Initial results demonstrate that while critical server loads increased by 5 percent, power used for cooling decreased by 31 percent. Overall, the company experienced power reductions of up to 13.5 percent through a broad range of improvements. The new ”green” initiatives, conducted across its six world-class data centers, are expected to deliver cost savings in excess of $1 million in 2008 alone.

Jeff Lowenberg, Vice President, The Planet noted, ”With six data centers that house more than 50,000 servers, it’s important that we operate at peak performance to meet the demands of our 22,000 customers. At the same time, our goal is to conserve energy and drive operating efficiencies since power is a premium in every corner of the world. Ultimately, when we operate more efficiently, our customers reap the benefits since we’re able to spend capital on products and services that will enhance the customer experience.”

The Planet also improved its ”coefficient of efficiency,” an EPA- and Uptime Institute-recognized measurement of the total power necessary to operate a data center divided by critical power, which represents the energy required to operate its computers. The company increased its rating to 1.7 – a near-ideal number – from its previous ”good” ranking of 2.0.

The Planet operates more than 150 30-ton computer room air conditioning (CRAC) units across its six data centers. In one data center alone, the company was able to turn off four of the units. The cooling requirement on two of the units was reduced to 50 percent of capacity, while another nine now operate at 25 percent of capacity. The company also extended the return air plenums on all of its down-flow CRAC units to optimize efficiency. In some cases, The Planet team was able to increase CRAC unit temperature settings by as much as 10 degrees while still meeting the thermal guidelines for data processing environments set by the American Society of Heating, Refrigeration and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE).

Across the board, the company evaluated both its data center footprint and recommended guidelines from the Site Uptime Network, an invitation-only consortium of companies that operate data centers around the globe. The Planet also evaluated standards for air conditioning efficiency from ASHRAE to optimize operating performance. Among these improvements are the following:

• Rearranged floor tiles to better manage cold airflow
• Installed seals and grommets in the ceilings, walls and floors to reduce bypass airflow
• Installed blanking plates in server cabinets to direct airflow more efficiently
• Sealed power distribution units to reduce bypass airflow

Ultimately, The Planet endeavors to provide:

• High levels of network capacity and speed to deliver peak performance
• Instant scalability to handle even the largest spikes in network traffic
• Parallel, redundant, multi-tiered network routing and switching architecture to assure reliability and stability
• Multiple layer network security that prevents Delayed Denial of Service (DDOS) attacks from harming businesses
• Knowledgeable experts with a passion for excellence and a commitment to operate the best networks in the business

The Planet is a leading provider of On Demand IT Infrastructure solutions, hosting over 22,000 small and medium size businesses and 6.7 million web sites worldwide, using the best choice of servers, software tools and support, backed by enhanced facilities and network connectivity.

For more information about The Planet, please visit: www.theplanet.com.

The company’s website has been reconfigured to highlight these new names, and also to present the servers in three new categories: Single-Core Servers, Multi-Core Servers, and Multi-Processor Servers.

Ryan Elledge, Chief Operations Officer at Aplus.Net noted, ”As with our efforts in rebranding our shared hosting services last month, we’re taking the necessary steps to ensure that our consumers understand exactly what they’re getting when they shop for an Aplus.Net dedicated server. That means more clearly defining the way our servers are named, categorized, and presented on our website.”

The rebranding move comes after the company announced earlier in the month that it had reduced prices on all dedicated server set-up fees by wide margins – amounts totaling hundreds of dollars in some cases. The change also represents the latest in Aplus.Net’s campaign to overhaul not only its dedicated hosting plans but also its entire suite of award-winning products and services to better position the company in an increasingly competitive marketplace.

Dennis Kittrell, Senior Product Manager for Aplus.Net added, ”We work hard to make sure Aplus.Net customers have every advantage we can offer. Therefore, it made sense to present our dedicated hosting products in as clear and as accessible a manner as possible. For example, what was once the Standard Server is now the Celeron 1.8GHz; and what was once the Premium XR Server is now the Quad Core 2.33 GHz. We’re confident that this new convention will improve the Aplus.Net customer experience.”

Aplus.Net has provided web services since the Internet’s commercial start in 1995. Aplus.Net is one of the top ten privately held hosting companies in the United States. Specializing in helping small businesses build a customer base via the Internet, Aplus.Net offers award-winning services that include web hosting and design, dedicated servers, online marketing, e-commerce, domain name registration, and much more. Aplus.Net has been awarded many honors for excellence, including the prestigious CNET Editors’ Choice Award, and has been featured in top U.S. business publications such as Forbes, Entrepreneur, Black Enterprise, and PC Magazine.

For more information about Aplus,Net, please visit: www.aplus.net.