Most database systems (DBMSs) today are operating on servers equipped with magnetic disks. In our contribution, we want to motivate the use of two emerging and striking technologies, namely native XML DBMSs (XDBMSs for short) and solid state disks. In this context, the traditional read/write model optimized by a sophisticated cache hierarchy and the IO cost model for databases needs adjustment. Such new devices together with optimized storage mapping of XML documents provide a number of challenging characteristics. We discuss howtheir optimization potential ca be exploited to enhance transactional DB performance under reduced energy consumption to match increasing application demands and, at the same time, to guarantee economic energy use in data centers. Categories and Subject Descriptors B.3.2 [Memory Structures]: Design Styles--mass storage; H.2.4 [Database Management]: Systems; H.3.2 [Information Storage and Retrieval]: Information Storage General Terms Performance, Design, Econom...