Task 1/2 – What the paper Says.

Introduction

Analyzing a paper is one of the most important skills in the master’s level. It provides the student with the ability to critique other’s work and thus learn how to write an article. In this blog post I will share a critique on an article entitled Cloud Computing: Survey on Energy Efficiency.

Paper title: Cloud Computing: Survey on Energy Efficiency

Authors:

• Toni Mastelic
• Ariel Oleksiak
• Holger Claussen
• Ivona Brandic
• Jean-Marc Pierson
• Athanasios Vasilakos

Summary of the content of Paper:

The article begins by highlighting the critical role of energy in civilization and technological progress. It notes a significant increase in global power consumption from 10kTWh to 20kTWh between 1990 and the present, with projections reaching 40kTWh by 2040.   Emphasizing the need for energy efficiency to address climate goals, the European Commission identifies Information and Communication Technology (ICT) as a major energy consumer, with data centers notably consuming substantial amounts.   The focus of the survey is on the energy efficiency of the infrastructure powering ICT machinery, specifically within cloud computing, a major energy consumer among ICT approaches. The survey categorizes cloud computing into domains, including Server, Network, Cloud Management System and Appliances.   Energy efficiency is characterized as the reduction of energy used for a given service or activity, identifying two type of inefficiency: lost energy (consumed by the system but not for the main task, i.e., energy used to light the data center), and wasted energy (used for the main task but without relevant output, i.e., energy consumed when the server is in idle mode).   Two goals each are outline for reducing lost energy and wasted energy. For lost energy, the goals involved reducing the percentage of input energy not consumed by a subsystem and minimizing the overhead of supporting systems. In addressing wasted energy, the goals include reducing the time the system is idle and minimizing energy consumption during redundant operations. The survey aims to comprehensively explore these aspects of energy efficiency within cloud computing infrastructure.   The findings indicated that many conventional energy efficiency techniques are not directly applicable to cloud computing environments. Instead, these techniques require modification or redesign because of the intricate layering of cloud computing infrastructure. This complexity arises from the integration of systems and components originating from various fields, including power supply, cooling, and computing.

A: Quality of the Research

Item	Your Comments (expand the answers beyond the yes/no with examples, comments and references as needed)
1. Is the research question or objective clearly stated?	Yes. The paper contains a section named “The Goal of the Article” where them state the main goals of the survey which are: Introduce a systematic analysis of cloud infrastructures by defining a taxonomy and terminology for energy efficiency. Provide an overview of existing technologies, research work, and projects for every domain of Information Communication Technology (ICT) equipment supporting the cloud computing concept. Discover and present correlations between different ICT domains regarding energy efficiency.
2. Is the research question interesting and important?	Yes. It is a very interesting because it is related to the background aspect of one of the most used services in the world today which is Cloud Computing. And is very important because using energy efficiently ensure that use save energy thus creating a more sustainable future.
3. Is the work original?	Yes, the work presented is the article is original. The recognition that conventional techniques need adaptation to address the problems with energy efficiency in cloud computing infrastructure is a novel perspective.
4. Is the background research clear and relevant?	Yes, the comprehensive nature of the literature review suggests that the authors have thoroughly explored existing work in the field, providing a solid foundation for their research.
5. Are there any ethical problems?	No, the article does not explicitly mention ethical considerations or potential ethical problems in the research study.

B: The Research Method

Item	Your Comments
Summarize the research method.	Essentially, the researchers employ a systematic literature review to comprehensively explore existing practices, challenges, and potential areas for future research in the domain of energy efficiency in data centers.
Does the research method seem appropriate for the research question?	Yes, first because it aligns with the research question, concentrating on the analysis of energy efficiency within data center domains. Second because the literature review is highly relevant, given the research question revolves around understanding current practices in energy efficiency.
Are the methods adequately described?	No, the article does not offer detailed insights into the specific procedures, tools, or data analysis techniques used in the study, or the criteria for selecting literature.
Were the analyses done correctly?	There are no details about the analyses conducted in the study.
Are the conclusions supported by the data?	Yes, for each of the four domains (networks, servers, cloud management system and appliances) the authors provided data from the literature review that indicates the fact that many conventional energy efficiency techniques are not directly applicable to cloud computing environments.

C: Quality of Presentation

Item	Your Comments
Is the work well presented?	Yes, the authors enriched their textual information with figures and tables that added clarity to the information.
Is the paper well structured?	Yes. It contains an introduction, then the authors explain their motivation, after that they provide an explanation of the terminology used in the paper thus setting the grounds for understanding the paper. In the article the authors present the same structure when analyzing each of the domains of cloud computing involved in energy consumption (network, servers, cloud management systems and appliances). This helps the reader easily follow the content knowing what sections to expect next.
Are symbols, terms, and concepts adequately defined?	Yes, in the second chapter entitled “Taxonomy and Terminology” the authors define the relevant terms in the article. They define Cloud computing and its components (hardware and software). They also define what they mean with the term energy efficiency.
Would additional tables, figures help to clarify the work?	Yes, for each domain it would be interesting if the authors could add graphs summarizing where energy is mostly used inefficiently among the domains.

Conclusion

So that is it guys, just to recap. In the blog post, we analyze a paper using a template that touches the most important aspects of critique. First, we began by summarizing the article, second, we analyze the quality of the research, third we inspect the research method and finally the visual aspects or presentation of the research. Using a template can help you to easily critique any paper. Until the next blog where I am are going to talk about my blog experience. Thank you.