Uncovering the Environmental Impact of Data Centers

George Porter, a computer science professor at the University of California, San Diego, talks to us about advanced networking and the effects of computing on the environment In this episode of Screaming in the cloud. George explores the shift towards optical networking in data centers to meet growing bandwidth needs and discusses the significant carbon footprint associated with computing, from data centers to device production. In addition to providing a look into the future of scalable, sustainable computing systems, George mentions the difficulties and benefits of incorporating cloud computing into academic research. 

Show Highlights:

(00:00) - Introduction 

(03:15) - The Shift to Optical Networking

(07:50) - The Efficiency of Cloud Networks

(12:06) - Adaptable Networks for Different Uses

(16:19) - Reducing Computing's Carbon Footprint

(20:25) - Highlighting Computing's Environmental Impact Through Art

(26:51) - Cloud Computing Challenges in Academia

(31:18) - The benefits of cloud computing for academic research

(34:14) - Closing thoughts 

About George:
A Computer Science Professor at UC San Diego focusing on high-performance and sustainable computer systems

Links:

• Center for Network Systems at UCSD: https://cns.ucsd.edu/
• Low Carbon Computing and Collaboration with the University of San Diego: https://c3lab.net/