Step 3: Choose a Method for Activating Power Management Features

ENERGY STAR features — standard in Windows 95, 98, ME, 2000, and XP* and MacIntosh operating systems — place inactive computers (CPU, hard drive, etc.) and monitors into a low-power sleep mode. IT administrators can activate these features via a number of methods and tools. Contact EPA for help in selecting the power management solution that works best for your organization.

Windows 2000/XP Upgrades

If you replicate workstation hard drives from a template image during your transition to Windows 2000 or XP, enabling sleep settings in the template machine will assure that all new Windows 2000 or XP machines are enabled as well. Pitney Bowes successfully activated monitor power management (MPM) on 10,500 computers during a Windows upgrade. Please see the Network Administrator's Guide for detailed instructions.

Centrally Administered Software Solutions

• EZ Save is a free, centrally administered software tool that allows you to activate MPM features on an entire network of computers simultaneously. In addition, its polling feature allows you to determine the current status of MPM features on PCs in your network. EZ Save is not compatible with Windows Vista operating system.
• EZ GPO allows a network administrator to centrally control computer power management and monitor power management settings using Group Policy Objects. EZ GPO is not compatible with Windows Vista operating system.
• Several commercially available desktop management systems** can efficiently manage registry policies, including power management settings.
  • Computer Associates and Altiris offer free MPM solutions that work with their proprietary network management software. (See Power Management — Saving You Dollars While Protecting The Environment and Altiris’ Energy Saver Toolkit , respectively.) Dot Foods (12KB) saved $6000 annually using Altiris’ Energy Saver tool kit.
  • Desktop Standard's Policy Maker group policy tool activates CPM and also allow you to perform scheduled wakeups for updates at night. BEMIS (119KB) used Desktop Standard’s Policy Maker 2.0 to activate power management features on their computers to save $30/seat across 5,000 seats.
  • Verdiem’s Surveyor Network Energy Manager tool allows you to activated CPM and MPM and update computers at night. BC Hydro (135KB) used the tool at the Abbotsford School District to save $30,000 annually.
  • 1E’s NightWatchman and SMSWakeUp products allow you to shutdown your PC and wake it up for updates at night. Vision Service Plan (56KB) uses 1E products to save $145,000 per year.
  • SMS Expert’s SMS Companion allows you to wake up machines and centrally manage wakeup and scheduled task functions.
  • Apple’s Remote Desktop 2 allows MPM and CPM to be centrally-controlled for Macs.

Solutions for Individual Computers

• EZ Wizard is a simple software tool that automatically activates MPM settings on individual PCs. Because it can be launched from a website, EZ Wizard is an ideal solution for individual computer users in diverse computing environments like colleges and universities. EZ Wizard is not compatible with Windows Vista operating system.
• Manual Activation: Individuals and small organizations can manually activate power management settings via their computer’s “control panel.” For instructions and screen shots for Windows and Mac operating systems, see Enable Power Management Manually.

A Note about Windows NT

The Windows NT 4.0 Workstation operating system does not support power management. For possible solutions, see Windows NT Options.

^**This information does not in any way represent EPA endorsement of these desktop management systems.