Toward More Energy-Efficient Datacenters with Enhanced Programmable Silicon

利用增强型可编程芯片打造更节能的数据中心

• 批准号: RGPIN-2016-05537
• 负责人: Betz, Vaughn
• 金额: $ 3.93万
• 依托单位: University of Toronto
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Discovery Grants Program - Individual
• 财政年份: 2017
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2017-01-01 至 2018-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=637183
• 关键词: Toward; More; Energy; Efficient; Datacenters

The ability to fabricate ever more transistors on a semiconductor chip has enabled ever more computation, transforming society with ubiquitous communications, advanced medical imaging, on-demand entertainment delivery and more. We have become accustomed to the cost and energy of computation dropping exponentially over time, enabling new applications and societal benefits that motivate investment in raising computational capabilities further. This virtuous cycle is now under threat as the energy required for a computation no longer drops sufficiently with improved manufacturing of conventional processors (CPUs). There is an alternative: configure specialized hardware into Field Programamble Gate Array (FPGA) chips instead of controlling general CPU hardware with software instructions. This allows FPGAs to use 10% or less of the energy required by a CPU for many computations.

在半导体芯片上制造更多晶体管的能力使更多的计算成为可能，通过无处不在的通信、先进的医学成像、按需娱乐交付等改变了社会。我们已经习惯了计算的成本和能量随着时间的推移呈指数级下降，从而实现了新的应用和社会效益，从而推动了对进一步提高计算能力的投资。这种良性循环现在正受到威胁，因为随着传统处理器（CPU）制造的改进，计算所需的能量不再充分下降。有一个替代方案：将专用硬件配置到现场可编程门阵列（FPGA）芯片中，而不是用软件指令控制通用CPU硬件。这允许FPGA使用CPU所需能量的10%或更少来进行许多计算。