Despite high profile concerns about the energy footprint of IT equipment, many firms are continuing to leave PCs on over night due to concerns over security.

That was the message from delegates at security software specialist Symantec's ManageFusion conference in Malta this week, where IT directors argued that the need to keep PC security patches up to date while limiting disruption to users meant they frequently had to ensure PCs were left on overnight so that maintenance work could be undertaken.

However, Symantec insisted that the emergence of new chip technology from Intel combined with IT management software from its Altiris division was helping to address the problem and would provide firms with the ability to ensure all PCs are turned off when not in use.

Kevin Unbedacht, Altiris senior technology strategist, accepted that currently many IT manager's "are in a quandary", because one part of the organisation wants to reduce's IT's energy use, while another argues security is the main issue and that the user demands a good IT experience with no patch updates done during the day.
But Gregory Bryant, vice president at the Digital Office Platform Division of chip giant Intel, insisted that the recent launch of the company's Pro series of processors had resolved the problem by giving IT manager's the ability to easily turn PCs on and off without visiting the machine.

Symantec said its partnership with Intel had allowed it exploit this functionality and as a result IT managers could turn PCs on and off using its centralised IT management software suite, removing the need for staff to leave their PCs on overnight. "Altiris and VPro solve this dilemma [of always-on PCs] because a system wakes in the middle of the night reliably, pushes out a patch or software delivery and then shuts back down," said Unbedacht.

The new technology will see Symantec push into a burgeoning market for PC pow er management solutions that up to now has been dominated by smaller specialist software providers such as 1E and Verdiem.

Speaking during the conference keynote address, Bryant insisted that the new Pro chips were evidence of a sea change at Intel that has seen environmental concerns dominate the company's activities.

"When launching VPro and Centrino Pro platforms, energy efficient performance was one of our main hallmarks," Bryant said, insisting that the new technology could help cut PC energy consumption by half.

He added that Intel's technologies would exceed current hazardous substances regulations and be 100 per cent lead free this year and next year will be completely halogen free, Bryant said.