Building-Integrated Storage Nodes for Data Center Energy Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional data warehouses are resource-intensive, leading to high energy consumption, heat generation, and increased costs, while also drawing attention and posing security risks due to their physical size and value, making them less appealing to eco-conscious consumers and those seeking lower costs for data storage.
Innovation Solution
A dispersed, distributed file system is implemented, utilizing unobtrusive spaces within buildings such as homes and office structures for storage nodes, which are redundant, fault-tolerant, and use solid state technologies to reduce power consumption and heat production, thereby eliminating the need for large data centers and their associated infrastructure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If conventional data warehouses are used to store digital data, then data storage capacity is improved, but energy consumption and heat generation increase proportionally
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the centralized data warehouse into distributed storage nodes placed throughout the building structure. Each node stores a portion of the data, allowing the system to scale storage capacity by adding individual nodes rather than expanding a centralized facility. This segmentation reduces the energy consumption per unit of storage and eliminates the need for large-scale climate control infrastructure.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent embeds storage nodes within existing building structures such as wall cavities, floor joists, and attic spaces. By nesting the electronic components within the building's structural elements, the system utilizes already-heated or cooled spaces, thereby reducing the additional energy required for environmental control while maximizing storage capacity.
2Quantity of substance
If conventional data warehouses are used to store digital data, then data storage capacity is improved, but heat generation increases proportionally
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the centralized data warehouse into distributed storage nodes placed throughout the building structure. Each node stores a portion of the data, allowing the system to scale storage capacity by adding individual nodes rather than expanding a centralized facility. This segmentation reduces the energy consumption per unit of storage and eliminates the need for large-scale climate control infrastructure.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent embeds storage nodes within existing building structures such as wall cavities, floor joists, and attic spaces. By nesting the electronic components within the building's structural elements, the system utilizes already-heated or cooled spaces, thereby reducing the additional energy required for environmental control while maximizing storage capacity.
3Quantity of substance
If conventional data warehouses are used to store digital data, then data storage capacity is improved, but physical security requirements and costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the centralized data warehouse into distributed storage nodes placed throughout the building structure. Each node stores a portion of the data, allowing the system to scale storage capacity by adding individual nodes rather than expanding a centralized facility. This segmentation reduces the energy consumption per unit of storage and eliminates the need for large-scale climate control infrastructure.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies different security approaches to different locations. Each storage node can be secured according to the specific characteristics of its placement location, rather than requiring uniform high-security measures throughout. This local quality approach reduces overall security costs while maintaining adequate protection.
4Ease of operation
If centralized cloud storage is used, then data accessibility is improved, but infrastructure costs and environmental footprint increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the centralized data warehouse into distributed storage nodes placed throughout the building structure. Each node stores a portion of the data, allowing the system to scale storage capacity by adding individual nodes rather than expanding a centralized facility. This segmentation reduces the energy consumption per unit of storage and eliminates the need for large-scale climate control infrastructure.
Solution Approach 2:
The building structure itself provides the environmental control services that would otherwise require dedicated infrastructure. The heated and cooled spaces within the building envelope naturally regulate the temperature for storage nodes, eliminating the need for separate climate control systems and reducing overall infrastructure costs.
Data Source
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AI summary
Building support with a concealed electronic component for a structure, including: a rigid support member; a mounting attachment affixed to the rigid support member, the mounting attachment adapted to support an electronic component; and a transceiver coupled to the electronic component, the transceiver adapted to support an external communication link. Other embodiments provide a backing material to support an electronic component concealed within a building structural element, wherein the building structural element comprises one or more rigid building support members, the backing material including: a substrate; a structure attachment along at least one surface of the substrate, the attachment adapted to attach the substrate to a rigid building support member; and one or more electronic component attachments disposed on a major surface of the rigid substrate.