Close
  • Latest News
  • Big Data and Analytics
  • Cloud
  • Networking
  • Cybersecurity
  • Applications
  • IT Management
  • Storage
  • Sponsored
  • Mobile
  • Small Business
  • Development
  • Database
  • Servers
  • Android
  • Apple
  • Innovation
  • Blogs
  • PC Hardware
  • Reviews
  • Search Engines
  • Virtualization
Read Down
Sign in
Close
Welcome!Log into your account
Forgot your password?
Read Down
Password recovery
Recover your password
Close
Search
Logo
Logo
  • Latest News
  • Big Data and Analytics
  • Cloud
  • Networking
  • Cybersecurity
  • Applications
  • IT Management
  • Storage
  • Sponsored
  • Mobile
  • Small Business
  • Development
  • Database
  • Servers
  • Android
  • Apple
  • Innovation
  • Blogs
  • PC Hardware
  • Reviews
  • Search Engines
  • Virtualization
More
    Home Latest News
    • Networking

    New Group to Drive a Server MPG Rating

    By
    John G. Spooner
    -
    March 24, 2006
    Share
    Facebook
    Twitter
    Linkedin

      A consortium of technology companies is hoping to create better ways to measure server power in a bid to allay growing concerns about enterprise energy bills.

      The yet-to-be-named group, which includes chip makers such as Advanced Micro Devices and Intel, server manufacturers such as Sun Microsystems and the Environmental Protection Agencys Energy Star Program, to name a few, will meet this week to discuss creating a standard set of procedures for measuring servers total power consumption.

      Server energy consumption has become a major concern for CIOs and IT managers amid rising electric rates and new server deployments, members of the group said.

      Yet, at the moment, there are no universally accepted tests, analogous to automobile fuel mileage ratings, to help senior technology managers to compare the power consumption of different machines, group members said.

      “The idea is to really look at this problem from a couple of different standpoints,” said Ed Hunter, director of Sun Microsystems Eco-Responsibility Initiative, in Santa Clara, Calif.

      “First, [you need to look at it] from a purchasing standpoint. What you want is to solve problems—so, how much energy does it take to solve those problems?”

      /zimages/5/28571.gifWhat are chip makers doing about server power? Click here to read more.

      Given that different companies have different needs—for example, some rely heavily on databases, while others focus on Web transactions—and servers are configured differently to meet them, the group will aim to create a suite of metrics for measuring consumption in an effort to show how much juice it will take to get a given amount of work done, Hunter said.

      Granted, “Some people will say, I want the [Toyota] Prius of servers,” Hunter said. “Some will say, I only want the Ferrari, and I understand it only gets 16 miles per gallon.”

      Some group members have already proposed certain metrics. Sun, for one, created SWaP (Space, Watts and Performance) in order to take stock of datacenter efficiency.

      SWaP figures are calculated by multiplying available space and power consumption, then dividing that by performance.

      However, if successful, the groups proposed measurements could help create the first broadly accepted benchmarking tools for measuring an individual machines total energy consumption.

      Ideally, the tools would measure the amount of electricity a machine draws at the wall or electrical socket, allowing them to account for its processors, memory and all additional components, including hard drives and power supplies, over different workloads, group members said.

      The results would grant technology managers, in addition to server manufacturers, the metrics to weigh different machines based on their intended jobs, project future power usage and could even help companies set more accurate budgets, the group members said.

      “It seems like every IT guy Im talking to is concerned about power,” said Brent Kerby, a product marketing manager for servers in AMDs Microprocessor Solutions Sector, in Sunnyvale, Calif., during a recent interview with eWEEK.

      Next Page: Getting involved.

      Getting Involved

      Getting involved

      But some of the groups efforts may also involve simply garnering support.

      Power “is something thats very important to people these days and having a way to measure it might be a really good idea,” said Gordon Haff, analyst at Illuminata in Nashua, N.H.

      But given that benchmarks can, at times, be skewed toward one type of setup or another, the group might find a challenge in gaining a critical mass of supporters for its work, he said.

      Still, the potential to help define a server power test—and, with it to foster a greater focus on power efficiency among corporations—is what brought the EPA Energy Star Program into the fold, said Andrew Fanara, team leader for Energy Star product development at the EPA in Washington.

      /zimages/5/28571.gifIntel is looking beyond the processor for power management. Click here to read more.

      “In general, the days of cheap energy are probably over,” Fanara said. “I tell people that energy efficiency can be a real strategy to hedge against the rising cost of electricity. If you dont do anything about it, youre essentially rolling the dice.”

      Thus, in his view, the process helps provide information to the marketplace and in doing so, serves to make it better.

      “[Well] set up manufacturers to compete against each other on efficiency—which right now theres no way for them to do,” he said.

      The nascent power group, which grew out of a server power conference held on Suns corporate campus in late January, is scheduled to meet for the first time on March 27.

      /zimages/5/28571.gifCheck out eWEEK.coms for the latest news, views and analysis on servers, switches and networking protocols for the enterprise and small businesses.

      John G. Spooner
      John G. Spooner, a senior writer for eWeek, chronicles the PC industry, in addition to covering semiconductors and, on occasion, automotive technology. Prior to joining eWeek in 2005, Mr. Spooner spent more than four years as a staff writer for CNET News.com, where he covered computer hardware. He has also worked as a staff writer for ZDNET News.

      MOST POPULAR ARTICLES

      Cybersecurity

      Visa’s Michael Jabbara on Cybersecurity and Digital...

      James Maguire - May 17, 2022 0
      I spoke with Michael Jabbara, VP and Global Head of Fraud Services at Visa, about the cybersecurity technology used to ensure the safe transfer...
      Read more
      Big Data and Analytics

      Alteryx’s Suresh Vittal on the Democratization of...

      James Maguire - May 31, 2022 0
      I spoke with Suresh Vittal, Chief Product Officer at Alteryx, about the industry mega-shift toward making data analytics tools accessible to a company’s complete...
      Read more
      Big Data and Analytics

      GoodData CEO Roman Stanek on Business Intelligence...

      James Maguire - May 4, 2022 0
      I spoke with Roman Stanek, CEO of GoodData, about business intelligence, data as a service, and the frustration that many executives have with data...
      Read more
      Applications

      Cisco’s Thimaya Subaiya on Customer Experience in...

      James Maguire - May 10, 2022 0
      I spoke with Thimaya Subaiya, SVP and GM of Global Customer Experience at Cisco, about the factors that create good customer experience – and...
      Read more
      Cloud

      Yotascale CEO Asim Razzaq on Controlling Multicloud...

      James Maguire - May 5, 2022 0
      Asim Razzaq, CEO of Yotascale, provides guidance on understanding—and containing—the complex cost structure of multicloud computing. Among the topics we covered:  As you survey the...
      Read more
      Logo

      eWeek has the latest technology news and analysis, buying guides, and product reviews for IT professionals and technology buyers. The site’s focus is on innovative solutions and covering in-depth technical content. eWeek stays on the cutting edge of technology news and IT trends through interviews and expert analysis. Gain insight from top innovators and thought leaders in the fields of IT, business, enterprise software, startups, and more.

      Facebook
      Linkedin
      RSS
      Twitter
      Youtube

      Advertisers

      Advertise with TechnologyAdvice on eWeek and our other IT-focused platforms.

      Advertise with Us

      Menu

      • About eWeek
      • Subscribe to our Newsletter
      • Latest News

      Our Brands

      • Privacy Policy
      • Terms
      • About
      • Contact
      • Advertise
      • Sitemap
      • California – Do Not Sell My Information

      Property of TechnologyAdvice.
      © 2021 TechnologyAdvice. All Rights Reserved

      Advertiser Disclosure: Some of the products that appear on this site are from companies from which TechnologyAdvice receives compensation. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site including, for example, the order in which they appear. TechnologyAdvice does not include all companies or all types of products available in the marketplace.

      ×