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62 P a r t I I : C o n s u m p t i o n I s s u e s

This is a matter of fine-tuning on your part. You may not need a 100ms beacon
broadcast. If you can pare that number down, you’ll save radio power.
Bluetooth
Most computers now come with a preinstalled Bluetooth radio. Like a WiFi radio, Bluetooth
eats up power. A lot of it, actually. But unlike WiFi, Bluetooth is oftentimes enabled even
when it is not being used. If your laptops aren’t using their Bluetooth for anything, shut off
the radios and you’ll save energy.

Software
Although it’s possible to manage many power settings using Group Policy in Windows or a
similar tool in Linux and Mac environments, some companies are making the process even
easier and marketing power-saving software.
Seattle-based Verdiem said that by the end of 2007, 500,000 computers were using its
Surveyor software.
Surveyor is a networked-computer utility that can cut energy use by 30 percent per
machine by switching into low-power mode when a computer is not being used. Verdiem
estimates a cost savings of between US$20 and US$60 per machine, per year.
For more information about Verdiem and Surveyor, visit www.verdiem.com, or Link 3-5.

As repeatedly stated in this chapter, power consumption is a major issue. It affects the
environment; it affects your bottom line. By using the mechanisms in this chapter, you
should be able to see some appreciable cuts in your power usage.
But even as optimal as your system is, it’s still going to use power, and that power will
generate heat. In Chapter 4, we talk about what you can do to optimize cooling in your
server room.