WP#59 - Productivity Proxies Validation Study

Overview

This document is The Green Grid (TGG) white paper number 59, dated 3 October 2014, written by Mark Monroe (DLB Associates) and Zeydy Ortiz (IBM). Its subject is the laboratory validation of proxies proposed to approximate the useful work a data centre produces. The proxies were meant to be cheaper and less intrusive than counting transactions. Access requires registration.

The study assessed eight TGG proxies together with ITEE and ITEU from Japan's Green IT Promotion Council (GIPC); ITEE and ITEU together formed the ninth proxy. The laboratory work evaluated which proxies correlated best with useful work, which were easiest to implement and which were most generic. The record does not say which proxy came out ahead.

The paper is one link in the effort to relate energy efficiency not only to power ratios but to the work delivered. Its limit is that it was read only through its description page and no result figures are given here. The related standards are ISO/IEC 30134-4 and 30134-5, and this study can be read as their background.

Key points

1. Dated 3 October 2014; authors Mark Monroe (DLB Associates) and Zeydy Ortiz (IBM).
2. Proxies were meant to be cheaper and less intrusive than counting transactions.
3. Eight TGG proxies plus ITEE and ITEU from Japan's Green IT Promotion Council were assessed.
4. ITEE and ITEU together formed the ninth proxy.
5. The lab study assessed correlation, ease of implementation and generality.
6. Related standards: ISO/IEC 30134-4 and 30134-5.
7. Registration required.

Using it in design

• When adding ITEEsv/ITEUsv (ISO/IEC 30134-4/-5) inputs, reference this study as background.
• Keep these as optional IT-side inputs.
• Do not make useful-work indicators a mandatory design condition.

Who should read it

Energy and performance analysts who want to relate data centre efficiency to useful work.

Related standards

• ISO/IEC 30134-4
• ISO/IEC 30134-5

Publication details

Authors

Mark Monroe; Zeydy Ortiz

Publisher

The Green Grid

Year

2014

Document number

WP 59

Document language

English

Source type

Industry body

Access

Citation only

Licence

Copyright retained; citation only — the publisher’s terms apply to the original document

Citation