Sleep-Server Virtual Machines for Networked Computer Energy Savings
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Solution Overview
Problem
Computers in idle modes consume significant power, leading to increased energy bills and short battery life, as they remain active for remote access and other services, despite not being fully utilized.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a 'sleep-server' system that emulates active computers in low-power modes, allowing them to maintain accessibility and wake up on demand through virtual machines, without requiring hardware changes, to manage power states and handle network communications transparently.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If computers remain active to enable remote access and network services, then accessibility is maintained, but power consumption increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates virtual machine copies of physical computers that can operate independently. When a physical computer is in low-power mode, its virtual machine copy continues to handle network communications, maintaining accessibility without requiring the physical machine to remain fully powered. This copying approach allows the system to preserve network presence while dramatically reducing power consumption of idle physical machines.
Solution Approach 2:
The virtual machine acts as an intermediary between the physical computer and the network. It receives and processes network communications intended for the physical machine, then wakes the physical machine only when necessary. This intermediary layer decouples the requirement for physical machine availability from network accessibility, allowing the physical machine to enter low-power states while maintaining network presence through the VM intermediary.
2Use of energy by moving object
If computers are put in low-power modes to save energy, then power consumption decreases, but network accessibility is lost
Solution Approach 1:
By creating persistent virtual machine copies that remain active even when physical machines are powered down or in low-power mode, the system maintains network accessibility through the VM copy. The VM continues to accept connections and handle network protocols, ensuring that users can still access the system remotely without the physical machine needing to remain fully operational.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary actions by pre-configuring virtual machine copies with the necessary network identity and communication capabilities before the physical machine enters low-power mode. This preliminary setup ensures that when the physical machine is off, the VM can still respond to network requests as if the physical machine were active, maintaining accessibility without power consumption.
3Use of energy by moving object
If virtual machines are used to emulate computers in low-power mode, then energy savings increase, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the functionality of multiple physical computers into shared virtual machine infrastructure. Instead of each physical machine needing its own complete operating system and network stack, multiple VMs can share common resources and management infrastructure. This merging approach reduces overall system complexity by consolidating redundant functions while still providing individualized network presence for each emulated computer.
Solution Approach 2:
The virtual machine infrastructure provides universal functionality that can serve multiple purposes: it can emulate different physical machines, handle various network protocols, and provide both network presence and actual computing services. This multi-functional approach reduces the need for separate specialized systems, simplifying the overall architecture despite the introduction of virtualization technology.
4Reliability
If computers are kept running for idle tasks like calendar synching and Internet phone service, then service availability is maintained, but unnecessary energy is consumed
Solution Approach 1:
The virtual machine creates a lightweight copy of the physical computer's network presence and service endpoints. Idle services like calendar synching and Internet phone service can be maintained in the VM with minimal resource consumption, allowing the physical machine to enter low-power mode. The VM handles these background services without requiring the full power consumption of a running physical operating system.
Solution Approach 2:
The system applies partial action by maintaining only the essential network presence and service endpoints in the virtual machine without running the complete physical operating system. This partial execution of computer functions is sufficient to maintain service availability for idle tasks while avoiding the excessive energy consumption of keeping the full physical system running at idle.
Data Source
AI summary
This application includes systems and techniques that permit computers to remain accessible while in a low-power mode. In some implementations, the technique includes receiving at a first computer, via a computer network, information regarding a second computer transitioning to a low-power mode of operation; receiving at the first computer network communications designated for the second computer; processing at the first computer at least a portion of the network communications on behalf of the second computer without transitioning the second computer out of the low-power mode of operation, where the processing comprises processing the at least a portion of the network communications on behalf of the second computer within a virtual machine corresponding to the second computer; and initiating, via the computer network, a transition of the second computer out of the low-power mode of operation when at least one of the network communications satisfies a predetermined condition.