Cloud computing continues to grow in popularity with offerings such as remote data storage and software as a service to help reduce IT costs. However, 24/7 operation and the increasing centralization of data centers mean energy efficiency is more important than ever. A research team from the University of Oran in Algeria has developed a process to help consolidated data centers use less CPU and memory capacity to save energy while not compromising performance for users.
Published in the International Journal of Information Technology, Communications and Convergence, the dual phase energy optimization strategy involves the virtualization of processes and use of the team’s newly-developed algorithm of selection and allocation to combine various tools and applications. This allows the same processing power while using less memory space. By allowing multiple virtual machines to run remotely from a single location, the data center maintains full user accessibility with a dramatic reduction in energy consumption. Though the process is still in development, the research team hopes their process could be helpful in reducing electricity use and carbon emissions from data centers of all sizes.
Wondering if your IT department could use an efficiency upgrade? Take a look at tips for How Facility Managers and IT Can Partner for Energy Savings.
