The goal of this project is to infuse optimization solutions across Microsoft’s Cloud, targeting improvements in resource utilization (space, power, compute) and sustainability. We are interested in both fundamental and practical aspects of the problem. We designed novel algorithms with provable guarantees to find the optimal placement of servers in data centers, generate optimal plans for server fulfillment, and optimize the allocation of Virtual Machines. Our algorithms have been deployed in production in collaboration with multiple Azure teams, leading to improvements in power stranding, cycle times, and packing density, resulting in cost savings of hundreds of millions of dollars per year.
