Being one of the students of the prestige University of Southeastern Philippines is an honor. I know that this institution has a very big role in helping the students to improve their way of life and help them become what they want to be in the near future.
As an IT student, I can say that the university can help by providing enough facilities for us to enhance more of what we have learned. For instance, there are many computers in the laboratory that are not functioning well. Instead of being a help for the students, these facilities are giving problem. Another one is the room; there are only two rooms for the IC students. Aside from that fact, these two rooms don’t have the proper ventilation that is also very uncomfortable to have our classes. I am not requesting for an air conditioned room, but at least these places will be cozy enough for learning. Third one is about the recent issue of not allowing the students to use the electricity of the institution like charging of cell phones and most especially laptops. The point there is that they cannot provide the students with enough facilities and the students are doing their part about this issue, yet they have become a hindrance for their learning because of this act. These are just some of the many things that I have observed and experienced in the institution. With these experiences I am still proud and honored that I am part of this university. I have learned to become more patient, resourceful, and persevere enough because I know that even with these facts I have learned so many things and still learning things that can help me become what I want to be in the near future.
About Me
Downsizing
In a business enterprise, downsizing is reducing the number of employees on the operating payroll. Some users distinguish downsizing from a layoff, with downsizing intended to be a permanent downscaling and a layoff intended to be a temporary downscaling in which employees may later be rehired.
Downsizing also refers to the process of reducing costs within an organization by reducing the workforce. Re-engineering or restructuring might involve other processes, including cost cutting by changing the way in which people work, but downsizing almost always has a reduction in workforce component. Typically, executives in organizations which undergo downsizing programs emphasize the need to save money and to take the painful step of laying off employees.
There are immediate local economic effects when a company downsizes; the larger the company and the greater its relative importance to an area, the greater these effects. Initially, the short-term effects are to reduce the amount of disposable income in the local area. This has a direct effect on retailers and those providing services. Home loans may be put in jeopardy, which affects the amount of capital available to the community. If a plant is the single largest employer in a small town, closing it in the name of downsizing can ruin the town's economy
.Downsizing also refers to the process of reducing costs within an organization by reducing the workforce. Re-engineering or restructuring might involve other processes, including cost cutting by changing the way in which people work, but downsizing almost always has a reduction in workforce component. Typically, executives in organizations which undergo downsizing programs emphasize the need to save money and to take the painful step of laying off employees.
There are immediate local economic effects when a company downsizes; the larger the company and the greater its relative importance to an area, the greater these effects. Initially, the short-term effects are to reduce the amount of disposable income in the local area. This has a direct effect on retailers and those providing services. Home loans may be put in jeopardy, which affects the amount of capital available to the community. If a plant is the single largest employer in a small town, closing it in the name of downsizing can ruin the town's economy
Downsizing to Increase Profits
A contemporary business practice is known as downsizing, or the effort by a company to reduce the size of its workforce in order to increase profitability. Such a quest for profits is often seen as detrimental to the worker, creating a new sense of insecurity, reducing decades-old relationships between worker and management, and assuring corporate profits while undercutting the ability of workers to make a living. The corporate manager in such a situation has determined that his responsibility lies with the company and not with the community, at least in some ways, and he or she may even have a rationale as to why their effort benefits the community in some way.
There are internal signals that warn of wasted effort and expense, such as slow decision making, excessive monitoring, and complaints of too many reports and meetings. If properly managed, overhead restructuring can be a positive move for the organization.
There are internal signals that warn of wasted effort and expense, such as slow decision making, excessive monitoring, and complaints of too many reports and meetings. If properly managed, overhead restructuring can be a positive move for the organization.
Common characteristics that improve the effectiveness of overhead programs include:
1) maintaining consistency with the firm's strategy;
2) examining functions with a plant to corporate 'vertical slice' perspective;
3) focusing on the underlying factors of cost and staffing;
4) eliminating low value work;
5) reallocating resources;
6) simplifying management processes; and
7) considering automation enhancements
Loss of Jobs
Companies refer to the process by many names: "downsizing," "rightsizing," "cutting back," "trimming the fat," "working smarter" and "re-engineering" are just a few of the ways the process is described. Regardless of what companies call the process, the end result is that employees, sometimes hundreds or thousands, lose their jobs and incomes, and entire communities are sometimes plunged into chaos as a result. For some companies, reducing their labor force by such drastic measures is a necessity if any part of the company is to survive. These companies are in severe financial straits and may not survive even after severe labor cutbacks. For other companies, such measures are undertaken in order to improve their "bottom line" and increase their attractiveness to investors, some of whom are likely to be senior managers of the corporation.
Downsizing at AT&T
When businesses face short-term downturns, they can engage in short-term austerity measures that range from hiring freezes to minimizing purchasing office supplies, and that include many measures in between. When the downturns become long-term, however, companies must engage in cost reductions that may be severe, and could make the difference between the company surviving or not. This analysis considers the issue of downsizing--laying off workers--and examines the benefits to an organization that may make downsizing a difficult, but ultimately beneficial.
There are typically three reasons that companies engage in downsizing:
• immediate financial crisis;
• short-term improvement of financial statements;
• and long-term strategic decision
Immediate financial crisis occurs when a company faces a severe financial problem, perhaps because a major customer has withdrawn business or because an anticipated contract does not come through.
In recent years, much attention has been given to downsizing, rightsizing, trimming the fat and other euphemisms for laying off workers. Generally, companies suggest that they are "forced" to lay off workers in order to cut costs and remain competitive. The financial community likes downsizing because it reduces the short term labor costs that companies must bear. Management likes downsizing for the same reason.
We will take AT &T as an example. “ In 1992, AT &T downsized to remain competitive in the global market. They released 18,000 human operators and replaced them with automated machines.”
During the 1990s, threats have emerged in AT&T's external environment in the form of likely new laws, probable competition new rivals, and rapid changes in technology (Arnst, Spiro, & Burrows, 1995). The company also faces a threat within its in its internal environment in what AT&T management view as laggard performance in comparison with the company's major competitors ("AT&T's Three-Way Split," 1995). These factors were major motivations for the company's decision to initiate a downsizing strategy. AT&T management was beginning to become aware of some of the symptoms of decline that precede the collapse of major corporate institutions (Luffman, Lea, Sanderson, & Kenny, 1996).
The performance problem by human resource management is simply poor planning. Management did not realize the potential problems that lay ahead for the company as a whole. If downsizing is not effectively planned, managed or implemented it can cause a number of consequences. The consequences up for discussion are:
In recent years, much attention has been given to downsizing, rightsizing, trimming the fat and other euphemisms for laying off workers. Generally, companies suggest that they are "forced" to lay off workers in order to cut costs and remain competitive. The financial community likes downsizing because it reduces the short term labor costs that companies must bear. Management likes downsizing for the same reason.
We will take AT &T as an example. “ In 1992, AT &T downsized to remain competitive in the global market. They released 18,000 human operators and replaced them with automated machines.”
During the 1990s, threats have emerged in AT&T's external environment in the form of likely new laws, probable competition new rivals, and rapid changes in technology (Arnst, Spiro, & Burrows, 1995). The company also faces a threat within its in its internal environment in what AT&T management view as laggard performance in comparison with the company's major competitors ("AT&T's Three-Way Split," 1995). These factors were major motivations for the company's decision to initiate a downsizing strategy. AT&T management was beginning to become aware of some of the symptoms of decline that precede the collapse of major corporate institutions (Luffman, Lea, Sanderson, & Kenny, 1996).
The performance problem by human resource management is simply poor planning. Management did not realize the potential problems that lay ahead for the company as a whole. If downsizing is not effectively planned, managed or implemented it can cause a number of consequences. The consequences up for discussion are:
1. Downsizing causes resentment and resistance in surviving employees
2. Downsizing if not handled carefully will cause financial set backs
HR management must handle employees, both survivors and former, with kid gloves. Downsizing means more than passing out pink slips. Steps must be taken to ensure that the remaining staff feels comfortable so that performance levels do not drop. It is also important to keep the loyalty of former employees simply because they now have become potential customers.
Remaining employees may show signs of inadequacy. They are faced with new responsibilities and positions. They may feel as though they are next to be fired if they can not perfectly done their job well.
Closely examine the impact that downsizing will have on the employees, on the competition, and on the costs and the future profitability of the company. Top management support, communication and commitment are critical for the successful development and implementation of the downsizing plan and for the smooth integration of HR planning into the company’s strategic and operational plans.
Reiterate communication throughout the downsizing process. Termination announcements should be made to the entire group, however no employee should be named specifically. HRM should communicate on a private and personal level each employee’s situation.
To minimize the trauma of separation, various programs to assist displaced employees should be put into place, such as counseling seminars, job search workshops, and placement services.
The performance to outcome expectancy area, an employee may have an idea of the outcome of poor task performance. They may feel that either they will be fired for doing poorly on the job. On the other hand the employee that does well at a task may expect to keep his or her job as long as they do well. Either way they are unsure of the outcome, yet they perform the task to their ability. Employees may do the task according to what they feel the outcome will be at the time. The valence level will depend on the outcome. If a survivor realizes that after a few weeks of training they can accomplish the job then their valence will be of a positive nature. A feeling of security may come over them. Losing their jobs doesn’t seem like reality anymore. Most companies just announce downsizing, they never tell you why they are downsizing. So a person my feel insecure because in his or her mind the people let go were downsized because of poor work performance. The more confident they feel on the task at hand the more confident they will feel to continue on and expect better thing from themselves. This gives motivation to keep moving. It all boils down to having the right attitude about your job once downsizing has occurred. That attitude can be influenced by what management does to enhance it.
Remaining employees may show signs of inadequacy. They are faced with new responsibilities and positions. They may feel as though they are next to be fired if they can not perfectly done their job well.
Closely examine the impact that downsizing will have on the employees, on the competition, and on the costs and the future profitability of the company. Top management support, communication and commitment are critical for the successful development and implementation of the downsizing plan and for the smooth integration of HR planning into the company’s strategic and operational plans.
Reiterate communication throughout the downsizing process. Termination announcements should be made to the entire group, however no employee should be named specifically. HRM should communicate on a private and personal level each employee’s situation.
To minimize the trauma of separation, various programs to assist displaced employees should be put into place, such as counseling seminars, job search workshops, and placement services.
The performance to outcome expectancy area, an employee may have an idea of the outcome of poor task performance. They may feel that either they will be fired for doing poorly on the job. On the other hand the employee that does well at a task may expect to keep his or her job as long as they do well. Either way they are unsure of the outcome, yet they perform the task to their ability. Employees may do the task according to what they feel the outcome will be at the time. The valence level will depend on the outcome. If a survivor realizes that after a few weeks of training they can accomplish the job then their valence will be of a positive nature. A feeling of security may come over them. Losing their jobs doesn’t seem like reality anymore. Most companies just announce downsizing, they never tell you why they are downsizing. So a person my feel insecure because in his or her mind the people let go were downsized because of poor work performance. The more confident they feel on the task at hand the more confident they will feel to continue on and expect better thing from themselves. This gives motivation to keep moving. It all boils down to having the right attitude about your job once downsizing has occurred. That attitude can be influenced by what management does to enhance it.
The lack of motivation is one of the dysfunctional employee behaviors. “The expectancy theory is a process motivation theory based on the idea that work effort is directed toward behaviors that people believe will lead to desired outcomes.”5 Employees feel that their level of performance depends on their past experience. If they have never encountered a particular task before than they might experience a slight decrease in self-confidence where the task is concerned. The individual’s effort is the key element in this theory. The effort level depends on effort to performance expectancy, performance to outcome expectancy and outcome valences. Employee motivation is influenced by all three of these and if one of them weakens then motivation is weakened. In the effort to performance expectancy area, an employee may feel that even their best efforts to learn a new job, position or task, may not be good enough after downsizing. The employees have a low expectation of their own ability to do the job. In the
Affected employees are dealt with in a humane and equitable manner. Reassurance of surviving employees and control of all information is necessary to keep peace.
http://www.referenceforbusiness.com/management/De-Ele/Downsizing-and-Rightsizing.html
http://sbaer.uca.edu/research/sbida/1994/pdf/26.pdf
http://www.humax.net/econ.html
http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-downsizing.htm
1. Policies were implemented promoting systematic and accelerated ICT advancement.
2. Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation
•To lessen the impact of climate change, the President issued Executive Order 320 s. 2004, creating a National Authority for Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) and designating DENR as the national authority for CDM. To date, the Philippines has 20 projects registered with the United Nations CDM Executive Board in Bonn, Germany. These projects consists of renewable energy projects (wind power, hydropower, geothermal energy) and energy efficiency projects like, methane recovery for electricity generation, wastes to power generation (hog wastes, rice husks). The projects are expected to cut the emission of about 731,611 tons of carbon dioxide per year. At present, the Philippines is one of the top eight countries that have the most number of CDM projects for greenhouse gas emission reduction.
•In view of alarming developments and forecasts on global warming and climate change, especially for the Philippines which has been identified as among the most vulnerable to its effects, the President created the Presidential Task Force on Climate Change (PTFCC) thru AO 171, s. 2007, “to act with resolve and urgency in addressing the issue of climate change, mitigate its impact and adapt to its effects”.
•To rationalize and synthesize all government programs into one focused campaign that would effectively address climate change, EO 774 s. 2008 was issued, reorganizing the PTFCC with the President as Chair, and mandating the creation of 14 task groups, tasked to work from all fronts to ensure the “CPR” – conservation, protection and restoration -- of Philippine natural resources.
3. Cyber Corridor
•Removed barriers and allow full competition in the provision of high-speed networks and connectivity. This resulted in the reduction of cost of local internet connections from PhP30 per hour in 2000 to PhP15 per hour in 2008.
•Allocated radio frequencies to allow broadband wireless access network.
•Liberalized the telecommunications environment/ industry to allow the entry of more players, ie, the telecommunication operators (TelCos). This enabled the mobile telephone industry to experience robust growth. About 62% of the total populace (or about 56 million out of the 88 million Filipinos) are now mobile telephone subscribers who are connected to 14,506 cell sites, nationwide, as of end of 2008. To date, there are 11 international gateway facility (IGF) operators who can provide international long distance calls; six (6) cellular mobile telephone system operators; 11 public trunk radio operators; 14 inter-exchange carrier licenses that service other carriers’ traffic using their own networks; and, 74 local exchange operators or those with fixed line services.
•Authorized the retail-pricing for local telephone lines by allowing local exchange carriers to design price packages.
•Allocated radio frequencies to allow broadband wireless access network.
•Liberalized the telecommunications environment/ industry to allow the entry of more players, ie, the telecommunication operators (TelCos). This enabled the mobile telephone industry to experience robust growth. About 62% of the total populace (or about 56 million out of the 88 million Filipinos) are now mobile telephone subscribers who are connected to 14,506 cell sites, nationwide, as of end of 2008. To date, there are 11 international gateway facility (IGF) operators who can provide international long distance calls; six (6) cellular mobile telephone system operators; 11 public trunk radio operators; 14 inter-exchange carrier licenses that service other carriers’ traffic using their own networks; and, 74 local exchange operators or those with fixed line services.
•Authorized the retail-pricing for local telephone lines by allowing local exchange carriers to design price packages.
COMMENT: The policies mentioned above greatly helped to speed-up the development of ICT in the Philippines. They allowed competition among different providers which lead to the reduction of services prices and the continuing development in their services. The liberalization of the telecommunication environment not only helped the IT industry in terms of the positive effects of business rivalries but also gave way to the founding of new companies that ventured in this field of business thus giving more spurces of advancement/ideas to imrpove the quality of ICT in the Philippines. Furthermore, it also benefits the jobless; giving them more chances to find one.
2. Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation
•To lessen the impact of climate change, the President issued Executive Order 320 s. 2004, creating a National Authority for Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) and designating DENR as the national authority for CDM. To date, the Philippines has 20 projects registered with the United Nations CDM Executive Board in Bonn, Germany. These projects consists of renewable energy projects (wind power, hydropower, geothermal energy) and energy efficiency projects like, methane recovery for electricity generation, wastes to power generation (hog wastes, rice husks). The projects are expected to cut the emission of about 731,611 tons of carbon dioxide per year. At present, the Philippines is one of the top eight countries that have the most number of CDM projects for greenhouse gas emission reduction.
•In view of alarming developments and forecasts on global warming and climate change, especially for the Philippines which has been identified as among the most vulnerable to its effects, the President created the Presidential Task Force on Climate Change (PTFCC) thru AO 171, s. 2007, “to act with resolve and urgency in addressing the issue of climate change, mitigate its impact and adapt to its effects”.
•To rationalize and synthesize all government programs into one focused campaign that would effectively address climate change, EO 774 s. 2008 was issued, reorganizing the PTFCC with the President as Chair, and mandating the creation of 14 task groups, tasked to work from all fronts to ensure the “CPR” – conservation, protection and restoration -- of Philippine natural resources.
COMMENT: We may not find this project as something related to ICT but if we look on it closely. The IT industry is also a grate source of environmental pollution. Through this action, the government took a step in lessening the negative backfires of technology thus allowing the IT industry to further develop and boost to improve to offer us more positive effects in our society.
3. Cyber Corridor
The Cyber Corridor, which aims to create an information and technology-based knowledge economy through facilities that enhance interconnectivity and research and development initiatives, traverses all four geographic super regions from Baguio to Cebu to Davao.
•The Cyber Corridor is being developed through public and private investments in the areas of ICT, education, and training.
The pilot-testing of a major ICT project, the Bureau of Internal Revenue’s (BIR) Revenue Watch Dashboard prototype system, was completed in May 2009. This web-enabled revenue monitoring tool aims to provide real time collection figures from the national level down to the Revenue District Office level.
•Aside from the priority infrastructure projects in the Cyber Corridor, the Government also pursued other Information and Communication Technology-related projects that supported the development theme of the Cyber Corridor. The Government has established public calling stations, telecenters and community e-centers to address the uneven distribution of fixed telephone lines in the regions.
•By 2008, the Administration has installed facilities to areas without communication channels yet, such as 875 telegraph stations for telegraphic transfer and social telegram; digital telephone exchanges in 103 localities; 538 public calling stations which serves people who cannot afford to subscribe telephone services and areas not covered by fixed line facilities; 1,422 Telepono sa Barangay (TSB) stations; and a Regional Government Telephone Service in Cauayan, Isabela.
•The Cyber Corridor is being developed through public and private investments in the areas of ICT, education, and training.
The pilot-testing of a major ICT project, the Bureau of Internal Revenue’s (BIR) Revenue Watch Dashboard prototype system, was completed in May 2009. This web-enabled revenue monitoring tool aims to provide real time collection figures from the national level down to the Revenue District Office level.
•Aside from the priority infrastructure projects in the Cyber Corridor, the Government also pursued other Information and Communication Technology-related projects that supported the development theme of the Cyber Corridor. The Government has established public calling stations, telecenters and community e-centers to address the uneven distribution of fixed telephone lines in the regions.
•By 2008, the Administration has installed facilities to areas without communication channels yet, such as 875 telegraph stations for telegraphic transfer and social telegram; digital telephone exchanges in 103 localities; 538 public calling stations which serves people who cannot afford to subscribe telephone services and areas not covered by fixed line facilities; 1,422 Telepono sa Barangay (TSB) stations; and a Regional Government Telephone Service in Cauayan, Isabela.
COMMENT: This project is a sort of implementation of the current trends in communication technologies. This will benefit the ICT industry because this project will give us a greater view on the positive effects of advance communication technologies implemented to the different services that the government offers. Through the benefits that will be visible sooner or later, the development of ICT in the Philippines will be pushed through with more vigilance.
Company visited: LDS ERS office
First let me explain the structure of their IS/IT as I observed...
Risks in IT/IS change?:
For me, with regards to the company that we visited, IT change is a bad idea. Before considering IT change it would be a smart way to first identify it's present situation and if IT change will benefit the company. And to better study about this aspect, it's a good idea to assign a committee for this agenda that will have a purpose to:
*If the company will upgrade their hardware. These new devices may be sophisticated and thus would require the operators to learn new skills. And if any malfunction pertaining with these devices would occur, the company would be forced to hire other knowledgeable persons to fix the problem. And this would mean more expenses for the company.
*Because the technology will be new to the persons using it. The company will also be in a deciding problem where they will choose from hiring new capable employees or provide training for their old employees. But as I see it, in either option, it will mean further expenses.
*The company will also suffer from technology addiction if IT change is not properly managed. Addiction in a sense where the company will upgrade their hardware not because they need to but because they are amazed of the new technologies that are available.
But then again these risks in IT change are overwhelmed by its positive results if properly planned. These are some of IT change positive results.
Speed and Ease of Communication
More “Stolen” Time
More Opportunities to Work from Home
The Davao City ERS office is part of the worldwide LDS humanitarian operation that aims to help individuals become career self-reliant through employment, education and/or self-employment.
The ERS Center offers four types of services: Trainings to help individuals plan their career, find opportunities and interact with contacts; Resource information in terms of a database on job resources, small business, education and other self reliance resources including interactive meetings with resource persons; Business equipment and facilities like telephone, fax and copy machines for employment-related needs; and placement for applicants and contacts for suppliers who have established linkage with ERS.
The ERS Center is equipped with state-of-the-art communication technology that can facilitate speedy access to information. It's a one-stop shop for career planning and the best part is that the center's services and facilities are for free.
The ERS Center offers four types of services: Trainings to help individuals plan their career, find opportunities and interact with contacts; Resource information in terms of a database on job resources, small business, education and other self reliance resources including interactive meetings with resource persons; Business equipment and facilities like telephone, fax and copy machines for employment-related needs; and placement for applicants and contacts for suppliers who have established linkage with ERS.
The ERS Center is equipped with state-of-the-art communication technology that can facilitate speedy access to information. It's a one-stop shop for career planning and the best part is that the center's services and facilities are for free.
First let me explain the structure of their IS/IT as I observed...
The office have good facilities. Their computers are not that far left behind in terms technology. Their computers are all at least having a Pentium 4 1.x processor, 256 mb RAM, and 80 G hdd. Their network structure is also state of the art. Their computers are connected via wireless network and the computers in their respective offices and the computers that are freely used by the job seekers belong to this network. The way they process their transaction is quiet fast. First of all, they have a website where the job seekers can register for free of course. The registration requires the job seekers to input their credentials and other information needed for job matching. After the registration, the job seeker could gain access to the section where the job offerings are posted by the companies that are also members of the said site. Their office also do the job matching process where their staff matches the members according to their capabilities. The office also offers seminars and other job awareness activities to help them be competitive in their endeavor.
Risks in IT/IS change?:
For me, with regards to the company that we visited, IT change is a bad idea. Before considering IT change it would be a smart way to first identify it's present situation and if IT change will benefit the company. And to better study about this aspect, it's a good idea to assign a committee for this agenda that will have a purpose to:
* Better align IT services to business requirements
* Increase visibility and communication of Changes to both business and service-support staff
* Improve risk assessment
* Reduce adverse impact of Changes on the quality of services and on Service Level Agreements
* Better assess the cost of proposed Changes before they are incurred
* Make fewer Changes that must be backed-out, along with an increased ability to do this more easily when necessary
* Improve Problem and Availability Management through the use of valuable management information relating to changes accumulated through the Change Management process
* Increase productivity of users - through less disruption and higher-quality services
* Increase productivity of key personnel through less need for diversion from planned duties to implement urgent changes or back-out erroneous Changes
* Create a greater ability to accommodate a large volume of Changes
* Enhance the business perception of IT through an improved quality of service and a professional approach
* Foster and facilitate a high level of communication amongst all IT departments
* Contribute to the successful implementation of configuration management within IT
* Establish change process accountability
* Enforce best practice change management controls
* Increase visibility and communication of Changes to both business and service-support staff
* Improve risk assessment
* Reduce adverse impact of Changes on the quality of services and on Service Level Agreements
* Better assess the cost of proposed Changes before they are incurred
* Make fewer Changes that must be backed-out, along with an increased ability to do this more easily when necessary
* Improve Problem and Availability Management through the use of valuable management information relating to changes accumulated through the Change Management process
* Increase productivity of users - through less disruption and higher-quality services
* Increase productivity of key personnel through less need for diversion from planned duties to implement urgent changes or back-out erroneous Changes
* Create a greater ability to accommodate a large volume of Changes
* Enhance the business perception of IT through an improved quality of service and a professional approach
* Foster and facilitate a high level of communication amongst all IT departments
* Contribute to the successful implementation of configuration management within IT
* Establish change process accountability
* Enforce best practice change management controls
With this, change in the IT structure will definitely be for the good of the company. These precautions and steps must be clearly understood and implemented because their are a lot of risk that is associated in terms in IT change. In the company that we visited, their IT structure is already providing them with the necessary benefits which greatly increased their capabilities in terms of costumer satisfaction and service. If they would insist in changing their IT structure these negative effects could be triggered.
*If the company will upgrade their hardware. These new devices may be sophisticated and thus would require the operators to learn new skills. And if any malfunction pertaining with these devices would occur, the company would be forced to hire other knowledgeable persons to fix the problem. And this would mean more expenses for the company.
*Because the technology will be new to the persons using it. The company will also be in a deciding problem where they will choose from hiring new capable employees or provide training for their old employees. But as I see it, in either option, it will mean further expenses.
*The company will also suffer from technology addiction if IT change is not properly managed. Addiction in a sense where the company will upgrade their hardware not because they need to but because they are amazed of the new technologies that are available.
But then again these risks in IT change are overwhelmed by its positive results if properly planned. These are some of IT change positive results.
Speed and Ease of Communication
Depending on your age, you might not even remember a time when you’d have to wait a few days in order to see documents or contracts. The fax machine made instant perusal of documents possible, but why waste the paper? Now a few clicks of a mouse and you can instantly share documents with a hundred people all over the world.
More “Stolen” Time
The desk of the average employee likely contains a playground of things to do other than work. The Internet is right there and his desk drawers contain an MP3 player, a cell phone and perhaps even a portable video game system. Studies about how much time employees spend not working while on the clock are surprising to many. Some studies say that employees are doing other things, such as surfing the net, for up to 4 hours a day. This is one of the downsides of small business and information technology. The internet is the most accessible temptation for many employees. Instituting rules about only using the internet for business related purposes don’t usually have a lot of impact. Open work spaces, where everyone can see what everyone else is doing is more effective, but such office arrangements are not the best option for every business.
More Opportunities to Work from Home
Thanks to information technology, many more people have the opportunity to telecommute than ever before. Telecommuting is a perk that many employees love, and if you can offer this option you may be able to lure some talented employees to your business without necessarily having to match their current salary. Super high speed internet connections and other business technologies are what allow many employees the opportunity to work from home. It’s hard to say what changes will come to small business and information technology with the next wave of technology changes, but one thing is for sure. Change is coming.
I have researched on the internet on the facts pertaining to the automation of the presidential election in 2010 and I have come up with these facts. This coming election which will be automated would cause Malacañang an P11.9 billion supplemental budget. The proposed OES-based automated election system, combined with an optical mark recognition (OMR) technology, could cost government about P8 billion for the equipment and operations. If Comelec prefers getting the OES automated election system alone, it will cost around P4 billion. It was also said that the choice of automation technology and its successful implementation is key to the credibility of the elections."
A lot of questions were raised upon the birth of this said automation. One question is, How reliable can the automation system be? A lot are saying that anything that is being done through computerized would be easier to falsify. Will the new system put an end to “dagdag bawas?” Is the software used for the system bug-free? With all these questions I guess it would be appropriate to know first how this automated system works. A lot are giving their opinion but really doesn’t have the knowledge on how it will work out.
On the election, a counting machine will be used. It is a machine that uses an optical scanning mark-sense reading. Also included in the list is Computer set which contains regular components, i.e., monitor, central processing unit or CPU, keyboard and printer. A National Ballot which will be counted by the counting machine. It will contain the name of the candidates running for a certain position. On the most basic sense, this system will use the power of the computer to automate the most time consuming part of the election which is counting the ballots. Still, voters will be required to write the names of their candidates manually on the ballot.
Many advantages also await the use of this new system. Let me enumerate them and give my comment on each advantage.
1.There will be no ballot box snatching as the ERs are transmitted electronically for canvassing
Of course no ballot box snatching will be possible since we will not anymore transport our ballot boxes. But I guess, ballot switching would still be possible. Even tough it would be that hard to do but as the famous line goes, “Pag gusto, maraming pwedeng paraan”. That is why I strongly believe that automation is not the key to a “dayaan-free” election.
2.If all precincts are connected, national results can be produced within one hour after the close of voting
I guess this is one of the reasons why a part of me will go with this automation system. The longer the time to produce the result of the election the greater chance that cheating will occur. We don’t know what will happen on the hours that we are waiting for the result since we are manually counting the ballots. It will just give those people who wants to cheat a time to carry out their plan.
3.Ballots are pre-printed and voters simply mark choices
To some this would be an advantage since voting time will be shorten for we will now simply mark the candidate that we want. But I guess this will be one of the sources of cheating for the up-coming election.
Looking on the disadvantages of the automation, the first thing that will come in our mind is the easy falsifying of data. Another thing to look into is, will the system really work? I have read in a computer magazine that even those new and expensive system encounters trouble. We can’t surely rely on a 100% performance for a system that is 1st time being implemented here in the Philippines. Maybe their are people who expects that every thing will be fine. But I’m pretty sure that they really can’t say that their will never be a problem with the new system that we are about to implement. With my experience, computers are unpredictable; we will never know when it will fail.
On the question on its reliability, for me, no one can measure it at this moment. But surely its reliability would be known after the election. This is also the reason why some people are claiming that the coming election will be a trial and error procedure for the new system. Will we allow such a thing to happen? This is a presidential election and the result of this election would surely spell where our country will be going for the next years to come. We all want an honest election; we all want a reliable result that will just show the real choice of the Filipino people.
I guess if a candidate in the election really intends to cheat, he or she will always find a way to do such a thing. Even if we automate our election, nothing would still change if people will not change. I guess our problem is not in the system. It is on the people involve on the election system. Another thing to consider here is the question is hitting our readiness for this automation. As what I have seen on the television a lot of problems are coming out inline with this new automated system. Is this really the right time for this? Will our gamble for a fast election meet our expectation for an honest and effective election? Even I can’t answer such question.
But if I will be asked if I am against this automated system, my answer would be YES. For me, our country is not yet ready for this, both the government and the people. The main thing that is important here for the next election is the fact that we want an honest election. Automation will surely not provide us with what we want, it will only give us a fast result for the election may it be reliable or full of fraud. The main factor that will play a vital role in the election is not the computers that we have and are capable to purchase and use, it will also be not in the software that will be used on the machines. The main factor ever since the election began are the people; the ones who will select the appropriate leader for this country. For the success of the election, automated or not, still lies on the hands of the Filipino people.
A lot of questions were raised upon the birth of this said automation. One question is, How reliable can the automation system be? A lot are saying that anything that is being done through computerized would be easier to falsify. Will the new system put an end to “dagdag bawas?” Is the software used for the system bug-free? With all these questions I guess it would be appropriate to know first how this automated system works. A lot are giving their opinion but really doesn’t have the knowledge on how it will work out.
On the election, a counting machine will be used. It is a machine that uses an optical scanning mark-sense reading. Also included in the list is Computer set which contains regular components, i.e., monitor, central processing unit or CPU, keyboard and printer. A National Ballot which will be counted by the counting machine. It will contain the name of the candidates running for a certain position. On the most basic sense, this system will use the power of the computer to automate the most time consuming part of the election which is counting the ballots. Still, voters will be required to write the names of their candidates manually on the ballot.
Many advantages also await the use of this new system. Let me enumerate them and give my comment on each advantage.
1.There will be no ballot box snatching as the ERs are transmitted electronically for canvassing
Of course no ballot box snatching will be possible since we will not anymore transport our ballot boxes. But I guess, ballot switching would still be possible. Even tough it would be that hard to do but as the famous line goes, “Pag gusto, maraming pwedeng paraan”. That is why I strongly believe that automation is not the key to a “dayaan-free” election.
2.If all precincts are connected, national results can be produced within one hour after the close of voting
I guess this is one of the reasons why a part of me will go with this automation system. The longer the time to produce the result of the election the greater chance that cheating will occur. We don’t know what will happen on the hours that we are waiting for the result since we are manually counting the ballots. It will just give those people who wants to cheat a time to carry out their plan.
3.Ballots are pre-printed and voters simply mark choices
To some this would be an advantage since voting time will be shorten for we will now simply mark the candidate that we want. But I guess this will be one of the sources of cheating for the up-coming election.
Looking on the disadvantages of the automation, the first thing that will come in our mind is the easy falsifying of data. Another thing to look into is, will the system really work? I have read in a computer magazine that even those new and expensive system encounters trouble. We can’t surely rely on a 100% performance for a system that is 1st time being implemented here in the Philippines. Maybe their are people who expects that every thing will be fine. But I’m pretty sure that they really can’t say that their will never be a problem with the new system that we are about to implement. With my experience, computers are unpredictable; we will never know when it will fail.
On the question on its reliability, for me, no one can measure it at this moment. But surely its reliability would be known after the election. This is also the reason why some people are claiming that the coming election will be a trial and error procedure for the new system. Will we allow such a thing to happen? This is a presidential election and the result of this election would surely spell where our country will be going for the next years to come. We all want an honest election; we all want a reliable result that will just show the real choice of the Filipino people.
I guess if a candidate in the election really intends to cheat, he or she will always find a way to do such a thing. Even if we automate our election, nothing would still change if people will not change. I guess our problem is not in the system. It is on the people involve on the election system. Another thing to consider here is the question is hitting our readiness for this automation. As what I have seen on the television a lot of problems are coming out inline with this new automated system. Is this really the right time for this? Will our gamble for a fast election meet our expectation for an honest and effective election? Even I can’t answer such question.
But if I will be asked if I am against this automated system, my answer would be YES. For me, our country is not yet ready for this, both the government and the people. The main thing that is important here for the next election is the fact that we want an honest election. Automation will surely not provide us with what we want, it will only give us a fast result for the election may it be reliable or full of fraud. The main factor that will play a vital role in the election is not the computers that we have and are capable to purchase and use, it will also be not in the software that will be used on the machines. The main factor ever since the election began are the people; the ones who will select the appropriate leader for this country. For the success of the election, automated or not, still lies on the hands of the Filipino people.
GREEN COMPUTING
The increase in U-M consumption of electricity and paper causes an increase in air pollution, solid waste, and the burning of fossil fuels. Much of the paper used by PCs is wasted. National estimates indicate that most PCs are not being used most of the time they are on. In addition, 30 - 40 percent of all PCs are left on overnight and on weekends.
On the U-M Ann Arbor campus, PC operation alone may account for at least $1.8 million in energy costs each year. This represents approximately 11 percent of the total amount spent by the U-M on electricity. It is estimated that a PC system can easily consume 300 watts of electricity per hour ‚ the same amount of energy needed to operate three 100 watt light bulbs.
The following "green computing" habits can significantly reduce the amount of electricity and environmental waste for which PCs are responsible.
Waste Minimization Procedure
Electrical Conservation Tips:
Turn the computer off overnight and on weekends;
Wait until ready to use the PC before turning it on;
If the computer is going to be inactive for more than 16 minutes, consider turning it off. After this time, the energy needed to run the computer outweighs the start-up energy;
Do not turn on the printer until ready to print, even an idle printer consumes energy;
Try to schedule computer-related activities to do them all at once, keeping the computer off at other times;
If spending a large amount of time at the computer, consider reducing the light level in your office. This may improve cathode ray tube screen visibility as well as save energy.
Paper Conservation Tips:
Use "paperless" methods of communication such as electronic mail (e-mail) and fax modems. Also, do not print out copies of e-mail messages unless necessary;
Use smaller font sizes and decrease the spacing between lines, or reformat to keep the document to as few pages as possible;
Review documents on the screen instead of printing a draft. If you must print a draft, use the blank back side of used sheets;
Use a printer that can print double-sided documents. When making copies, use double-sided copying;
The U-M buys and uses recycled-content paper when possible. Look for papers with 50 - 100 percent post-consumer waste and non-chlorine bleached. Also, recycle paper when done.
Store information on diskettes rather than in "hard copy" format. A single high-density 3.5 inch floppy disk can hold the equivalent of 750 sheets of paper, about one and a half reams. Also, be sure to reuse disks that contain outdated information.
Purchasing and Use of Equipment:
Printer toner cartridges can be refilled, rebuilt and reused. Many manufacturers will take a spent cartridge, refurbish it, refill it, and return it for about half the price of buying a new one;
Determine whether you can upgrade your existing equipment rather than purchasing new equipment;
Donate an old computer to a school or charity; if it is permanently out of order, give it to a computer recycling facility instead of discarding in a landfill;
Only buy a monitor as large as you really need; a 17 inch monitor uses 40 percent more energy than a 14-inch monitor. Also, the higher the resolution, the more energy it needs;
Consider purchasing an ink jet printer instead of a laser printer. Although they are a little slower, they use 80-90 percent less energy;
Request recycled or recyclable packaging from your vendor;
Buy soy or non-petroleum based inks. These printer inks are made from renewable resources, require fewer hazardous solvents, which translates to fewer air emissions, and in many cases produce brighter, cleaner colors;
Try to buy energy efficient products such as those bearing the Energy Star Logo. The Energy Star Program was started by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to encourage the production and use of energy-efficient equipment. In accordance with the EPA's voluntary guidelines, leading computer manufacturers are now producing equipment that can automatically power down to a "sleep mode" to save energy when not in use. They also use up to 30 percent less energy when running than conventional equipment. These added capabilities do not increase price or decrease performance.
Benefits
The production of electricity is the largest single source of air pollution, due to the burning of fossil fuels. A power plant used to generate electricity, burns oil, coal, or natural gas that emits gases such as carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides. These gases, in turn, cause acid rain, smog and global warming. Conserving energy reduces the amount of fuel that has to be consumed, thereby reducing the amount of pollution generated. Obviously, energy-efficiency is a positive step toward reducing air pollution.
Some of the tips given above to reduce paper use and reuse of toner cartridge and diskettes will go a long way towards reducing the amount of solid waste that ultimately ends up in a landfill.
http://www.p2000.umich.edu/energy_conservation/ec7.htm
GreenVM - not only saving energy resources but human resources as well:
Craig Terrell, head of the GreenVM project (also a part of Enterprise Systems and Technical Services), like Tracy Hansen sums up his team's project nicely with an eye towards its environmentally-friendly potential: "The UNT GreenVM project aims to consolidate server resources and hardware costs into a centralized location. This means that the hardware is being used to its available capacity instead of wasting cooling and electricity as the majority of servers do. With our existing VM infrastructure, we can run between 25 to 60 virtual servers (Web, Application, File & Print, etc.) on each physical server. This method also allows us more efficient use of storage resources by utilizing a SAN (Storage Area Network) which shares a large array of drives across multiple servers."
Terrell further explains some of the technical aspects and advantages of his project: "All the virtual servers are running on clustered physical servers. If we do suffer a hardware failure, the virtual servers automatically move to another physical server with minimal down time, typically under 2 minutes or less. If we receive notification of a looming failure we can migrate the servers with zero downtime. There is no worry about setting up or maintaining any hardware. No AC issues, no power issues, no hardware failure or associated parts issues. A VM behaves like a physical server but boots much faster. You retain all control over it, just as you would if you owned the hardware, but without the hardware headaches. That does mean you will be having to patch and backup the virtual server just as you would a physical server. Physical servers can be migrated onto a virtual server, a process called P2V. This is useful if there are existing server hardware issues or the need to retire an older server without the expense of new hardware." So like many green technologies, not only are virtual servers a way to stay green but they also offer overall workflow and efficiency advantages as well.
The GreenVM project has helped the distributed computing areas on campus in freeing up many of their technical and personnel resources to concentrate on direct desktop and user services. With server management not so much a part of their jobs, staff members can really hone in on their already fine customer service. Terrell reports that over 70 VM's are in production for departments such as Facilities, Student Development, the College of Music and TAMS as well as several CITC internal projects. Terrell cites future plans and advantages as well: "The CITC VM systems are available to all departments within UNT with a nominal cost. It is typically less expensive than purchasing a server over a three-year period with the added benefits of high-availability and easier management. In order to maximize the benefit of a virtual environment, the plan is to migrate or launch new projects in VM whenever possible. The more we move to VM, the less cooling and electricity we need per server." In addition, his team is implementing full offsite DR (Disaster recovery) for major systems and projects.
http://www.unt.edu/benchmarks/archives/2009/april09/Greencomputing.htm
What is Green Computing?
Green computing is the environmentally responsible use of technology.
What can I do to “green” my technology use?
Enable power management on your computer.
Power down the computer and monitor when not in use.
Consider plugging your computer and peripherals into a power strip with an on/off switch and turn the entire power strip off when not in use.
Think before you print. Do you really need a paper copy?
Use recycled paper if possible
Use Print Preview to review your job before printing it
Print in black and white whenever possible.
Print two-sided whenever possible.
Reuse unnecessary print jobs as scratch paper.
Advertise events, parties, etc. electronically or with chalk instead of print-outs.
Recycle!
Use the recycling bins around campus to recycle paper, glass, aluminum, and plastic
Toner on campus can be brought to ISR for recycling
Beloit College computers and laptop batteries can be brought to ISR for recycling
Locations for recycling home computers can be found here
Recycle used alkaline batteries in Pearsons by the mail center or in the Library
Use email instead of faxes
If you are in the market for a new computer at home, consider buying an Energy Star compliant computer
If it’s possible, download software from the web instead of purchasing a physical installation disc
What is Power management and how does it help?
Every day energy is wasted by computers and monitors that are left on when not in use. By simply putting the hard drive and monitor to sleep after a short period of inactivity, huge energy savings can be realized. The computer should wake up with a quick click of the mouse or by pressing a key on the keyboard. In some cases, you will need to press the power button briefly to wake the computer up. Also, be sure to shut down your computer before leaving for the day and over weekends. Use this handy calculator to get an idea of how much energy and money can be saved.
Some Myths and Facts about Power Management*
Myth: Computers have a shorter life when you turn them on and off frequently.
Fact: Hard disks in PCs older than 10 years did not automatically park their heads when shut off, leading to disk damage from frequent on/off power cycling. Newer PCs are designed to handle over 40,000 on/off cycles.
Myth: Turning your computer off uses more energy than leaving it on.
Fact: The surge of power when a computer is turned off lasts a few seconds and is insignificant compared to the sustained energy used in keeping it on during periods of inactivity.
Myth: As long as the computer is off, it’s not using any power.
Fact: As long as they are plugged in, your computer and other electronic devices continue to use electricity – even when they are turned off or in standby mode. A computer uses up to 10 watts when it is turned off but still plugged in.
http://www.beloit.edu/isr/greencomputing.php
For more information about green computing, check out these sites:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Green_computing
http://www.climatesaverscomputing.org
http://www.energymanagement.umich.edu/utilities/energy_management/computing/
http://ecenter.colorado.edu/energy/projects/green_computing.html
http://www.uwf.edu/helpdesk/eco/
We all know that not all people in this university have knowledge about the “green campus computing”. So, for me, the first thing to do for the University to apply these concepts about is to aware and educate the people about this. They should conduct some seminars or symposiums for the students or even the faculties to further understand this concept so that it will not be very difficult for the implementation.
Second, when the people are already aware, properly educated, and sensitive enough with regard to this matter including the causes and effects, this way they will think more before doing anything. Even this kind of action can lead to a nicer and greener environment.
To sum it up, it is not enough with the total awareness of the people, but, more importantly on the participation of the people. Not only the students, faculties, or the administration should participate but all the people that are part of the university.
The increase in U-M consumption of electricity and paper causes an increase in air pollution, solid waste, and the burning of fossil fuels. Much of the paper used by PCs is wasted. National estimates indicate that most PCs are not being used most of the time they are on. In addition, 30 - 40 percent of all PCs are left on overnight and on weekends.
On the U-M Ann Arbor campus, PC operation alone may account for at least $1.8 million in energy costs each year. This represents approximately 11 percent of the total amount spent by the U-M on electricity. It is estimated that a PC system can easily consume 300 watts of electricity per hour ‚ the same amount of energy needed to operate three 100 watt light bulbs.
The following "green computing" habits can significantly reduce the amount of electricity and environmental waste for which PCs are responsible.
Waste Minimization Procedure
Electrical Conservation Tips:
Turn the computer off overnight and on weekends;
Wait until ready to use the PC before turning it on;
If the computer is going to be inactive for more than 16 minutes, consider turning it off. After this time, the energy needed to run the computer outweighs the start-up energy;
Do not turn on the printer until ready to print, even an idle printer consumes energy;
Try to schedule computer-related activities to do them all at once, keeping the computer off at other times;
If spending a large amount of time at the computer, consider reducing the light level in your office. This may improve cathode ray tube screen visibility as well as save energy.
Paper Conservation Tips:
Use "paperless" methods of communication such as electronic mail (e-mail) and fax modems. Also, do not print out copies of e-mail messages unless necessary;
Use smaller font sizes and decrease the spacing between lines, or reformat to keep the document to as few pages as possible;
Review documents on the screen instead of printing a draft. If you must print a draft, use the blank back side of used sheets;
Use a printer that can print double-sided documents. When making copies, use double-sided copying;
The U-M buys and uses recycled-content paper when possible. Look for papers with 50 - 100 percent post-consumer waste and non-chlorine bleached. Also, recycle paper when done.
Store information on diskettes rather than in "hard copy" format. A single high-density 3.5 inch floppy disk can hold the equivalent of 750 sheets of paper, about one and a half reams. Also, be sure to reuse disks that contain outdated information.
Purchasing and Use of Equipment:
Printer toner cartridges can be refilled, rebuilt and reused. Many manufacturers will take a spent cartridge, refurbish it, refill it, and return it for about half the price of buying a new one;
Determine whether you can upgrade your existing equipment rather than purchasing new equipment;
Donate an old computer to a school or charity; if it is permanently out of order, give it to a computer recycling facility instead of discarding in a landfill;
Only buy a monitor as large as you really need; a 17 inch monitor uses 40 percent more energy than a 14-inch monitor. Also, the higher the resolution, the more energy it needs;
Consider purchasing an ink jet printer instead of a laser printer. Although they are a little slower, they use 80-90 percent less energy;
Request recycled or recyclable packaging from your vendor;
Buy soy or non-petroleum based inks. These printer inks are made from renewable resources, require fewer hazardous solvents, which translates to fewer air emissions, and in many cases produce brighter, cleaner colors;
Try to buy energy efficient products such as those bearing the Energy Star Logo. The Energy Star Program was started by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to encourage the production and use of energy-efficient equipment. In accordance with the EPA's voluntary guidelines, leading computer manufacturers are now producing equipment that can automatically power down to a "sleep mode" to save energy when not in use. They also use up to 30 percent less energy when running than conventional equipment. These added capabilities do not increase price or decrease performance.
Benefits
The production of electricity is the largest single source of air pollution, due to the burning of fossil fuels. A power plant used to generate electricity, burns oil, coal, or natural gas that emits gases such as carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides. These gases, in turn, cause acid rain, smog and global warming. Conserving energy reduces the amount of fuel that has to be consumed, thereby reducing the amount of pollution generated. Obviously, energy-efficiency is a positive step toward reducing air pollution.
Some of the tips given above to reduce paper use and reuse of toner cartridge and diskettes will go a long way towards reducing the amount of solid waste that ultimately ends up in a landfill.
http://www.p2000.umich.edu/energy_conservation/ec7.htm
GreenVM - not only saving energy resources but human resources as well:
Craig Terrell, head of the GreenVM project (also a part of Enterprise Systems and Technical Services), like Tracy Hansen sums up his team's project nicely with an eye towards its environmentally-friendly potential: "The UNT GreenVM project aims to consolidate server resources and hardware costs into a centralized location. This means that the hardware is being used to its available capacity instead of wasting cooling and electricity as the majority of servers do. With our existing VM infrastructure, we can run between 25 to 60 virtual servers (Web, Application, File & Print, etc.) on each physical server. This method also allows us more efficient use of storage resources by utilizing a SAN (Storage Area Network) which shares a large array of drives across multiple servers."
Terrell further explains some of the technical aspects and advantages of his project: "All the virtual servers are running on clustered physical servers. If we do suffer a hardware failure, the virtual servers automatically move to another physical server with minimal down time, typically under 2 minutes or less. If we receive notification of a looming failure we can migrate the servers with zero downtime. There is no worry about setting up or maintaining any hardware. No AC issues, no power issues, no hardware failure or associated parts issues. A VM behaves like a physical server but boots much faster. You retain all control over it, just as you would if you owned the hardware, but without the hardware headaches. That does mean you will be having to patch and backup the virtual server just as you would a physical server. Physical servers can be migrated onto a virtual server, a process called P2V. This is useful if there are existing server hardware issues or the need to retire an older server without the expense of new hardware." So like many green technologies, not only are virtual servers a way to stay green but they also offer overall workflow and efficiency advantages as well.
The GreenVM project has helped the distributed computing areas on campus in freeing up many of their technical and personnel resources to concentrate on direct desktop and user services. With server management not so much a part of their jobs, staff members can really hone in on their already fine customer service. Terrell reports that over 70 VM's are in production for departments such as Facilities, Student Development, the College of Music and TAMS as well as several CITC internal projects. Terrell cites future plans and advantages as well: "The CITC VM systems are available to all departments within UNT with a nominal cost. It is typically less expensive than purchasing a server over a three-year period with the added benefits of high-availability and easier management. In order to maximize the benefit of a virtual environment, the plan is to migrate or launch new projects in VM whenever possible. The more we move to VM, the less cooling and electricity we need per server." In addition, his team is implementing full offsite DR (Disaster recovery) for major systems and projects.
http://www.unt.edu/benchmarks/archives/2009/april09/Greencomputing.htm
What is Green Computing?
Green computing is the environmentally responsible use of technology.
What can I do to “green” my technology use?
Enable power management on your computer.
Power down the computer and monitor when not in use.
Consider plugging your computer and peripherals into a power strip with an on/off switch and turn the entire power strip off when not in use.
Think before you print. Do you really need a paper copy?
Use recycled paper if possible
Use Print Preview to review your job before printing it
Print in black and white whenever possible.
Print two-sided whenever possible.
Reuse unnecessary print jobs as scratch paper.
Advertise events, parties, etc. electronically or with chalk instead of print-outs.
Recycle!
Use the recycling bins around campus to recycle paper, glass, aluminum, and plastic
Toner on campus can be brought to ISR for recycling
Beloit College computers and laptop batteries can be brought to ISR for recycling
Locations for recycling home computers can be found here
Recycle used alkaline batteries in Pearsons by the mail center or in the Library
Use email instead of faxes
If you are in the market for a new computer at home, consider buying an Energy Star compliant computer
If it’s possible, download software from the web instead of purchasing a physical installation disc
What is Power management and how does it help?
Every day energy is wasted by computers and monitors that are left on when not in use. By simply putting the hard drive and monitor to sleep after a short period of inactivity, huge energy savings can be realized. The computer should wake up with a quick click of the mouse or by pressing a key on the keyboard. In some cases, you will need to press the power button briefly to wake the computer up. Also, be sure to shut down your computer before leaving for the day and over weekends. Use this handy calculator to get an idea of how much energy and money can be saved.
Some Myths and Facts about Power Management*
Myth: Computers have a shorter life when you turn them on and off frequently.
Fact: Hard disks in PCs older than 10 years did not automatically park their heads when shut off, leading to disk damage from frequent on/off power cycling. Newer PCs are designed to handle over 40,000 on/off cycles.
Myth: Turning your computer off uses more energy than leaving it on.
Fact: The surge of power when a computer is turned off lasts a few seconds and is insignificant compared to the sustained energy used in keeping it on during periods of inactivity.
Myth: As long as the computer is off, it’s not using any power.
Fact: As long as they are plugged in, your computer and other electronic devices continue to use electricity – even when they are turned off or in standby mode. A computer uses up to 10 watts when it is turned off but still plugged in.
http://www.beloit.edu/isr/greencomputing.php
For more information about green computing, check out these sites:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Green_computing
http://www.climatesaverscomputing.org
http://www.energymanagement.umich.edu/utilities/energy_management/computing/
http://ecenter.colorado.edu/energy/projects/green_computing.html
http://www.uwf.edu/helpdesk/eco/
We all know that not all people in this university have knowledge about the “green campus computing”. So, for me, the first thing to do for the University to apply these concepts about is to aware and educate the people about this. They should conduct some seminars or symposiums for the students or even the faculties to further understand this concept so that it will not be very difficult for the implementation.
Second, when the people are already aware, properly educated, and sensitive enough with regard to this matter including the causes and effects, this way they will think more before doing anything. Even this kind of action can lead to a nicer and greener environment.
To sum it up, it is not enough with the total awareness of the people, but, more importantly on the participation of the people. Not only the students, faculties, or the administration should participate but all the people that are part of the university.
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