Grid metrics for monitoring green network

International audienceCurrent modeling designers of large-scale complex network systems are becoming more concerned with the energy consumed by the network infrastructure. Such concerns conceived technologies like Energywise with its management information base (MIB). However, while research efforts are relatively recent in IT network research, energy consumption patterns have been heavily studied in the area of power generation in the electric grid. Recently, the electric grid has integrated intelligent ICT based monitoring and control capabilities which forms today’s Smart Grid technology. This convergence enabled clear visibility, control, and monitoring of the energy use and provides real time information and data for energy consumers. Smart Grid research induces metrics that are used for data collection such as the real-time energy cost, latency, reliability, cybersecurity, renewable energy, and CO2 emissions.This paper proposes to identify and implement smart grid metrics into the architecture and design process of communication networks in order to achieve higher sustainability and efficiency. To date, Energywise MIB designed by Cisco gathers information for monitoring and controlling energy in communication network infrastructure. However, energy is not the unique indicator to be considered for greening a network. Thus, the objective of this paper is to propose an extension of Energywise MIB that includes other metrics covering all the facets of sustainable development directly available from smart grids