Cloud Energy Spent More on 4G and Wi-Fi Than Data Centers

Grazed from Midsize Insider. Author: Amanda Kondolojy.

When you think of high cloud energy consumption, the image of the crowded and stuffy data center likely comes to mind. However, new research from AT&T’s Bell Labs and the University of Melbourne has revealed that traditional data centers only account for 9 percent of the cloud’s overall energy consumption, which is in stark contrast to conventional wisdom and the push by some environmental groups to minimize data centers because of their energy consumption. However, looking at the whole picture of cloud computing energy consumption, data centers definitely are not the energy beasts they were once thought to be.

So where is all the cloud energy going? ZDNet Reports that 90 percent of the overall cloud energy consumption is taken by wireless access network technologies. In fact, on average, wireless networking, including Wi-Fi access and 4G connections, takes up a whopping ten times more power than data centers…

Why is wireless technology such a huge energy drag? Accessing cloud services via inefficient wireless networks makes them a disproportionate contributor to cloud energy consumption. Unfortunately, the problem is only getting worse. The authors of the study expect total energy consumption of the wireless cloud to reach between 32 terawatt hours and 43 terawatt hours in the next two years, and the carbon emissions from this inefficiency will equal that of 4.9 million automobiles. The article postulates that "access networks, not data centers, are the biggest threat to the sustainability of cloud service."…

Read more from the source @ http://midsizeinsider.com/en-us/article/cloud-energy-spent-more-on-4g-and-wi-fi