A SYNERGY OF WIRELESS SENSOR NETWORKS AND DATA CENTER SYSTEMS

MPhil Thesis Defence


Title: "A SYNERGY OF WIRELESS SENSOR NETWORKS AND DATA CENTER SYSTEMS"

By

Mr. Ke HONG


Abstract

In recent years, data centers have emerged to be an increasingly important 
computing infrastructure. The control of the data center platform relies on 
sensors embedded in the cluster hardware and deployed in the facility. It is 
shown that wireless sensor networks (sensornets) can provide fine-grained 
measurements in data centers, and achieve better control and energy efficiency. 
However, the usage has so far been limited to an auxiliary network for 
intelligent sensory data collection in the data center. We argue that the 
combined computational and networking capability of a sensor network enables it 
to interact with the clusters in much more sophisticated way and perform more 
essential functions. We have designed a Cluster-Area Sensor Network (CASN) to 
improve the cluster management and network performance in the system. 
Implemented with TelosB motes, CASN can be easily deployed in a cluster, with 
sensor nodes attached in an ad hoc manner to servers, and provides key system 
functions including clusterwide command distribution, supplementary 
authentication, and wireless signaling. Experiments on 4–17 mote-server pairs 
show that the inexpensive and low-bandwidth sensornet can enhance the 
functionality and performance of the compute cluster: CASN quickly distributes 
control commands to servers, strengthens the system with authentication of 
physical presence, and improves the bandwidth utilization of 10GbE links by 
13%–90% and the fairness of bandwidth sharing significantly in typical data 
center workloads.


Date:			Tuesday, 17 December 2013

Time:			2:00pm - 4:00pm

Venue:			Room 3311
 			Lifts 17/18

Committee Members:	Dr. Lin Gu (Supervisor)
 			Dr. Brahim Bensaou (Chairperson)
 			Dr. Kai Chen


**** ALL are Welcome ****