Designing Sustainable SANs: Energy-Efficient Solutions with Cisco
In today's increasingly connected world, secure and efficient networking equipment plays a critical role in both business operations and daily life. This is especially true for storage networking, where reliable data access is vital for applications, including those in artificial intelligence. As dependence on networking infrastructure grows, so does the need for sustainable business practices and technologies. To contribute to a more sustainable future, organizations can design storage area networks (SANs) that deliver high performance, reliability, and security while minimizing environmental impact.
At Cisco, a key sustainability goal is to ensure that 100% of new products and packaging adhere to Circular Design Principles by fiscal year 2025. This approach focuses on creating systems and products that support reuse, reduce environmental impact, drive innovation, and deliver value to stakeholders.
This article explores key topics related to sustainability in SANs, including:
At Cisco, a key sustainability goal is to ensure that 100% of new products and packaging adhere to Circular Design Principles by fiscal year 2025. This approach focuses on creating systems and products that support reuse, reduce environmental impact, drive innovation, and deliver value to stakeholders.
This article explores key topics related to sustainability in SANs, including:
- Reducing energy consumption and embracing circularity
- Sustainable hardware and software design with built-in monitoring
- Transitioning to a regenerative, circular model for products and packaging
- Best practices for sustainable SAN design
Reducing Energy Consumption and Embracing Circularity
Energy efficiency is a critical consideration in sustainable SAN design, as energy usage impacts both the environment and operational costs. Choosing power-efficient equipment, like the Cisco MDS 9000 series switches, can significantly reduce energy consumption while maintaining high performance and resiliency. These switches exemplify how engineering aligned with circular economy principles can extend product lifecycles. Features like modular design, firmware upgrades, and in-place hardware updates reduce the need for frequent replacements, minimizing embodied carbon and overall greenhouse gas emissions.
Sustainable Hardware and Software Design with Monitoring
The Cisco MDS 9000 series incorporates energy-efficient hardware, such as advanced ASICs that double power efficiency with each generation. These switches also offer innovative features, like transceiver power control and the ability to reduce port speeds, to further enhance energy efficiency. In addition, smart software allows administrators to remotely power down unused components, optimizing energy usage without sacrificing readiness.
Tools like the Nexus Dashboard provide real-time and historical insights into energy consumption, while integration with Panduit Intelligent Power Distribution Units (iPDUs) offers a comprehensive view of sustainability metrics across facilities and equipment.
Transitioning to a Circular Model
Cisco’s sustainability efforts extend beyond product efficiency to include waste reduction initiatives. Through membership in the World Business Council for Sustainable Development and its Product Takeback and Reuse Program, Cisco promotes responsible recycling, refurbishment, and reuse of networking equipment. Nearly 100% of returned products are recycled or repurposed, and customers can even obtain Certificates of Recycling for added accountability.
Sustainable packaging is another focus area, with efforts to reduce plastic usage and incorporate recycled materials. Packaging innovations, like increased cube efficiency and reduced use of virgin materials, further demonstrate Cisco’s commitment to sustainability.
Best Practices for Sustainable SAN Design
To design sustainable SANs, organizations can implement strategies such as virtualization and consolidation to reduce the number of physical switches and ports. Advanced power management features, like those in the Cisco MDS 9000 series, can help optimize energy consumption. Selecting low-power fabric switches for smaller deployments or adopting a collapsed core design for larger SANs can significantly reduce energy usage and costs.
Monitoring energy use and selecting efficient equipment are also key steps in maximizing sustainability. For example, the Cisco MDS 9718 offers high port density, reducing the need for inter-switch links and enabling more efficient SAN designs.
Advancing Sustainability with Cisco MDS 9000 Series
By prioritizing sustainability in SAN design, organizations can reduce both their carbon footprint and operating expenses. Power-efficient switches, like the Cisco MDS 9000 series, align with Cisco’s broader sustainability initiatives, including recycling programs and packaging innovations. Designing SANs with sustainability in mind not only benefits the environment but also delivers financial advantages, with operational savings often offsetting upgrade costs over time.
Modernizing SANs for a sustainable future is an investment in both environmental stewardship and business efficiency, paving the way for a more resilient and eco-friendly networking infrastructure.
Energy efficiency is a critical consideration in sustainable SAN design, as energy usage impacts both the environment and operational costs. Choosing power-efficient equipment, like the Cisco MDS 9000 series switches, can significantly reduce energy consumption while maintaining high performance and resiliency. These switches exemplify how engineering aligned with circular economy principles can extend product lifecycles. Features like modular design, firmware upgrades, and in-place hardware updates reduce the need for frequent replacements, minimizing embodied carbon and overall greenhouse gas emissions.
Sustainable Hardware and Software Design with Monitoring
The Cisco MDS 9000 series incorporates energy-efficient hardware, such as advanced ASICs that double power efficiency with each generation. These switches also offer innovative features, like transceiver power control and the ability to reduce port speeds, to further enhance energy efficiency. In addition, smart software allows administrators to remotely power down unused components, optimizing energy usage without sacrificing readiness.
Tools like the Nexus Dashboard provide real-time and historical insights into energy consumption, while integration with Panduit Intelligent Power Distribution Units (iPDUs) offers a comprehensive view of sustainability metrics across facilities and equipment.
Transitioning to a Circular Model
Cisco’s sustainability efforts extend beyond product efficiency to include waste reduction initiatives. Through membership in the World Business Council for Sustainable Development and its Product Takeback and Reuse Program, Cisco promotes responsible recycling, refurbishment, and reuse of networking equipment. Nearly 100% of returned products are recycled or repurposed, and customers can even obtain Certificates of Recycling for added accountability.
Sustainable packaging is another focus area, with efforts to reduce plastic usage and incorporate recycled materials. Packaging innovations, like increased cube efficiency and reduced use of virgin materials, further demonstrate Cisco’s commitment to sustainability.
Best Practices for Sustainable SAN Design
To design sustainable SANs, organizations can implement strategies such as virtualization and consolidation to reduce the number of physical switches and ports. Advanced power management features, like those in the Cisco MDS 9000 series, can help optimize energy consumption. Selecting low-power fabric switches for smaller deployments or adopting a collapsed core design for larger SANs can significantly reduce energy usage and costs.
Monitoring energy use and selecting efficient equipment are also key steps in maximizing sustainability. For example, the Cisco MDS 9718 offers high port density, reducing the need for inter-switch links and enabling more efficient SAN designs.
Advancing Sustainability with Cisco MDS 9000 Series
By prioritizing sustainability in SAN design, organizations can reduce both their carbon footprint and operating expenses. Power-efficient switches, like the Cisco MDS 9000 series, align with Cisco’s broader sustainability initiatives, including recycling programs and packaging innovations. Designing SANs with sustainability in mind not only benefits the environment but also delivers financial advantages, with operational savings often offsetting upgrade costs over time.
Modernizing SANs for a sustainable future is an investment in both environmental stewardship and business efficiency, paving the way for a more resilient and eco-friendly networking infrastructure.
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