• 
• Click to play or Right-Click | Save As to download: What’s Driving the US Data Center Market in 2010?

• 
• Click to play or Right-Click | Save As to download: The Evolution of the Customer Specific Datacenter Alternative

• 
• Click to play or Right-Click | Save As to download: Where are new datacentres being built?

• 
• Click to play or Right-Click | Save As to download: Chiller Side Chat with Michael Manos

• 
• Click to play or Right-Click | Save As to download: Data Center Regulation

• 
• Click to play or Right-Click | Save As to download: The Myth of Data Center Metrics

I can understand Manos’ concerns, but I think he’s on the wrong track. The federal government is very unlikely to issue strict green regulations related to data centers. And if they do regulate them in some way, the regulations will no doubt be reasonable. The current administration is very technology-savvy — after all, the current Secretary of Energy Steven Chu was recently the director of the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, whose work was heavily dependent on its data center. Chu did some great work related to Green IT when at the labs. He knows what can and can’t be done — and will make sure that data centers aren’t hamstrung with unnecessary regulation.

I guess for clarity sake I should state unequivocally that I do not believe that Data Centers will specifically be targeted or singled out for regulation.   Domestically here in the United States the EPA has kicked off its Energy Star Data Center evaluation which looks to study data centers as a sector, and something may come out of that, but in all honesty that wont be for some time.  I think the more immediate threat is in the efforts around Carbon Cap and Trade.  As the Greener Computing Article calls out, it was front and center at the G8 meetings.   With the UK leading the charge and the only real legislation on the books in this space, it would be hard for the other countries not to use it as the base for their programs.   My previous post focuses specifically on the fact that Data Centers will end up being significant contributing factors to Carbon metrics for companies.  Data Center Managers just aren’t thinking about it, and wont be until its far too late.

While I am hopeful that leaders like Steven Chu and the Obama administration will weigh all possible aspects in a Carbon Cap and Trade program, the fact remains that they will need to legislate to the least common denominator and data centers are unlikely to be called out unless there is a group specifically calling attention to it.  Ergo my call for an industry wide group lobbying on its behalf.     I have doubts they will altruistically incorporate all possible sub cases into the mix without that kind of pressure.   President Obama frankly has bigger problems to be thinking about in my opinion.

I am reminded of a quote from another excellent communicator and activist president, Ronald Reagan:

“The nine most terrifying words in the English language are: ‘I’m from the government and I’m here to help.’”

Its those times more than any other that you should put your guard up even higher.  I guess only time will tell, but one thing is certain Data Centers and IT departments will have a role to play in Carbon Reporting.

\Mm