Integrated control of data centres

数据中心（dc）是支持数字信息爆炸性增长的核心基础设施。然而，数据中心非常耗能，并产生大量的碳排放。预计到2020年，数据中心的碳排放量将占全球排放量的12%。数据中心的大部分能源都被冷却和配电系统消耗掉了。随着政府要求减少数据中心碳足迹的压力越来越大，数据中心的节能已经成为一个越来越重要的挑战。这激发了对优化数据中心操作以降低总能源成本的研究活动。该项目建议开发一种集成数据中心基础设施管理（iDCIM）工具，通过优化来最大限度地减少能源消耗：(1)工作负载分配，在服务器上最佳地放置工作，从而最大限度地减少总体能源消耗；(2)冷却系统运行，控制房间冷却机组和服务器风扇的运行，使其协同工作；(3);配电系统操作，该工具将根据工作负载的变化，通过关闭/打开服务器、网络设备和配电单元来调整数据中心的大小。该项目将开发所需的技术和工具，将这一概念转化为具有全球竞争力的产品线，以迎合价值1000亿美元以上的直流行业。其结果有望为加拿大带来可观的商业收入，创造57个就业机会，并节省大量能源。

Data Centres (DCs) are the core infrastructure that supports the explosive growth of digital information. However, data centres are energy hungry and produce a huge amount of carbon emissions. It is expected that by 2020, data centres' carbon emissions will account for 12% of the global emissions. Most of the energy at the data centre is consumed by the cooling and power distribution systems. With the growing pressure from governments to decrease data centres' carbon foot print, energy conservation at data centres has become an increasingly important challenge. This has motivated research activities toward optimizing data center operations to reduce the total energy cost. This project proposes the development of an integrated data centre infrastructure management (iDCIM) tool that minimizes energy consumption by optimizing: (1) the workload assignment, optimally placing jobs at servers that minimize the overall energy consumption; (2) the cooling system operation, controlling the operation of the room cooling units and the server fans so that they work synergistically; (3) and; power distribution systems operation where the tool will resize the data center by turning off/on servers, network equipment and power distribution units according to workload changes. This project will develop the technology and tools required to transform this concept into a globally competitive product line catering to the $100B+ DC industry. The results promise considerable commercial revenues to Canada, the creation of 57 jobs, as well as a substantial amount of energy savings.