PUE Edge Computing How data centres at the network edge can support the next sustainable evolution of telcos
Deploying MEC/edge data centres at scale poses considerable challenges such as:
· Power and cooling requirements
· Remote management
· Environmental impact
· Cyber security due to its dispersed locations and exposed environments
It could be easy to overlook the environmental impact of these distributed network edge data centres due to their small size. However, when aggregated is substantial as the average annual power usage effectiveness (PUE) of today’s distributed network edge data centres which is more often than not, poor and typically around 2.0, due to the low power density (i.e., ~1kW/rack or less than 1kW/m2) of legacy equipment.
By contrast, the annual PUEs of centralised core cloud data centres can be as low as 1.1. Furthermore, it is predicted that the network edge with 5G will consume three times more energy on average than 4G. There are number of feasible solutions that can mitigate telco edge computing’s impact on the environments. One best practice is implementing software tools to help measure and visualise energy use, GHG (greenhouse gas) emissions, and waste recycling. These are essential for visibility, target setting, and reporting.