Menu Energy Efficient Computing
 

Energy Efficient Computing, lecture at 'What the hack'

Intro



Current Power management
APM (Advanced Power Management): BIOS driven
ACPI (Advanced Configuration & Power Interface): OS driven



Energy Star; some figures



Energy issues PC's

Thin Client

Normal PC's:

• Processor: speed race, limits single-processors
  Dual core, 'mobile' processors in desktop, low power CPU's

• Video card: up to 150 watt
  Nvidia GeForce 6800 Ultra: 29-72 watt
  Ati Radeon X800 PE: 18-63 watt

• PSU:
  More efficiency needed (could save 30% alone)
  Right size (watts)
  Good Power Factor means smaller UPS

• Voltage regulator motherboard
  12 VDC -> Vcore voltage for processor, efficiency 75-80%, with less than 20 watt load very bad efficiency

Measurements / Metingen




Software

Ever growing; more resources needed, less stable
Impact spam/viruses on infrastructure and datacenters




Boyd's energy efficient PC




Energy Star 2007




Appeal to industry

Would we accept our new car using twice the gas? With PC's we do ...

As THE high tech representative in the home and office, THE progressive industry, ICT should set an example and lead the way. I'd like to see more of a 'hackers' mentality in industry: let us finally make computers behave like they can and should behave!

PC's are idle 90-98% of the time they are switched on. So it is the idle state of a desktop computer where the energy savings must be made. The Energy Star specification draft for 2007 allows for max. 50-60 watt energy use by a idle PC. This must come down to at least 20 watt! And that really is no problem: Using 'of the shelf' laptop-technology, costing only a few dollars/euros, it is quite possible to reach figures well below 20 watt.



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