In just a few years, Green Mountain has grown into one of the leading providers of ‘green’ data center services. All of the energy required to operate the facilities is generated by hydropower, while the ice-cold water of the fjords helps with the cooling. Demand for energy-efficient, high-performance servers is growing. International customers from the banking sector, energy companies, IT service providers, and government agencies are turning to Green Mountain’s carbon-neutral infrastructure, but also major vehicle developers that require a lot of computing power.
Sustainability on the up
The fact that Green Mountain relies completely on renewable energy and sustainability is an important factor for many businesses in their decision to use the Norwegian company’s services. “Our customers are increasingly looking for sustainable solutions that will improve the environmental footprint of their IT infrastructure,” says Runar Espeland, Service Management Lead at Green Mountain. “Demand for green end-of-lifecycle services, in particular, is growing.” Even if servers and storage solutions have a longer lifespan than a PC, there comes a time to check whether they still meet the requirements or need to be replaced. “In partnership with CHG-MERIDIAN in Skien, Norway, we have created a comprehensive service package for data erasure and the refurbishment and remarketing of decommissioned assets. This is the perfect addition to our portfolio of green IT services.”
“Our customers are increasingly looking for sustainable solutions. Demand for green end-of-lifecycle services, in particular, is growing.”
Working hand in hand to achieve the highest data security
The technology experts at CHG-MERIDIAN ensure that all decommissioned assets are refurbished or recycled, depending on their condition, in an environmentally friendly way. They manage the reliable erasure of all data, analyze and correct errors, remove optical defects, and help the customer to sell the used equipment on the secondary market. If refurbishment is not practical, then the team in Skien ensures that all assets are recycled in an environmentally friendly way.
Data erasure is always carried out in accordance with the owner’s requirements and the law. This may sound obvious, but it has become even more important with the introduction of the General Data Protection. Regulation – one of the reasons why Green Mountain’s customers are increasingly looking for professional support.
“Every customer is provided with a custom solution that is tailored to the specific hardware and data,” explains Jan-Thore Johnsen, Senior Technical Sales at CHG-MERIDIAN in Skien. “The entire process is documented and certified according to the level of security required.” Depending on the agreement, the data erasure and refurbishment or recycling are carried out at the technology center in Skien; if storage media to be disposed of cannot be handed over for reasons of security, then CHG-MERIDIAN provides a mobile shredder. “Our customers value the discretion and flexibility that the on-site solution offers. This has definitely enhanced the value of the service we provide,” says Espeland.
Added value through lifecycle management
The fact that the environmental benefits of reusing IT equipment are many times greater than those of recycling it is prompting more and more companies to consider end-of-lifecycle management. The team at Green Mountain fully appreciate that security and cost-efficiency are as much of a focus for customers as environmental protection is. “In most cases, old assets can generate revenue that can be reinvested in the purchase or leasing of new equipment and take pressure off the budget,” Johnsen says. “Our approach is to enable customers to recycle their decommissioned IT equipment in a way that is green, safe, and profitable in equal measure, and that follows the spirit of the circular economy.”
“We enable our customers to recycle their decommissioned IT equipment in a way that is green, safe, and profitable in equal measure, and that follows the spirit of the circular economy.”
A successful partnership
For Green Mountain, one of the key factors in the success of its partnership with CHG-MERIDIAN, which was agreed in 2018, is the scalability of the joint service offering. The number of companies using the data center operator’s services continues to grow, while the IT equipment of many of Green Mountain’s customers is reaching the end of its lifecycle. “We are pleased to have found a partner who can grow with us and who fully understands our customers’ strict hardware and data management requirements,” Espeland says.
Johnsen is equally certain that there is considerable potential here: “Our services sit at the interface between the end and the beginning of an IT lifecycle. This is the ideal starting point to raise awareness of the benefits that comprehensive lifecycle management, as offered by us, can bring.”