Researchers at UC Riverside’s Marlan and Rosemary Bourns College of Engineering propose Federated Carbon Intelligence (FCI), a framework that links carbon-intensity data with real-time information about server health. Professors Mihri Ozkan and Cengiz Ozkan say current systems do not combine both goals of lowering emissions and protecting hardware.
In simulations, the Ozkans found FCI could cut carbon dioxide emissions by up to 45 percent over a five-year period and extend the operational life of a server fleet by about 1.6 years. FCI constantly monitors server temperature, age and wear to avoid overworking machines that are already stressed or near the end of their useful life.
The approach can prevent breakdowns, reduce energy- and water-intensive cooling needs, and also account for the carbon tied to making new servers. The authors plan to partner with cloud providers to test FCI in real data centers.
Difficult words
- framework — a system of ideas or rules
- carbon-intensity — amount of carbon dioxide per activity or energy
- real-time — information available immediately as events happen
- emissions — gases released into the air, especially carbon dioxide
- operational life — time a machine works before it stops working
- monitor — watch or check something regularly for changesmonitors
- cooling — the system or process that removes heat
Tip: hover, focus or tap highlighted words in the article to see quick definitions while you read or listen.
Discussion questions
- Would you support a system that reduces emissions by extending server life? Why or why not?
- How might reducing cooling needs change the design of a data center you know about?
- If a company uses FCI, how could that affect the prices or availability of cloud services?
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