Green Computing at RIT

Reducing Computer Energy Usage

• Current Practices at RIT

• Goal of Project

• Trial Overview

• Trail Setup

• Trial Results

• Recommendations

• Questions & Answers

• No campus-wide PC power policy

• Each department has its own policies which is confusing and inefficient

• Most computers stay on 24/7• Whether or not they are in use

• Assess current energy usage policies

• Decrease power consumption

• NRH Computer Lab chosen for trials

• Easily Managed by ITS

• FMS Installed Power Monitors

• Worked with ITS & FMS

• 15 Dell Quad Core Desktop PCs

• Week 4-7: baseline testing• No sleep, WCG after 10 minutes

• Week 8-11: reduced power testing

• S3 sleep after 20 minutes

• Everything else the same

• Reduced power consumption by 66%

• Extrapolate data to computer labs• ITS Estimates 1600 Windows Based Desktops in the RIT Computer Labs

• Potential savings of $20K to $60K a year

• 186 Metric Tons of CO2 avoided OR same as burning 20,800 gallons of gasoline

• Implement a campus wide computer sleep policy

• Computers shouldn’t be on when not in use

• Require new computers to be Energy Star certified

• Reduced power consumption during sleep

• Have a central organization or individual in charge of grid computing projects

• Currently grid computing projects are not centralized

• Centralized grid would increase efficiency and PR