| Have you visited the bookstore lately? Green books | | | | support any student or professional to pursue this |
| everywhere. On my last count there were thirty | | | | certification. I have searched for the text but it |
| eight titles on the management and computer | | | | seems to be available only as an e-book. |
| shelves. From all appearances green has finally gone | | | | The CompTIA Green IT (Strata) certification is a 30 |
| mainstream. Green has become the color of choice | | | | question/ 60 minute exam with a passing score of |
| for magazines, advertisements, T-Shirts and is now a | | | | 70%. Prerequisites for attempting the certification is |
| favorite battle cry of "wannabe" politicians. I recently | | | | CompTIA Server+; CompTIA A+ or eighteen |
| saw a sign hanging in front of a local church that read | | | | months work experience. Although I am a staunch |
| "Go Green For Jesus". I smiled in agreement. | | | | supporter of the quality of exams coming from this |
| However, the books on Green IT are few and in | | | | organization, I am inclined to believe that this Green |
| between. I have received questions about my opinion | | | | IT curriculum is pretty superficial. I tend to believe it |
| on the best Green IT certifications and are they | | | | follows the mantra of "It's easy going Green" and |
| worth having. I will attempt to provide some | | | | "100 Things You can do to Save the World". In your |
| information I have gathered while doing my research | | | | study of Green IT you will quickly appreciate the |
| on the topic. Is a green IT certification valuable? I | | | | depth of knowledge needed to really present or |
| say a definitive yes. Corporations will have no choice | | | | initiate a Green IT initiative. However, in view of the |
| but to operate sustainably. | | | | lack of quality study tracks available, I would |
| My article on the Hottest IT certifications for 2010 | | | | encourage obtaining this qualification but would quickly |
| mentioned Green IT as a dark horse in the | | | | advise that it is only the tip of the iceberg. |
| certification chase. My list of top ten certs then, | | | | My favorite Green IT certification is definitely the |
| looked like this:- (Experienced) | | | | program presented by the Chartered Institute for IT |
| 1. VMWare VCP | | | | (BCS).- The text which I obtained from London |
| 2. Cisco's Cloud Computing | | | | through the kindness of an ex-student (thank you, |
| 3. MCSE -Security | | | | Keno), is an exceptionally written book. Written by |
| 4. Cisco's CCIE Security | | | | Mr. Mark G. O'Neil, the Green IT For Sustainable |
| 5. SQL | | | | Business Practice is packed with "no fat" information |
| 6. MCITP | | | | about Green IT policies, drivers, definitions and |
| 7. RHCE | | | | management. This curriculum in my opinion presents a |
| 8. Green IT | | | | more realistic look at what is entailed in the field of |
| 9. CWSP | | | | Greening an IT department. Though it addresses the |
| 10. anything Citrix | | | | data center, the book also identifies the management |
| Today, though not surprised, I choose to move | | | | issues from the end user to the supplier, partners, |
| Green IT from #8 to #1. Green IT to a greater | | | | disposal, laws and regulations. I will readily admit that |
| extent, has not been thoroughly defined. Being | | | | it was written for the UK professional but still is |
| relatively new, and still being debated, there is still a | | | | valuable to any Green IT professional. I will attempt |
| lot of work to be done in creating a curriculum that | | | | this exam soon and will therefore be more informed |
| truly covers the length, breadth and depth of | | | | about it. Stay tuned. |
| creating a sustainable Green IT environment. The | | | | As I have stated in numerous posts, the availability |
| books and articles that I have read seem to place | | | | of information on the internet is never ending. There |
| the emphasis on Green Data centers. The data | | | | are whitepapers from Cisco, IBM, EPEAT, EPA, |
| center is and will continue to be the focal point for | | | | GreenPeace etc. My recommendation to the pursuer |
| energy conservation, but Greening your IT | | | | is to submerge oneself in the understanding of IT, it's |
| department involves everything from the data center | | | | design, management, weaknesses and add the |
| to edge devices to users, suppliers and other | | | | information from a sustainable approach. Wikipedia still |
| business partners. It covers marketing, transport, | | | | remains my favorite. |
| waste disposable, and Corporate Social Responsibility. | | | | Although not identified as a Green IT certification, it |
| The questions that has been asked of me by some | | | | is wise to examine ITIL. For the reader who is not |
| readers of my last article is, "Is there a Green IT | | | | familiar with these certs, ITIL Information |
| certification?". Another question is "Which Green IT | | | | Technology Infrastructure Library is geared towards |
| certification is the best?". As of this writing I am | | | | presenting high quality services to the IT |
| convinced that the certifications that are available | | | | environment. The ITIL framework is concerned with |
| today will have to evolve as laws and regulations are | | | | planning, building, moving and operating IT services |
| presented. There are great books, a huge number of | | | | with the most efficiency and therefore must include |
| whitepapers and tons of YouTube videos covering | | | | environmental strategies. Another document that |
| Green IT. Recently CompTIA released their Green IT | | | | would advance your understanding of Green IT is the |
| (Strata) certification. I investigated this cert and | | | | ISO14001 standard. You do not need to purchase a |
| though I commend CompTIA for the foresight, I | | | | book on this because the information can be found |
| believe the cert is pretty elementary. I will, however, | | | | online. |