IS550 – Assignment

Schwalbe, Kathy (2013-01-01). Information Technology Project Management (Page A.4). Cengage Textbook. Kindle Edition.
Task 1 Green computing is the environmentally responsible use of computers and related resources and covers many potential areas of use. This research project was conducted by We Are Big Pharma, Inc. to learn more about green computing technologies and large corporate initiatives. Several green computing areas were researched and our findings are described below:
Data center and overall energy efficiency Data centers are huge consumers of energy due to the electrical demands of the hardware components and the cooling systems that are required to maintain the optimal environment for the hardware. Largely because of the high cost of the energy required (estimated at $0.71 per hardware dollar by 2011), many companies are looking for ways to be more energy efficient. IBM expanded a data center in Boulder, Colorado and made the facility 45% more energy efficient than their typical data center. They used their own high-density computing systems with server and storage virtualization in conjunction with energy-efficient power and cooling systems (Brodkin, 2007).
Disposal of electronic waste and recycling Electronic waste is a major concern to communities and countries around the world due to the volume of generated waste and the toxic components that may contaminate the ground, water, and impact workers in the waste facilities. Dell is a leader in the electronics recycling and responsible disposal. They have teamed with Goodwill Industries International, Inc. to responsible recycle any brand of unwanted computers or accessories at no cost. As of 2009, the partnership, called ReConnect, had diverted more than 96 million pounds of e-waste from landfills and created more than 250 'green jobs'. The revenue from recycled computer equipment is all used in Goodwill's community-based programs (Stiska, 2009).
Telecommuting
Telecommuting provides workers with work location flexibility, primarily allowing them to work from home and accessing company networks via secure Internet connections. Telecommuting keeps workers from driving to work every day and therefore conserves gasoline and reduces greenhouse gas emissions. Cisco has developed technology for telecommuting, called Cisco Virtual Office (CVO). By using their own technology, they estimated they gained more than $277 million in productivity savings, with estimated employee fuel cost savings over $10 million per year (Dubie, 2009).
Virtualization of server resources Server virtualization refers to using a software application to divide one physical server into multiple isolated virtual environments, therefore reducing the number of physical servers needed for multiple applications or storage environments. IBM has used server virtualization technology to save capital, floor space and energy by consolidating multiple workloads onto fewer physical servers. Their BladeCenter servers use less power than typical rack-mounted servers and support virtualization software such as VMWare. IBM estimates that using virtualization and other efficiency technologies can reduce data center power consumption as much as 42% (Brodkin, 2007).
Thin client solutions Thin client devices can be a replacement for the desktop computer or laptop used by employees. The thin client device typically is a box that contains firmware and I/O ports to connect to a monitor, mouse, keyboard, and network. The thin client connects to a server where applications are deployed, managed, and supported, rather than having applications installed on a traditional desktop system. Thin client devices reduce hardware and maintenance costs, and worker productivity increases due to fewer trouble calls and repairs. Thin clients have green benefits from reduced power requirements compared to desktops. They also require less material to build and typically have a longer lifespan which reduces the waste impact. Large manufacturers such as Hewlett-Packard and Dell (which owns Wyse) offer various thin client devices and partner with virtualization vendors to provide full client solutions (Freedman, 2009).
Use of open source software Open source software is software for which the original source code is made freely available and may be redistributed and modified. Linux is an example of a popular open source operating system that has green benefits in that it reduces power consumption by putting less load on the server and extends the life of computer systems that can no longer run the upgraded versions of other operating systems. IBM strongly promotes the use of Linux and uses it on its own servers (Both, 2009).
New software development to address green computing New software can be used to facilitate green computing, by tracking power consumption, virtualize server resources, and other such initiatives. IBM developed a software called PowerExecutive that manages and monitors power consumption, allowing them to reduce their carbon emissions by 40% since 1995 (Brodkin, 2007). In summary, several green computing areas were researched and described with an example of a major manufacturer that has developed or integrated this type of green initiative and the resulting cost or green savings provided. This information will support the decision making process regarding potential green initiatives to pursue.

References
Both, D. (2009, May 19). Green Computing With Open Source Software. Retrieved from http://www.millennium-technology.com/?p=334
Brodkin, J. (2007, June 22). IBM uses green technology to build the company’s largest data center | Network World. Retrieved from http://www.networkworld.com/article/2291792/data-center/ibm-uses-green-technology-to-build-the-company-s-largest-data-center.html
Dubie, D. (2009, June 28). Cisco Promotes Telecommuting | PCWorld. Retrieved from http://www.pcworld.com/article/167503/cisco_promotes_telecommuting.html
Freedman, R. (2009, May 19). Reap the Green IT benefits of thin client computing - TechRepublic. Retrieved from http://www.techrepublic.com/blog/the-enterprise-cloud/reap-the-green-it-benefits-of-thin-client-computing/
Stiska, A. (2009, December 16). Goodwill and Dell Expand Free Computer Recycling Programs | Goodwill Industries International, Inc. Retrieved from http://www.goodwill.org/press-releases/goodwill-and-dell-expand-free-computer-recycling-programs/

Task 2Weighted Decision Matrix for Green Computing Research Project | Created by: | Date: 10/25/2014 | | | Criteria | Weight | Judy | George | Jane | Elroy | Research, writing & editing skills | 20% | 80 | 90 | 95 | 60 | General management skills | 15% | 80 | 60 | 75 | 20 | Project management experience | 20% | 60 | 80 | 90 | 20 | Technical ability | 10% | 50 | 40 | 80 | 70 | Willing to be a team player and leader | 15% | 75 | 45 | 75 | 90 | Verbal Communication | 15% | 90 | 90 | 95 | 60 | Enthusiasm for green technologies | 5% | 50 | 25 | 75 | 90 | Weighted Scores | 100% | 72.25 | 68.5 | 85.5 | 53 |

The weighted decision matrix for the Green Computing Research Project was developed to determine criteria to be used to select the project manager. The project will have five people working on it full-time and others will be brought in on an as-needed basis. Some of the people working on the project could be in different parts of the world and will work virtually. Project request forms, financial analysis, and recommendations for green technologies will be developed as part of this project. It is desired to have the selected project manager work as part of the team and help perform the research, writing and editing for the project. In consideration of the requirements for this project, seven criteria were selected to evaluate the applicants for the project manager position. The criteria selected were: * Research, writing & editing skills 20% * General management skills 15% * Project management experience 20% * Technical ability 10% * Willing to be a team player and leader 15% * Verbal Communication 15% * Enthusiasm for green technologies 5%

Several of the criteria were based on the requirements for the project (Research, writing & editing skills, Willing to be a team player and leader, Enthusiasm for green technologies). The other criteria were selected based on the suggested project manager skills described by Schwalbe (2014). Though there are many described in her book, the selected criteria seemed to have the most relation to this project. The weighted decision matrix considered these seven criteria with a weight applied depending on the importance of the criteria in making the selection, and the weights are also listed above. As is evident from the bar chart of the results, Jane clearly rated the highest (85.5%), with Judy as the second highest (72.25%), therefore Jane should be offered the project manager position.

References
Schwalbe, K. (2014). Information technology project management (7th ed.). Boston, MA: Cengage Learning.

Task 3