Datacenter “greening” periodically goes in and out of fashion. Usually driven by broader economic factors, IT professionals tend to mull the notion of going green when the broader public debate over energy prices and climate change reaches a fever pitch. With the recent discussion at Copenhagen again bringing climate issues to the front of the global economic community, talk of green has again arisen in the IT world.

The latest from Forrester Research is that regulation won’t drive the adoption of green IT solutions. In a survey of IT professionals at 600 companies around the world, regulatory compliance ranked #7, garnering only 16 percent of responses. Unsurprisingly, cost drivers were most important. Sixty-six percent of respondents indicated that energy cost savings could lead to the proliferation of green IT solutions, with 42 percent citing the ability to cut IT operating expenses.

This trend mirrors the broader business community, in which nebulous concepts such as “corporate social responsibility” do not influence strategic decisions, and regulation is generally seen as a last alternative. For green to take the datacenter by storm, it will have to deliver clear business results that have nothing to do with climate or goodwill.

The future of the green data center will be determined by good ol’ fashion cost containment and disciplined budget management. If you can demonstrate a financial benefit to your clients, green becomes viable — even attractive.

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[Source: Forrester Research]