How to save the world from big data

Tactics for making cloud computing massively greener

Francine Bennett (@fhr)Mastodon C

Run anywhere

batch jobslatency insensitive standard hardware

Them: “While this sounds like an interesting project, I'm afraid we don't make these sorts of data points available.”

Me: “OK, no problem. Is there any public industry data which you regard as high quality, which you would recommend if we're making estimates? Also would be great to know if [Company] has any green initiatives which we should be aware of in our modelling.”

Them: “None that I'm aware of, but we continually and relentlessly seek even more efficient operations.”

Electricity sourceEmissions factor

ServerStandard power

consumption

Data centrePower Usage Effectiveness

Electricity sourceEmissions factor

HardwareStandard power

consumption

Data centrePower Usage

Effectiveness (PUE)

Physical building and layoutOccupancy levelExternal temperature & humidity

0

0.25

0.50

0.75

1.00

Icel

and

Switz

erla

nd

Swed

en UK

US (a

vera

ge)

Chin

a

Aust

ralia

Kg CO2e per KWh of national grid electricity

Source: Defra via Amee

Physical design

Utilisation

Local climate

Power source

Physical design 1.6

Utilisation

Local climate

Power source

Physical design 1.6

Utilisation 1.2

Local climate

Power source

Physical design 1.6

Utilisation 1.2

Local climate 2.0

Power source

Physical design 1.6

Utilisation 1.2

Local climate 2.0

Power source 8.0

Power source61%

Climate20%

Physical design13%

Occupancy6%

0

0.15

0.30

0.45

0.60

Win

ter

Sum

mer

Icel

and

Ore

gon

Lond

on

Dub

lin

Virg

inia

Texa

s

Icel

and

Ore

gon

Lond

on

Dub

lin

Virg

inia

Texa

s

Footprint of one server hour

Myth 1: efficient == green

© 2006 Bruno & Lígia Rodrigues

pic of geothermal

© ThinkGeoEnergy

Myth 2: efficiency

improvements solve it

William Stanley Jevons

Tell your

suppliers

Demand and

share data

© 2006 Bruno & Lígia Rodrigues

© ThinkGeoEnergy

Thank you.

Francine Bennett (@fhr)Mastodon C

Big Data Done Better