Green Your Backup
Traditional online backup involves uploading your files to at least one datacenter. Gartner estimates that the global information and communications industry is responsible for around 2% of CO2 emissions - comparable to aviation - and that about a quarter of that CO2 originates from data centers. If you're using a traditional online backup service then plan on planting a few trees.
Cucku Backup is different. You're storing your backup on a friend or family member's PC, often taking advantage of existing free disk space. There's no network of data centers to power and cool which massively reduces the carbon footprint required to run the service.
Gartner also says that PCs and monitors contribute 40% of information and communications CO2. This is a huge problem with backup in general and online backup in particular - many people end up leaving their computer running overnight just to run backup.
By default Cucku will prevent your computer from sleeping while backing up to a partner. This means you can set your computer to sleep when inactive. Cucku will keep the computer awake while your remote backup is running and then allow it to sleep again as soon as the backup completes.
Now that you don't need to leave your computer on 24/7 for backup invest in a Smart Strip. This can cut power to all your peripherals when your computer goes to sleep. For me, this reduces consumption from over 300 watts to under 3 - a huge saving.
(By the way, if you're still backing up to recordable CDs or DVDs then read Write Once Read Never and then remember to recycle your coasters.)
(Updated April 26, 2009: A science teacher (who I'm related to) pointed out that it's CO2, not CO2. Corrected above. If you click through to the Gartner reports they have it wrong in two different ways!)
posted by Rob on Wednesday, April 22, 2009
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