PC Power Management Solutions

[ayash8]

A question for IT pros in large scale organizations:
Does your organization use any sort of PC Power Management solution?
If so - which one, how/why did you select it, and is it making a significant impact on your PC network's electricity consumption and related costs?

[rproffitt]

Over the years we reduced power by moving from desktops to laptops. Such a transition was planned and worked well. We didn't have to find a solution as laptops came down in price along with power requirements.

Facilities did adopt more efficient lighting early on. Now almost all LED with big savings. I worry that the folk that sell management solutions or software would be disappointed.

[ayash8]

Interesting take re the move from desktops to laptops, rproffitt .
You make a valid point, but I wonder if this would be a feasible move for large scale organizations (like universities, hospitals, and such) with networks of hundreds or thousands of PCs... I'd think there still would be a need for solutions of this sort.

[rproffitt]

@ayash8, in fact yes. The large scal orgs I had the priviledge of working with are moving or have moved to less power hungry systems. And to top it off, some states incentivize the lighting changes with rebates or outright grants.

You present a good idea but I've yet to see it done for well, many reasons. The first is that you can cut power using the natural turnove of systems and of course a lighting change that your software approach would be considered difficult to implement by those I see run the show.

[ayash8]

@rproffitt, the LED/lighting issues are an interesting case, but I'm actually less interested in that direction (as I'm less familiar with solutions in that area); my initial question was about saving on PC networks' electricity bills, because I recently started working with PowerPlug (and they provide a solution for PC Power Management - PowerPlug Pro) and I was interested in hearing about experiences others may have had with competing/similar products. Hope that makes things clearer now. :)

[rproffitt]

Ahh, some remote controlled power plug. That would infuriate a group of programmers I know that IT would have the audacity to shutdown their workstation remotely. They had such a thing one time and it caused them to miss a scheduled delivery so they never allowed IT to install remote control ever again. A powerplug would be just as bad. No sale there.

I wonder if you are in parts of the world where the desktop still rules. Then I can see why you are going down this path.