Super-efficient technology from Supermicro

The tier one technology companies ala Dell, Hewlett-Packard and IBM all view for green IT headlines on a weekly basis, but there is plenty of innovation going on among smaller players.

Super Micro, for example, just showed off new server technology during the CeBit computer show in Hannover, Germany. The common theme in the products it showed was the efficiency of the power supplies used.

The companys' new TwinBlade solution, for example, which supports up to 20 dual-socket server blades per 7U enclosure, comes with 94 percent power supply efficiency, which is an industry-leading benchmark.

The company's new Double-Sided Storage system also pays special attention to the power supply: they also operated at Platinum level efficiency.

Supermicro actually has another new server out with an extremely efficient power supply, which didn't get mentioned in its CeBit information. The SuperServer 6016T-MTLF is worth attention because the 1U unit uses a Gold-level power supply, according to the 80 Plus initiative. That's the highest-level of efficiency currently possible in this particular unit.