GCRI · Data and Compute
Methods and uncertainty
The methods Data and Compute relies on: their equations and assumptions, the data they need, how they are validated and the limits of what they can show.
Methods and uncertainty on the record.
- 01FieldsData and compute, Energy
- 02STEM methods7 canonical methods applied
- 03Topics8 subject pages
- 04Counterparts0 platforms in shared fields
- 05PublisherThe Global Centre for Risk and Innovation
The methods in use.
- 01High-performance, cloud and edge computingWorkload characterisation · Porting codes to new architectures · Hybrid cloud and HPC workflowsApplied here
- 02Data engineering, interoperability and stewardshipFAIR data assessment · Interoperable catalogues · Data quality pipelinesApplied here
- 03Energy generation, storage and grid technologyCooling technology comparison · On-site energy options · Heat reuse feasibilityApplied here
- 04Optimisation and operations researchJob scheduling policies · Carbon-aware workload shifting · Capacity planningApplied here
- 05Cybersecurity and cryptographySecure research environment design · Federated identity securityApplied here
- 06Physics and quantum scienceEnergy limits of computation · Thermal management physics · Assessing new computing paradigmsApplied here
- 07Power systems engineeringGrid connection studies · Power supply resilience · Demand flexibilityApplied here
Each method, its role in this field and how it is checked.
- ComputingRole hereHigh-performance, cloud and edge computing is the technology this platform stewards for the network.Checks appliedNumerical equivalence; Performance portability; Cost accounting
- Data engineeringRole hereData engineering, interoperability and stewardship is the second method this platform stewards.Checks appliedMetadata completeness; Identifier resolution; Validation coverage
- Energy technologyRole hereEnergy technologies determine how efficiently computing turns electricity into results and how its heat is removed.Checks appliedMetered verification; Boundary consistency; Seasonal analysis
- OptimisationRole hereOptimisation and operations research schedule jobs, place workloads and plan capacity.Checks appliedReplay validation; Fairness metrics; Scenario robustness
- CybersecurityRole hereCybersecurity and cryptography protect data infrastructure and computing facilities, and the sensitive data they hold.Checks appliedPenetration testing; Assurance profile review; Recovery testing
- PhysicsRole herePhysics underpins computing hardware and the limits of efficiency: how transistors switch, how heat flows, and where new paradigms such as quantum and neuromorphic computing may change what is possible.Checks appliedPeer-reviewed evidence; Like-for-like comparison; Physical plausibility
- Power engineeringRole herePower engineering connects computing facilities to the grid and keeps them powered.Checks appliedLoad profile validation; Backup testing; Flexibility verification
How the process runs.
Process explorer · Process
Methods and uncertainty: PRISMA 2020 review reporting
10 steps·4 stages
Process
Methods and uncertainty: PRISMA 2020 review reporting
PRISMA 2020 is a reporting guideline for systematic reviews; the steps follow its checklist, not a mandated sequence, and no Nexus document adopts it.
01 Plan
- 01Registration and protocolRecord · The review teamThe guideline asks for registration details, access to the protocol and any amendments.
- 02Eligibility criteriaRecord · The review teamThe guideline asks for the inclusion and exclusion criteria and how studies were grouped.
02 Find and select
- 03Search: sources and strategiesStep · The review teamThe guideline asks for the information sources and the full search strategies. It does not fix which sources are used.
- 04Selection of studiesStep · The review teamThe guideline asks how studies were judged eligible, including how many reviewers screened. It does not fix the number of reviewers.
- 05Flow diagramRecordThe flow diagram shows the number of records found, the number of studies included and the reasons for exclusion.
03 Analyse
- 06Data collectionStep · The review teamThe guideline asks how data were collected from reports and which data items were sought.
- 07Risk of biasStep · The review teamThe guideline asks for the methods and tools used to assess risk of bias.
- 08SynthesisModel · The review teamThe guideline asks for the effect measures and the synthesis methods. It does not prescribe meta-analysis.
- 09Certainty of evidenceStep · The review teamThe guideline asks for the methods used to assess certainty, and reports the result per outcome. It does not name a grading scale.
04 Report
- 10Review reportRecordThe guideline helps authors report why the review was done, what they did and what they found.
ReportsOutline of an externally published reporting guideline, not a Nexus process and not a record of operation. PRISMA 2020 mainly covers reviews of intervention effects. No Nexus page names it. Every programme is at service level R0.
Where uncertainty in data and compute analysis comes from, and how it is shown.
| Source | Why it matters here | How it is reported |
|---|---|---|
| Demand growth | Compute and data-centre growth projections vary widely | Scenario ranges with drivers |
| Facility data | Many facilities are not disclosed | Coverage stated |
| Efficiency | Hardware and cooling efficiency change quickly | Dated metrics |
| Water use | Rarely reported | Estimates labelled |
Projections of compute energy demand are reported as ranges from several sources.
How uncertainty is reported.
- 01
State assumptions
Each analysis lists its assumptions and the data it depends on.
- 02
Quantify where possible
Ranges and confidence are reported alongside central estimates.
- 03
Validate and compare
Models are checked against observations and, where possible, against other models.
- 04
Publish limits
What an analysis cannot show is stated beside what it can.
Where this page's references lead.
The bodies and documents this page is read against. Status and editions change; each link goes to the issuing body.
Questions and answers.
Are the methods open?
Contribute evidence from this page.
Reports is the Consortium's quarterly publication. What you know about this subject can become evidence, a case or a correction in the next edition, credited to you and published under CC BY 4.0 where it is your own work.
- EmailGateway GW-GCRISend it from this pageEvidence, a correction, a case, a method, a review, a translation or profile input. It arrives tagged with this page, so the editor who owns it receives it.
- ZenodoOpen depositDeposit it and submit to the communityPublish your own record on Zenodo with your ORCID iD, then submit it to the Reports community there. Curators review it; the DOI stays yours.
- ReportsGCRISee every way to contributeThe contribution types, how each is reviewed, what credit you receive, the licence and what is never accepted.
Never send personal data, sensitive infrastructure detail or anything you have no right to share. A contribution is reviewed before use; sending it confers no authorship or editorial rights, and sponsorship never buys a finding.
Bring a method, a dataset or a question.
Information and enquiries are open today. An enquiry receives a reference and names the next step; applications, payments, compute allocations and registrations open only when their team, terms and review capacity exist.
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