Smart virtual wan hypervisor for environmental-aware inter-data network

随着互联网上不断增长的云计算应用的出现，基于广域网的服务对信息和通信技术(ICT)行业的整体环境足迹做出了重大贡献。随着流量需求的增加和网络体系结构的异构性，广域网控制器也面临着互操作、运行效率和服务质量的挑战。虽然在即将到来的全球限额和税收的推动下，环境意识正在成为对广域网网络提供商的关键要求，但到目前为止，广域网试验床几乎没有环境意识的实验模型或实现。因此，研究人员缺乏资源来全面分析信息和通信技术的碳足迹和绿色战略。因此，该研究项目与Ciena、Inocybe Technologies和Prompt合作，旨在为从绿星网络(GSN)模型演变而来的下一代碳中性网络构建一种新颖的节能智能虚拟广域网管理程序，这是世界上第一个实现基于“跟随风，跟随太阳”模式的绿色ICT倡议的试验床。特别是，该项目将解决基于高级流量建模和认知算法的评估和绿化大规模虚拟网络的新智能技术。将开发新的情景感知分析模型，以帮助运营商规划、优化其长途网络并将其货币化，而不会过度提供可能挑战财务可行性的过度配置。在软件定义联网(SDN)和网络功能虚拟化(NFV)技术的支持下，研究成果将为开发一类得到绿色虚拟数据中心间网络支持的新技术铺平道路，从而在利用信通技术部门解决全球变暖问题方面向前迈进了一步。这也将创造一个新的机会，利用加拿大丰富的可再生能源和低平均气温，这些都特别适合为消耗大量能源的数据中心降温。

Along with the advent of the ever-increasing cloud computing applications on Internet, WAN-based services are contributing significantly to the overall environmental footprint of the Information and Communications Technologies (ICT) industry. With an increase in traffic demand and heterogeneity of network architecture, WAN controllers are also facing challenges of interoperation, operational efficiency and quality of service. While environmental awareness is becoming a key requirement for WAN network providers, driven by forthcoming global cap and tax, hardly any experimental models or realizations of environmental awareness exist for WAN testbed so far. As a result, researchers lack resources for analyzing the ICT carbon footprint and green strategies holistically. This research project, in partnership with Ciena, Inocybe Technologies, and Prompt is therefore, aimed at building a novel energy-aware smart virtual WAN hypervisor for a next-generation carbon-neutral network evolved from the GreenStar Network (GSN) model, the first testbed in the world that realizes a green ICT initiative based on the "follow the wind, follow the sun" paradigm. In particular, the project will address new smart techniques for assessing and greening large-scale virtual networks based on advanced traffic modeling and cognitive algorithms. New context-aware analytical models will be developed to help carriers planning, optimizing, and monetizing their long-haul networks without excessive over-provisioning that could challenge the financial viability. Research outcome, empowered by Software-Defined Networking (SDN) and Network Function Virtualization (NFV) techniques, will pave the way to develop a class of new technologies supported by green virtual inter- data centre networks, a step forward in addressing the global warming issue using the ICT sector. This will also create a new opportunity to take advantage of the abundance of renewable energy and low average temperatures in Canada that are particularly suitable for cooling data centres, which consume large amounts of energy.