Linux Kernel Change Could Slash Power Usage By 30%
A small update in the Linux 6.13 kernel could significantly reduce data center costs by optimizing network traffic handling. Developed by researchers at the University of Waterloo and Fastly, the change—just 30 lines of code—introduces a new NAPI configuration parameter, irq_suspend_timeout, which dynamically switches between polling and interrupt-driven data delivery based on network traffic conditions.
Polling mode continuously requests and processes data, maximizing performance under heavy traffic, while interrupt-driven mode conserves energy by waking up only when data arrives, making it more efficient during light traffic. This adaptive switching improves CPU efficiency and could reduce data center power consumption by up to 30%.
The mechanism benefits dedicated server applications handling high network traffic, such as front-end and back-end servers. While the exact energy savings vary, the approach offers near-maximum performance while lowering CPU utilization, making it a promising advancement in energy-efficient computing.