12/7/2018 · Computers

By: Bhuvan Urgaonkar

Emerging energy-aware initiatives (such as billing of power usage based on de-coupling between electricity sales and utility profits/fixed-cost recovery) render current capacity planning practices based on heavy over-provisioning of power infrastructure unprofitable for data centers. We explore a combination of statistical multiplexing techniques (including controlled under-provisioning and overbooking) to improve the utilization of the power hierarchy in a data center. Our techniques are built upon a measurement-driven profiling and prediction technique to characterize key statistical properties of the power needs of hosted workloads and their aggregates. As a representative result from our evaluation on a prototype data center, by accurately identifying the worst-case needs of hosted workloads, our technique is able to safely operate 2.5 times as many servers running copies of the e-commerce benchmark TPC-W as allowed by the prevalent practice of using face-plate ratings. Exploiting statistical multiplexing among the power usage of these servers along with controlled under-provisioning by 10% based on tails of power profiles offers a further gain of 100% over face-plate provisioning. Reactive techniques implemented in the Xen VMM running on our servers dynamically modulate CPU DVFS-states to ensure power draw below safe limits despite aggressive provisioning. Finally, information captured in our profiles also provides ways of controlling application performance degradation despite the above under-provisioning: the 95th percentile of TPC-W session response time only grew from 1.59 sec to 1.78 sec.

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12/5/2018 · Computers

By: Philip J. Isaak

One of the new terms in the data center industry is Edge Data Centers. What is the Edge? Where is the Edge? Before we begin to understand what an Edge Data Center is, it might be helpful to first understand what it is not.

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11/29/2018 · Telecommunication

By: Keith Mallinson

US, China, Japan and Korea are seizing global leadership in 5G with support of coherent and helpful industrial policies in those nations across the entire mobile ecosystem including technology development, spectrum licensing, site acquisition and operator consolidation. All these nations will launch 3GPP standard-compliant 5G services in 1Q 2019, except for the US, that might start sooner, and Japan, where the first launches are expected before yearend 2019. The first 5G smartphones will probably be sold to consumers to be sold to consumers in 2Q 2019.

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11/15/2018 · Accident Prevention & Safety

By: D. Larry Dunville

Knowing how cranes should be used, and how they should not be used, is critical to crane safety. Overload, side pull, limit switches, secondary braking devices, using the reverse direction for speed control, and daily inspections are surrounded by myth and mystery in the workplace.

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11/12/2018 · Accident Investigation & Reconstruction

By: Thomas J. Kelly

This is the first blog in a series on integrating new technologies into the process of forensic investigations. Documenting the scene of an incident accurately, efficiently, and safely is a key step in every investigation. Busy roadways and unstable structures present hazards to the investigator during the investigation process. The use of remote sensors can reduce these risks and provide data that otherwise could not safely be obtained.

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11/9/2018 · Transportation

By: Ned Einstein

As with most things, the ADA requirement to make all new motorcoaches purchased after 2001 wheelchair-accessible, and the 2015 ruling to install three-point occupant restraint systems, introduced an entirely new spectrum of safety, liability and social concerns to the motorcoach industry. But a couple of responses to these requirements, particularly by one OEM and one supplier, have opened up a whole new set of opportunities for savvy motorcoach operators.

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11/8/2018 · Environment

By: Dr. Michael Sklash

In matters involving permitting, litigation, or remediation of impacted groundwater, knowing more is way better than knowing less. At Dragun Corporation, we use a multi-technique approach to characterize groundwater and groundwater contamination to develop a more robust and precise site characterization to answer tough questions, withstand rigorous expert review, and/or optimize remediation.

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11/8/2018 · Finance

By: Marguerita Cheng

Iconic singer Aretha Franklin had it all: respect, talent, fame and fortune, but what she didn't have was a prepared estate. Reports indicate that the Queen of Soul didn't have a will or trust set up before her death from cancer in August. Now her fortune might be in limbo for her survivors.

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11/7/2018 · Accident Prevention & Safety

By: Leighton Spadone

A mine site's two largest operational costs are vehicle fuel and tires. Tire longevity is improved by limiting tire temperatures to the manufactures guidelines by limiting the tire's combination of speed, load, and inflation.

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11/6/2018 · Power Supplies

By: Chet Sandberg

The 18650 cell has become the workhorse of the lithium ion battery industry and is a good candidate for analysis of most lithium ion batteries properties. Tesla automobiles, laptop computers, e-cigarettes, scooters, and grid energy storage all use the 18650. The 18650 cell is a leader in cost reduction, stored energy has been continually increasing and over 2 billion cells were manufactured in 2016. Lithium ion cells are truly a marvel of chemistry and electrical engineering.

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