EPA Gives Servers Energy Star Ratings

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency will introduce its Energy Star for Servers program on Friday, aiming to make it easier for buyers to identify energy-efficient systems. The final specification will be published on the EPA's Web site on Friday evening, said Andrew Fanara, who heads the Energy Star product programs. The first qualifying servers may be listed on the site as soon as this weekend, he said.

The EPA has been working on the program with server makers for more than a year, trying to reach agreement on the types of servers to be covered and the criteria included.

The final program covers servers with up to four processor sockets and at least one hard drive. Blade servers are not included but may be added to the program in the next two months, Fanara said.

The main criteria are the efficiency of a server's power supply and the amount of power consumed at idle. Vendors must also publish power and performance data in a standard way for qualifying models and configurations.