Method and System to Determine and Optimize Energy Consumption of Computer Systems

Abstract

A method, system and computer program product to manage energy consumption within a computing environment. Energy consumption of different hardware components are measured in the computing environment. Measurement includes voltage and current versus time used by the hardware components. The different measured values of energy consumption are collected, followed by tracking the hardware component used in time during an execution of an individual execution context within the computing environment. The energy consumption of the individual execution context is calculated by associating the corresponding collected measured energy consumption to the hardware component used.

1 . A method for managing energy consumption within a computing environment, the method comprising:
 measuring energy consumption of different hardware components in the computing environment by measuring voltage and current versus time used by the hardware components;   collecting values of the measured energy consumption;   tracking hardware component used in time during an execution of an individual execution context within the computing environment; and   calculating energy consumption of the individual execution context by associating the corresponding collected measured energy consumption to the hardware component used.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the measured energy consumption is associated with an identification of analyzed hardware components. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comparing the calculated energy consumption of the individual execution context with a predefined criterion for the individual execution context, wherein the predefined criterion is associated with a budget and/or a quota for the individual execution context. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein a priority for execution of a process performed by the hardware component in the computing environment is assigned to the calculated energy consumption. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising suspending execution of a process performed by the hardware component when the associated calculated energy consumption exceeds a predefined energy budget. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the energy consumption is measured by an energy measurement unit (EMU) associated with individual hardware components in the computing environment and output on request a value of consumed energy collected in a defined time period. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising entering values of energy consumption of one or more individual hardware components and one or more groups of hardware components in a set of energy measurement registers (EMR) held by a processing unit of the computing environment. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the set of registers (EMR) is initialized to a minimum value, incremented by a value delivered by a value of energy consumption provided by an energy measuring unit (EMU), wherein the set of registers (EMR) is initialized after any execution context switch by the values corresponding to a current execution context, and updated periodically, wherein the set of registers (EMR) is incremented by the values provided by one energy measurement unit (EMU) or a set of energy measurement units (EMU) and wherein the corresponding energy measurement units (EMU) are reset. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising updating an energy consumption counter (ECC) of a current execution context by values read from the set of registers (EMR) before an execution context switch. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising assigning a priority for execution of a process performed by the hardware component in the computing environment to the calculated energy consumption. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising suspending an execution of a process performed by the hardware component when the associated calculated energy consumption exceeds a predefined energy budget. 
     
     
         12 . A computer program product comprising a computer useable medium including computer usable program code for managing energy consumption within a computing environment, the computer usable program code comprising:
 computer readable program code to measure energy consumption of different hardware components in the computing environment by measuring voltage and current versus time used by the hardware components;   computer readable program code to collect the measured values of energy consumption;   computer readable program code to tracking the hardware component used in time during an execution of an individual execution context within the computing environment;   computer readable program code to calculate the energy consumption of the individual execution context by associating corresponding collected measured energy consumption to the hardware component used.   
     
     
         13 . The computer program product of  claim 12 , wherein the measured energy consumption is associated with an identification of analyzed hardware components. 
     
     
         14 . The computer program product of  claim 12 , further comprising instructions to compare the calculated energy consumption of the individual execution context with a predefined criterion for the individual execution context, wherein the predefined criterion is associated with a budget and/or a quota for the individual execution context. 
     
     
         15 . The computer program product of  claim 12 , further comprising computer readable program code to assign a priority for execution of a process performed by the hardware component in the computing environment to the calculated energy consumption. 
     
     
         16 . The computer program product of  claim 12 , further comprising computer readable program code to suspend execution of a process performed by the hardware component when the associated calculated energy consumption exceeds a predefined energy budget. 
     
     
         17 . The computer program product of  claim 12 , further comprising computer readable program code to measure the energy consumption by energy measurement units (EMU) associated with individual hardware components in the computing environment and output on request a value of consumed energy collected in a defined time period. 
     
     
         18 . The computer program product of  claim 17 , further comprising computer readable program code to enter values of energy consumption of one or more individual hardware components and/or one or more groups of hardware components in a set of energy measurement registers (EMR) held by a processing unit of the computing environment. 
     
     
         19 . The computer program product of  claim 17 , wherein the set of EMRs is initialized to a minimum value, incremented by a value delivered by a value of energy consumption provided by an EMU, wherein the set of EMRs is initialized after any execution context switch by the values corresponding to a current execution context, and updated periodically, wherein the set of EMRs is incremented by the values provided by at least one EMU and wherein all corresponding EMUs are reset. 
     
     
         20 . The computer program product of  claim 19 , further comprising computer readable program code to update an energy consumption counter (ECC) of a current execution context by a value read from the set of EMRs before an execution context switch. 
     
     
         21 . A system comprising:
 at least two hardware components in a computing environment;   a manager to measure energy consumption of different hardware components, including measurement of voltage and current versus time used by the components;   said manager to collect the measured values of energy consumption;   said manager to track a hardware component used in time during an execution of an individual execution context within the computing environment; and   said manager to calculated energy consumption of the individual execution context by an association of corresponding collected and measured energy consumption to the used hardware component.   
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein at least one energy measurement unit (EMU) is provided to determine an energy consumption of hardware components, at least one energy measurement register (EMR) coupled to the at least one EMU, and at least one energy consumption counter (ECC) to receive data from the at least one EMR, the at least one ECC to provide a value of energy consumption associated with a specific process and/or hardware component. 
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 21 , further comprising an association of the measured energy consumption with an identification of the analyzed hardware components. 
     
     
         24 . The system of  claim 21 , further comprising an update of an ECC of a current execution context by values read from the set of EMRs before an execution context switch. 
     
     
         25 . The system of  claim 21 , further comprising an assignment of a priority for execution of a process performed by the hardware component in the computer environment to the calculated energy consumption.