Jobs versus environment - what wins? By Carol Wilson

Views and Opinions on Green IT (Sep 7 2009) Cloud Computing

1. 

   
   

   Given the considerable presence of the U.S. auto industry in Michigan, that state has been particularly hard hit by the current economic downturn. So when state government goes on an IT efficiency kick and decides to systemically reduce its costs by consolidating operations and eliminating duplication among state agencies, you have to applaud.

   When the state goes one step further and plans to build a massive 100,000 square foot data center to host not only all state government applications but also those of local governments who are struggling, should we clap louder?

   Yes and no.

   On the one hand, the newly announced Great Lakes Information and Technology Center will bring new jobs to a depressed area and well-paying jobs of the future at that. By creating “a public-sector cloud,” as state CIO Ken Theis calls it, Michigan is offering managed services and data hosting to municipal and county governments hard hit by the loss of tax revenues in a down economy.  Every U.S. taxpayer likes to see government units operating more efficiently and a consolidated data center seems to make sense and to be more ecologically friendly than many smaller data centers, scattered about the state, consuming electricity while not operating at full capacity.

   Theis says the new data center will built to be as energy efficient as possible, and that also makes sense. But there is no mention in Michigan’s plans for how much of the center’s electrical power will come from renewable sources. When building something this large from scratch, that should be a priority. Michigan is also stressing the value of keeping its data center within its own borders, rather than seeing that business move offshore.

   Certainly, in these tough economic times, it’s hard to argue with that thinking. But in the long run, building a major data center that doesn’t take advantage of the most cost-effective and highly renewable sources of energy may have negative repercussions that offset the near-term economic issues.

   These are times of tough choices and it will be interesting to see how Michigan’s choices play out. 

   
   

   Bookmark or Share this article

Login to comment.