Energy aware processing load distribution system and method

A load distributor for a set of servers, each server having respective energy consumption and performance characteristics and an associated cooling system, the load distributor comprising:

• an input configured to receive a new task to be processed, the task having a value of execution and an energy consumption of execution;
• at least one processor, configured to analyze the new task, and to allocate the new task to a respective server of the set of servers to optimize a cost-benefit of the set of servers, dependent on at least:
• the respective energy consumption and performance characteristics of each server of the set of servers,
• an energy consumption of the associated cooling system for each server, and
• a thermal environment of each server of the set of servers;
• and
• an output configured to communicate the allocation of the task to the respective server.

A method of distributing computational tasks to a set of server systems, the set of server systems being associated with a cooling system, each server system having respective energy consumption and performance characteristics, the method comprising:

• receiving a new task to be processed;
• analyzing the new task;
• allocating the new task to a respective server system of the set of servers to optimize an energy efficiency of the set of server systems, dependent on at least:
• the respective energy consumption and performance characteristics of each server system of the set of server systems, and
• a thermal environment of each server system of the set of server systems;
• and
• communicating the allocation of the task to the respective server system.