IBM adds to datacentre energy tracking tools

IBM is increasing the capability of its intelligent power management for datacentres and turning its carbon credit trading program into a more global offering.

It's part of an ongoing rollout by IBM under its "new enterprise datacentre" effort, intended in part to make it easier for IT managers to demonstrate that they're improving their energy efficiency.

Better management will lead to better measurement and benchmarking - the latter, something IBM is offering through a free tool developed by The Bathwick Group, a UK-based research and consulting firm. IBM says this tool will allow IT managers to compare energy usage with other firms.

At the IBM PartnerWorld conference at which the upgrades were announced, Jim Stallings, general manager of its Enterprise Systems Division, said datacentres "are out of power, out of space and out of skills."

Stallings said IT managers are also spending too much of their budgets on operating costs, diverting money that would otherwise go to new initiatives, including green-focused projects.

The upgrade to the firm's power management package, IBM Systems Director Active Energy Manager, includes integration with Liebert SiteScan from Emerson Network Power, a third-party tool for monitoring and controlling environmental and UPS systems. Integration with other vendor products is planned.

The Energy Manager monitors power usage on IT equipment, to track and even cap it as needed. The upgrade will allow too for information gathered by sensors placed in the datacentre; such sensors can monitor changes in the environment and adjust power and cooling systems to meet changing needs.

IBM also expanded its energy certificate program beyond North America to include 34 countries, among them the United Kingdom, France, Germany, India, China and Japan.

Documented energy savings, verified by a third party, Neuwing Energy Ventures, can result in certificates tradable on carbon markets.