New research from the University of Waterloo shows that modifying just a few lines of code in Linux can potentially cut data center energy consumption by 30%. By optimizing the way data packets are processed within the Linux kernel, researchers improved CPU cache usage and increased throughput by up to 45% without impacting latency. This small yet effective change can balance CPU power usage, especially during high-traffic periods, enhancing overall efficiency and performance while contributing to significant energy savings in data center operations.
"Information arrives at data centers in 'packets,' and then the data center's front-end, kind of like a receptionist at a front desk, figures out where to send those packets," said professor of computer science Martin Karsten, who led the research.
"We didn't add anything; we just rearranged what is done when, which leads to a much better usage of the data center's CPU caches. It's kind of like rearranging the pipeline at a manufacturing plant."
The change can in some cases increase throughput by up to 45% without compromising tail latency, researchers found.
The team claims this could reduce the energy consumption of data center operations by as much as 30%.
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