Force10 Networks Launches Carbon-Balanced Switch/Router Initiative
Customers purchasing ExaScale(TM) will receive carbon credits to offset energy consumption while deploying chassis-based core switch/routers with minimal environmental impact
SAN JOSE, Calif. -- Force10 Networks, Inc., a global technology leader that data center, service provider and enterprise customers rely on when the network is their business, today introduced the Force10 Carbon-Balanced Switch/Router Initiative designed to provide customers with carbon credits to offset energy consumption when using ExaScale(TM) E-Series® chassis-based core switch/routers.
For every unit of its ExaScale product sold during its current fiscal year (beginning October 1, 2010), Force10 will retire verified carbon credits to balance the greenhouse gas emissions resulting from the ExaScale's electricity consumption for an entire year, and will offer its customers the opportunity to retire carbon credits to balance emissions in subsequent years. Force10 will offset the associated carbon footprint for the customer through TerraPass, a third-party carbon offset provider. TerraPass utilizes those offsets to help fund carbon reduction projects throughout the U.S., including wind power, farm power and landfill gas capture.
"This initiative is the quintessential win-win for customers looking for greater, more reliable network performance while looking to lower energy costs and maintain good corporate citizenry," said Arpit Joshipura, chief marketing officer, Force10 Networks. "Organizations deploying ExaScale are able to leverage its energy-efficient architecture to significantly reduce not only the cost of capacity, power, and cooling, but also the environmental impact associated with their data center network."
Ongoing Green Commitment
The Force10 Carbon-Balanced Switch/Router Initiative represents the latest step the company has taken to effect positive environmental change while simultaneously working toward lowering operating expenses for its customers. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), data centers account for approximately 1.5 percent of total U.S. electrical consumption at a cost of $4.5 billion annually.
Recognizing this trend, Force10 architected its data center switch/router solutions designed to continue the reduction of energy consumption and the environmental impact of networks in the data center. Their architectural approach was recently validated by independent testing from The Tolly Group, which concluded that the ExaScale switch/router consumes less than half the power of the Cisco Nexus 7000 and 23% less power than Juniper in line-rate Gigabit Ethernet (GbE) and 10 GbE configurations, a switching requirement that is common in most data center networks.
Moreover, Force10 recently joined the Climate Savers Computing Initiative (CSCI). Since its formation in 2007, CSCI maintains some 645 members, including large commercial enterprises and technology industry stakeholders, who are focused on reducing the energy consumption of computers, servers and storage devices.
ExaScale energy efficiency combined with the carbon offsets effectively provides customers with their best choice for carbon-balanced data center networks. For every ExaScale unit purchased, Force10 will purchase and retire a quantity of carbon offsets that is the equivalent of taking 4.5 cars off the road!
For more information on ExaScale and the Force10 Carbon-Neutral Switch/Router Initiative, please click here.
About Force10 Networks
Force10 Networks is a global technology leader that data center, service provider and enterprise customers rely on when the network is their business. The company's high performance Ethernet switching and routing solutions virtualize and automate Ethernet networks to deliver new and distinct economic advantages by increasing network availability, agility and efficiency while reducing power and cooling costs. Force10 provides 24x7 service and support capabilities to its global customer base in more than 60 countries worldwide. For more information on Force10 Networks, please visit www.force10networks.com.
About TerraPass
Launched in 2004, TerraPass works with developers of greenhouse gas reduction projects to bring to market renewable energy and independently-verified carbon offsets. TerraPass manages a portfolio of more than 20 emissions reduction projects across the United States, primarily focused on waste-to-energy. With projects registered under the Climate Action Reserve and the Voluntary Carbon Standard, the company is an award-winning provider of carbon offsets and serves both voluntary and compliance buyers. For more information, visit www.terrapass.com or call +1 415-692-3411.
Force10 Networks, the Force10 Networks logo, Force10, E-Series, Traverse, TraverseEdge, are registered trademarks and ExaScale, S-Series, TeraScale, FTOS, JumpStart, HyperLink, SwitchLink and SmartScripts are trademarks of Force10 Networks, Inc. All other company names are trademarks of their respective holders.
CONTACT: Kevin Kimball of Force10 Networks Inc., +1-408-571-3544, kkimball@force10networks.com
