Global Futures: Coding a greener internet
Researchers developed a process to reduce the amount of energy needed to run data centres
By University Relations
Considering the ubiquity of smart devices and the increasing data demands of artificial intelligence (AI), the amount of energy required to operate data centres continues to grow dramatically. Depending on the scale of the data centre, its power supply requirements can range from five to 100 megawatts. One megawatt of capacity is equivalent to the electricity consumed by 400 to 900 homes in a year.
Computer Science professor Dr. Martin Karsten and his former grad student Peter Cai (MMath ’23) have uncovered a subtle but powerful way to make data centres more efficient. Their research could reduce energy consumption by as much as 30 per cent by rethinking how network traffic is processed.
Karsten is also overseeing the creation of the Green Room, a unique server room facility designed to advance research in energy-efficient computing.
Read the full story on Waterloo News.