Gateway helps Golden State conserve precious IT resources

May 2004 , Sponsored by Gateway

The California Environmental Protection Agency is implementing a Wake-on-LAN system that saves both time and money.

Cal/EPA sets the standard for environmental awareness and wise use of assets, so agency leaders are extremely cognizant of the impact their choices may have -- in even the smallest degree -- on the state's environment. Established in 1991, the California Environmental Protection Agency (Cal/EPA) oversees six state boards, departments and offices with the mission of protecting the environment to ensure public health, environmental quality and economic vitality for California's citizens.

For several years, Gateway desktop PCs have bolstered Cal/EPA's IT and environmental strategies by delivering powerful and reliable computing power that's also resource-friendly.

"One of the big benefits of our Gateway E-1400 desktop computers is reduced power consumption due to their integrated chipset components and small form factor," said Gary Arstein-Kerslake, information officer for Cal/EPA. "As a result, they have a smaller power supply, give off less heat and can use smaller cooling fans. The bottom line for the customer is smaller, quieter and more energy-efficient systems. Gateway also used a lot of sheet metal in the case for these small form factor systems, which eventually will be a good thing for recyclability. Overall, it's a very nice computer system."

Energy efficiency became particularly important during California's statewide electricity crisis a few years ago. But it's a different challenge they're facing now. The Golden State has been hard hit by budget difficulties, and recently IT officials at Cal/EPA have placed new emphasis on doing even more with even less.

Life Preserver
The IT strategy at Cal/EPA these days -- and at many other state organizations -- centers on avoiding new hardware costs where possible while simultaneously delivering better services to end-users. As part of an agencywide operating system upgrade, Arstein-Kerslake and his crew are using a built-in feature of Gateway E-1400s -- known as Wake-on-LAN -- that they believe will increase productivity, extend the life of desktop systems and offer an immediate cost benefit.

"We knew our Gateway computers supported the Wake-on-LAN feature," said Arstein-Kerslake. "We knew if we could implement the system across our 600 machines, we could extend the life of those systems by providing increased performance for our customers."

How are they able to do that? Wake-on-LAN allows the agency's server to send a wake-up call to sleeping desktop computers in order to have them perform various system upgrades and tasks when the systems are not otherwise in use. Cal/EPA will use Wake-on-LAN to implement new operating system security patches, as well as defragment PC hard drives, delete temporary Internet files and run anti-virus software.

All procedures will occur during off hours -- weekends or weeknights -- so end-users will find faster-running and more secure desktop computers when they return to work in the morning.

"Theoretically, a computer system will be woken at night, receive the update, install the update and then shut down when it's completed," said Stuart Clark, technical support specialist for Cal/EPA. "Then when someone comes into work in the morning, the process isn't taking up any of their precious time -- it's already been done."

Price Is Right
The ability to make desktop systems more efficient while not interfering with user productivity is particularly impressive given the fact that the Cal/EPA's Wake-on-LAN feature is being deployed at virtually no cost.

"Gateway has been very responsive, and I have to give them a lot of kudos for this," said Arstein-Kerslake. "They understood that given the state budgetary landscape right now, we had to make every effort to extend the life of our Gateway systems and provide increased services for our customers.