Ecodesign Requirements for servers - from single product groups to extended system approach

The currently ongoing ENTR Lot 9 preparatory study for ecodesign of enterprise server and storage equipment raises a number of methodological questions as the investigation requirements shift further from of a pure product scope to extended system analysis. The paper will give insight into the current status of the study. However, the core part of the paper will focus on the methodological aspects of addressing ecodesign on an individual product level while at the same time reflecting the extended system. The paper will explain the ecodesign implications of the various system levels, i.e. the sub-system (IT product) and extended system (support infrastructure) relationship. We then explore the options on how to cope with extended system aspects on a product scope level. The analysis will then examine existing and needed test standards, which are especially crucial for sub-system requirements.