Setting energy efficiency goals in data centers: The GAMES approach

Abstract

Energy-aware service centers take into account energy consumption of infrastructures, machines, applications, storage systems, and their distributed computing architecture. The approach to energy efficiency in data centers in the GAMES (Green Active Management of Energy in IT Service centers) project is presented: Green Performance Indicators (GPIs), i.e., properties that, continuously monitored, evidence the level of consumed energy by the center's IT resources, can be the basis of a systematic approach to increase energy efficiency. The GPIs are the basis for improving energy efficiency with adaptive actions and to achieve a higher level of green maturity, as prescribed, for instance, in the GreenGrid Data Center Maturity Model (DCMM), based on a usage-centric perspective in GPIs. The paper briefly describes monitoring of GPIs and the adaptation actions adopted to reach the green goals. Preliminary experimental results are discussed. © 2012 Springer-Verlag.