Dynamic Data Center Selection for Cooling Efficiency

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Solution Overview

Problem

Data centers face inefficiencies in electricity usage and cooling costs due to the increasing need for mirrored data storage across multiple locations, despite advancements in technologies like solid state drives and phase change memory, as traditional hardware and cooling systems are not optimized for maximum efficiency.

Innovation Solution

An apparatus and method that distribute data requests between geographically separate data centers using a control module with modules for request handling, metadata management, cost reduction, and override functions, which assess and compare cooling efficiency factors such as temperature, electricity costs, and storage device efficiency to select the most energy-efficient data center for operations.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If data is mirrored across multiple geographically separate data centers for redundancy and stability, then data access reliability is improved, but electricity consumption and cooling costs increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata access reliabilityVSAvoidelectricity consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The system dynamically selects which data center to access based on real-time cooling efficiency factors, transforming the static mirrored storage approach into a dynamic optimization system that adapts to changing environmental conditions and operational costs

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes operational parameters by selecting different data centers based on varying cooling efficiency factors, including temperature differentials, electricity costs, and storage device efficiency percentages, to minimize energy consumption while maintaining data access reliability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Stability of the object's composition

If traditional data center cooling systems are used to maintain operational temperatures, then data center stability is maintained, but operational costs and environmental impact increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata center stabilityVSAvoidcooling energy loss

Core Design Contradiction:

Stability of the object's compositionVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The system implements feedback by continuously monitoring cooling efficiency factors from multiple data centers and using this information to make intelligent selection decisions, creating a closed-loop system that optimizes energy usage while maintaining stability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The control module acts as an intermediary between the client and multiple data centers, selecting the optimal data center based on cooling efficiency factors, thereby reducing the energy burden on any single data center while maintaining overall system stability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Use of energy by moving object

If more efficient storage technologies like solid state drives are deployed, then electricity efficiency is improved, but hardware costs and system complexity increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveelectricity efficiencyVSAvoidhardware complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Use of energy by moving objectVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system achieves universal optimization by creating a software-based solution that works across multiple data centers with diverse hardware configurations, allowing efficient use of existing storage technologies without requiring universal hardware upgrades

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentUS8984161B2Efficient use of mirrored storage clouds

Publication Date: 2015.03.17 GLOBALFOUNDRIES US INC

AI summary

For distributing data requests between data centers, a cost reduction module selects a data center from a plurality of data centers to fulfill a data operation request corresponding to mirrored data stored at the plurality of data centers. The selection is based on data center cooling efficiency factors comprising a data storage device efficiency percentage. A response module sends the data operation request to the selected data center.