‘Green’ IT Security?

By Alan Harten

According to Wick Hill Group chairman Ian Kilpatrick the IT industry isn’t considered to be exactly at the forefront of ‘green’ computing.

Its record can be regarded as poor across a whole range of ‘green’ issues, especially in the areas of power consumption, toxic substance use, need for air conditioning and a low product life cycle.

Consumer demand is, however, forcing ‘green’ needs into IT companies’ strategies.

IT manufacturers are shifting towards ‘green’ policies, not only in IT systems but also in the whole process of design, manufacture and ultimate disposal of computing hardware.

Companies involved in IT networks security are now also looking at if their choice of solutions have sound ‘green’ principles.

They are looking at the whole process, starting with the suppliers, who are now expected to implement ‘green’ policies in product design and manufacturing.

Suppliers are now expected to utilise design concepts that will reduce the amount of materials used and also wastage, reduce packaging, increase the recycling possibilities, and also increase the expected life of the product, and where possible reduce energy consumption.

The suppliers’ products are also expected to comply with any environmental directives and eco-legislation.

IT security personnel may consider the use of UTMs as a ‘green’ security component.

IDC’s minimum requirements for a UTM is a firewall, VPN, antivirus and intrusion detection/prevention.

But UTMs have further evolved to now incorporate added capabilities including URL filtering, spam blocking and spyware protection, and centralised management, monitoring, and other capabilities.

UTMs perform several mixed security functions in a single appliance and this could put them into the ‘green’ category.

This is because a single UTM can replace as many as six, previously separate, security appliances. Thus, UTM appliances save space and also reduce power consumption.

Power reduction comes from not only the rack but also the air conditioning required to keep multiple products cool.

For smaller organisations, it can remove the need for all day, every day, air conditioning.

A UTM may also be ‘green’ if it is easily upgradable for increased functionality. This would allow UTMs to adapt to new needs, instead of wastefully ‘changing out’ of equipment.

Another ‘green’ IT issue, regarding security solutions, is recycling and disposal of toxic substances present in the equipment.

Two legal stipulations cover IT waste: WEEE, the European Community directive on waste electrical and electronic equipment; and the RoHS Directive.

WEEE details collection, recycling and recovery targets for all electrical items.

The RoHS directive controls the use of restricted substances (lead, mercury, cadmium, hexavalent chromium, PBB and PBDE).

There are exceptions wherein companies have RoHS exempt status instead of RoHS compliant status; buyers should always seek out compliant equipment.

Conclusion

Implementing ‘green’ regimes is becoming more important in both IT and IT security.

Suppliers with genuine ‘green’ policies, for UTMs and other solutions, and who conform to the WEEE and RoHS directives are more suitable for IT security that wishes to be ‘greener.’

Ian Kilpatrick. Details

Chairman of Wick Hill Group plc, who specialise in secure infrastructure solutions. Kilpatrick has been with the Group for over 30 years.

Wick Hill is an international organisation who supply most Time Top 1000 companies through accredited resellers.

Ian Kilpatrick is the author of numerous articles published in the British and overseas press, as well as a speaker at IT exhibitions.