ElasticTree: Reducing Energy in Data Center Networks

In this demonstration, we show how to improve the energy efficiency of a data center network, by dynamically matching its capacity to its demand. Our system, called ElasticTree, uses OpenFlow to measure traffic statistics and control flow routes, and this video shows it in action.

Demonstration brought to you by:
Brandon Heller, David Underhill, Srini Seetharaman, Priya Mahadevan, Yiannis Yiakoumis, Puneet Sharma, Sujata Banerjee

Networks are a shared resource connecting critical IT infrastructure, and the general practice is to always leave them on. Yet, meaningful energy savings can result from improving a network's ability to scale up and down, as traffic demands ebb and flow. We present ElasticTree, a network-wide power manager, which dynamically adjusts the set of active network elements — links and switches — to satisfy changing data center traffic loads.

We implement and analyze ElasticTree on prototype testbeds built with production OpenFlow switches from three network vendors. Further, we examine the trade-offs between energy efficiency, performance and robustness. Our results demonstrate that for data center workloads, ElasticTree can save up to 50% of network energy, while maintaining the ability to handle traffic surges.

For more info, see the NSDI paper, ElasticTree: Reducing Energy in Data Center Networks, at http://stanford.edu/~brandonh/elastic_tree.pdf

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• ElasticTree
• OpenFlow
• Energy Efficiency
• Data Center