An Investigation of the Impact of System Virtualization on Green ICT Deployment in Kenyan Public Universities

Abstract

The activities of public universities in Kenya today are heavily dependent on software and hence, the systems hosting them. This has resulted in an increased hardware acquisition which has led to increased implementation and maintenance costs as well as increased technical difficulties. This threatens the very sustainability of IT implementation. The purpose of this study was to formulate a system virtualization framework for sustainable IT deployment in public universities in Kenya. The study used mixed method. A survey was conducted in four public universities and one University College. The findings showed that system virtualization encourages hardware reduction, improved software reuse and improved security through the use of system virtualization. These findings imply that system virtualization reduces IT deployment costs as well as reduce amount of hardware components to be disposed. Challenges related to green ICT implementation in universities and university colleges include uncertainty in return on investment, limited financial support and limited collaboration. The study recommends that public universities and university colleges in Kenya to focus on a green IT framework in deploying ICT systems to ensure sustainability of the same.