Internet,
rather than by using applications and data stored on your own individual computer. The
term
cloud computing
derives from the fact that a picture of a cloud is often used in network
diagrams to signify a wide area network (WAN) such as the Internet.
Many businesses are fi nding that it's much more economical to buy access to the
applications they need, and have employees access them over the Internet, than it is
to buy individual copies of the applications for each employee's PC and then pay
someone to support them. It's also more energy-effi cient, because applications and
updates are delivered electronically rather than as boxed software (which uses energy
in the manufacture of the discs and boxes, and in the transportation of the boxes to the
destination). Microsoft Offi ce 365 offers online access to Offi ce applications for a smaller
price than the regular Offi ce product, for example, and many free services like Google
Docs and Zoho offer services equivalent to Microsoft Offi ce for free (or nearly free).
Cloud computing can also include using the processing resources of a remote server instead
of those of your own PC. For example, if you need to perform a complex sort on an online
database, you issue the command to the database program remotely, and then the server on
which the database is stored handles the processing burden of that task. Therefore, your local
PC doesn't need to have a large amount of RAM and a fast CPU to perform such a task.
Voice over IP (VoIP)
Voice over IP (VoIP)
is a technology that uses the Internet rather than a public switched
telephone network to deliver telephone services. A company that uses VoIP for its phone
