Desktop computers cost approximately £75 per year if they are left on all the time. If they are put in a low power state when not in use this cost is likely to fall to £15 (insert ref.). Computers are often left on all the time for some of the following reasons:
- An external service needs access a computer e.g. to create a backup copy of files stored on the computer
- An individual needs to access their computer e.g. to retrieve a file while at a conference
- An individual wants to avoid waiting for a computer to start up
- A computer is used to keep another computer on
- A computer is used to filter emails all the time
- Spare computing capacity is 'donated' to science experiments
Many of these reasons mean that computers are being left on 'just in case' they are needed which means inevitably that there is likely to be extensive periods of time that computers are consuming electricity without doing useful work. Tools can be provided for IT managers and end-users that support the objective of minimising this wasted energy but as organisations will also have to make decisions on whether any practices need to change because they are simply too costly.
Tools and techniques
Wake on LAN
Wake-on-LAN is a["lcict:wol"]