Utility Computing: Green Opportunities and risks

One visionary idea of computing, since early '60, has been those of utility. Cloud computing looks to be finally the implementation of such an idea. With the lot of opportunities provided by this paradigm for the development of software sector, also concerns about environmental effect are rising. The paper is focused on the green potentials of clouds, and how they have to be declined for different users levels, highlighting the related environmental risks. The trend shows clearly as cloud computing is turning computing in a pay-per-use model, where Quality of Service requirements will have to be enlarged to include green requirements. Green computing have to take into consideration new opportunities and new issues for the environment not only focusing on the energy use phase, but on all phases of the Life Cycle for any service provided on the cloud. Awareness by users and developers is the first step to allow such a green potential of the cloud