Title: Topics in Extreme System Design
Speaker: Zhihong Luo
Advisor: Scott Shenker, Sylvia Ratnasamy

Date: Thursday, May 8, 2025
Time: 12:00pm – 1:00pm PDT

Location: 420 Soda

Abstract: In this talk, I will present a series of systems that push the boundaries of what is considered feasible and widely accepted in the design of datacenter and cellular infrastructures. First, I explore how finer-grained software management can improve datacenter efficiency. I introduce MSH, a system that harvests memory-bound CPU stall cycles, and Fava, which enables object-level tiered memory management. Second, I demonstrate how cellular network functionality can be expanded through clean-slate architectural redesigns. I present CellBricks, a cellular architecture that dramatically lowers the barrier to entry for small-scale operators, and LOCA, a system that protects user location privacy while preserving network utility.