Pendleton Bank claims server virtualization is slicing so much energy use that it's become a fountain of youth for old batteries. "We've been able to postpone a server battery replacement project for at least another year," says Dan Hansen, head of technology for the $265 million West Virginia-based bank, speaking to the benefits of a project that reduced the 85-employee institution's server count from nine to two. Beyond lowering stress on the batteries that run the servers, the bank estimates that the outsourced deployment of VMware to Jack Henry will reduce server-related electricity use by about 80 percent-allowing a 300 percent ROI for a $140,000 project that absorbed 40 percent of the bank's overall IT budget for 2009. That's a big outlay, but even budget strapped community banks are embracing server virtualization, attracted to the energy savings and other benefits such as improved up time and business continuity.