Performance Counter Power Usage Calculation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for analyzing power consumption in large computers do not effectively link power usage to usage amount, lacking incentives for reducing maximum power consumption and energy costs, especially in multi-user environments where high-speed processing increases operational costs.
Innovation Solution
A method involving initial setting and measurement of performance counters to track event occurrences during program execution, calculating power consumption based on pre-measured values, and determining usage amount by correlating event frequencies with power consumption, allowing for fairer accounting and incentives to reduce power usage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If high-speed processing is used to improve productivity, then processing time is reduced, but power consumption and operational costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system introduces feedback by measuring actual power consumption through performance counters and event occurrence tracking. This feedback mechanism allows the system to monitor and report real power usage data, enabling users to be aware of their consumption patterns and encouraging them to optimize their processing tasks to reduce unnecessary power consumption while maintaining productivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces traditional mechanical/power-based monitoring systems with software-based performance counters and event tracking mechanisms. Instead of relying on hardware power meters or direct electrical measurement, the system uses software counters to track event occurrences and calculate power consumption based on pre-measured event-power relationships, thereby reducing the need for additional hardware infrastructure.
2Reliability
If maximum power consumption is increased to handle peak demands, then system reliability is improved, but operational costs and energy expenses increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements dynamic power management by continuously monitoring actual power consumption through performance counters and comparing it against allocated power rates. The system can dynamically adjust resource allocation and provide real-time feedback to users, allowing the system to operate at optimal power levels rather than maintaining constant high power consumption, thereby reducing energy costs while ensuring reliability through monitored performance.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameter of power consumption measurement from static maximum power ratings to dynamic actual power consumption calculated through event occurrence tracking. By using performance counters to track specific events and multiplying by pre-measured power consumption values, the system obtains accurate real-time power consumption data that reflects actual usage patterns rather than peak capacity requirements, enabling more efficient cost allocation.
3Measurement precision
If existing power analysis methods are used to monitor programs, then power consumption can be tracked, but the data is not linked to usage amount and cannot provide incentives for reduction
Solution Approach 1:
The system achieves universality by making the power consumption measurement mechanism serve multiple functions: it not only measures power consumption but also tracks event occurrences, calculates usage amounts, and provides feedback for cost allocation. This multi-functional approach integrates power monitoring with usage accounting, allowing the same event tracking infrastructure to support both measurement and billing purposes, thereby enabling linkage between power consumption and usage amount.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary calculation layer that connects power consumption measurement with usage amount determination. Through performance counters that track event occurrences and pre-measured power consumption values per event, the system creates an intermediary data structure that can be used for both accurate power measurement and usage amount calculation, thereby serving as a bridge between these two previously separate functions.
Data Source
AI summary
The processing unit calculates usage amount of a program from a used amount of the processing unit and a power amount of the processing unit. The processing unit initializes a performance counter at a start of a execution of the program, calculates power amount of the program from the measured power consumption stored in the storage unit and the number of times of each event counted by the performance counter at a completion of execution of the program, and calculates usage of the program from the usage amount of the processing unit and calculated the power amount.