Accenture has a post using the example of Security being a change in behaviors, not just new equipment.
Security: The Green Glue
Posted at Oct. 16, 2008 04:10 PM CST
By Andrew Skinner, UK Data Center Technology & Operations
Last week I was lucky enough to be invited to present Accenture's point of view on Green IT to an audience at the European Symantec Vision event. The key concept is that green IT is not simply about buying new hardware but should actually be about changing the way in which IT is used within the business. I introduced the topic with the example of a merger (clearly a very topical issue in the financial sector at present) to explain what I mean. The new organization would have two e-mail systems running on two sets of server hardware. Should the organization refresh this hardware to make it more efficient—or should it begin by rationalizing its applications?*
Andrew is hopeful.
What became clear was that this move toward the virtual organization will challenge many organizations both technically and socially. The movement of data to processing centers and the accessing of data by a mobile workforce will send palpitations through the security teams within the organization, challenging how security is enabled. For too long we have used the physical walls of the facilities in place of appropriately implemented policies that control and monitor data movement—but the green agenda will challenge this. On one hand we are talking to our clients about supporting remote working, but on the other, organizations do not yet have the ability to control this mobile workforce, what data they are able to access and how much they can see.
Security solutions will become the "green glue" over the coming years, with the solutions to reduce the impact of IT on the environment reliant on properly implemented security solutions at a corporate level.
But will Security + Green IT = Green Glue or a New Conflict?
Many security groups have grow in size and budget over the last ten years. While Green is an effort to be more efficient eliminating waste and reducing the use of resources. Security has been able to implement HW, SW, and new processes for security.
As I just posted on sacred cows. Security has many Sacred Cows.
How about if the Security Group Manager also picks up responsibility for Green IT? Security is one of those services that goes across many groups, requiring collaboration to create better security. The challenge is to be secure and greener.
I wrote on the Green + Security + Virtualization topic previously.