algebraic geometry energy efficiency data centers

Algebraic Geometry Brings Energy-Efficiency Solutions to Modern Data Centers

The relentless demand for data sharing, storage security and accessibility comes at a steep cost: power consumption. To address this, Virginia Tech mathematicians employ algebraic geometry to optimize data center inefficiencies.

Addressing the Energy Demands of Data Centers

"As individuals, we constantly generate massive amounts of data, which is dwarfed by the production levels of large corporations," remarked Gretchen Matthews, a mathematics professor and director of the Southwest Virginia node of the Commonwealth Cyber Initiative. "Without intelligent alternatives, backing up this data could require duplicating it two or three times over."

The Role of Algebraic Geometry in Reducing Energy Consumption

To reduce the energy demands of data replication, Matthews and Hiram Lopez, Assistant professor of mathematics, investigated the use of algebraic structures to fragment information and distribute it across nearby servers. If a server fails, the algorithm queries adjacent servers to restore the missing data.

Polynomials and Their Impact on Data Storage

Since the 1960s, mathematicians have recognized the potential of polynomials for storing information. Over the past decade, researchers have refined this concept, creating specialized polynomials that facilitate local recovery of missing data.

Improving Data Storage and Handling Requests

"Over the years, mathematicians have developed elegant mathematical structures that offer improved methods for data storage and handling additional requests," Matthews explained.

Research and Impact on the Data Center Industry

Their innovative method for data storage and service was highlighted in an invited review article published in IEEE BITS.

Addressing the National Increase in Data Center Demand

Mathews and Lopez's research coincides was a period of escalating electricity demand nationwide, with grid planners predicting a 38-gigawatt peak demand increase by 2028, primarily driven by the expansion of data centers, especially in Virginia.

Optimizing Data Storage and Energy Consumption

In addition to optimizing data storage in server farms, the method tackles the energy consumption linked to algorithms searching for requested information in data centers.

The Energy Cost of Locating and Retrieving Data

Lopez explained, "All of these structures are grounded in the physical realm, constrained by space and time. Energy is required to locate and retrieve information."

Preventing System Collapse from Excessive Traffic

When excessive traffic attempts to access the same information simultaneously, the system can collapse, a phenomenon often referred to as 'breaking the internet.' As viral content like selfies or videos spreads, every request to view or share the material interacts with the backup servers. Eventually, if no copies remain available, the server crashes.

Matthews and Lopez's Data Storage Optimization Approach

Matthews and Lopez's approach, incorporating an error-correcting code, optimizes data access and storage in two primary ways:

• Servers no longer need to store full duplicates of data, allowing them to free up additional storage capacity.
• In the event of a server failure or data loss, the algorithm doesn't need to search the entire network for the missing data—it only checks the neighboring servers for available copies.

Reed-Muller Codes and Data Recovery

In a later study and  publication for Designs, Codes and Cryptography, Matthew and his team highlighted that the inherent structure of Reed-Muller codes, a well-known class of error-correcting codes, facilitates the natural recovery of missing data.

The Global Impact of Algebraic Geometry in Real-World Problems

This application, Matthews stated, demonstrates the relevance and power of advanced mathematics in solving real-world problems, impacting not only the commonwealth but also our nation and the global community.

Achieving Sustainable Growth Through Enhanced Systems

Matthews stated that enhancing the existing systems and processes is key to achieving our objectives for sustainable growth.

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