JouleSort: A Balanced Energy-efficiency Benchmark

Abstract

The energy efficiency of computer systems is an important concern in a variety of contexts. In data centers, reducing energy use improves operating cost, scalability, reliability, and other factors. For mobile devices, energy consumption directly affects functionality and usability. We propose and motivate <i>JouleSort</i>, an external sort benchmark, for evaluating the energy efficiency of a wide range of computer systems from clusters to handhelds. We list the criteria, challenges, and pitfalls from our experience in creating a fair energy-efficiency benchmark. Using a commercial sort, we demonstrate a JouleSort system that is over 3.5x as energy-efficient as last year's estimated winner. This system is quite different from those currently used in data centers. It consists of a commodity mobile CPU and 13 laptop drives connected by server-style I/O interfaces.