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Green challenges to system software in data centers

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Abstract

With the increasing demand and the wide application of high performance commodity multi-core processors, both the quantity and scale of data centers grow dramatically and they bring heavy energy consumption. Researchers and engineers have applied much effort to reducing hardware energy consumption, but software is the true consumer of power and another key in making better use of energy. System software is critical to better energy utilization, because it is not only the manager of hardware but also the bridge and platform between applications and hardware. In this paper, we summarize some trends that can affect the efficiency of data centers. Meanwhile, we investigate the causes of software inefficiency. Based on these studies, major technical challenges and corresponding possible solutions to attain green system software in programmability, scalability, efficiency and software architecture are discussed. Finally, some of our research progress on trusted energy efficient system software is briefly introduced.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Key Laboratory of Computer System and Architecture, Institute of Computing Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190, China

    Yuzhong Sun, Yiqiang Zhao, Ying Song, Yajun Yang, Haifeng Fang, Hongyong Zang, Yaqiong Li & Yunwei Gao

  2. Graduate University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190, China

    Yajun Yang, Haifeng Fang, Hongyong Zang & Yaqiong Li

Authors
  1. Yuzhong Sun
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  2. Yiqiang Zhao
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  3. Ying Song
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  4. Yajun Yang
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  5. Haifeng Fang
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  6. Hongyong Zang
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  7. Yaqiong Li
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  8. Yunwei Gao
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Yuzhong Sun.

Additional information

Dr. Yuzhong Sun, a full professor at Institute of Computing Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences with major research interests focusing on green system software and green computing. He is the member of “Hundred Talented Individuals Project” of Chinese Academy of Sciences.

Dr. Yiqiang Zhao is now a postdoctoral at Institute of Computing Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences. His major research interests include operating system, virtualization, natural language understanding and green system software design.

Dr. Ying Song is an assistant professor in Institute of Computing Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences. She mainly interests in computer architecture, parallel and distributed computing, operating system and virtualization technology. her work covers topics such as performance modeling, capacity flowing, green model.

Yajun Yang is a PhD candidate at Institute of Computing Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences. His major research interests focus on OS, virtualization and distributed storage.

Haifeng Fang is a PhD candidate at Institute of Computing Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences with major research interests focusing on operating system, virtualization and trusted computing. He is a member of Chinese Computer Federation.

Hongyong Zang received his PhD from Institute of Computing Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences in 2011. His research interests cover operating system, virtualization and network optimization.

Yaqiong Li received his PhD from Chinese Academy of Sciences in 2011. His major research interests focus on operating system, virtualization and trust computing.

Yunwei Gao is an engineer in Institute of Computing Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, with major research interests focusing on operating system, virtualization and distributed system.

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Sun, Y., Zhao, Y., Song, Y. et al. Green challenges to system software in data centers. Front. Comput. Sci. China 5, 353–368 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11704-011-0369-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11704-011-0369-3

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