Managing Computer Power Consumption In A Data Center
Methods, systems, and computer program products are provided for managing computer power consumption in a data center. Embodiments include monitoring aggregate power consumption of a plurality of computers in the data center, each of the computers being supplied power individually from a shared circuit in the data center; determining whether the aggregate power consumption exceeds a predetermined maximum threshold; if the aggregate power consumption exceeds the predetermined maximum threshold, selecting a number of computers for throttling in dependence upon priority; and throttling-down the selected computers, reducing the aggregate power consumption to a level below the predetermined maximum threshold. Some embodiments may also include determining whether the aggregate power consumption is below a predetermined minimum threshold; if the aggregate power consumption is below the predetermined minimum threshold, selecting a number of computers for throttling in dependence upon priority; and throttling-up the selected computers, increasing the aggregate power consumption to a level above the predetermined minimum threshold.
1 . A method for managing computer power consumption in a data center, the method comprising:
monitoring aggregate power consumption of a plurality of computers in the data center, each of the computers being supplied power individually from a shared circuit in the data center;
determining whether the aggregate power consumption exceeds a predetermined maximum threshold;
if the aggregate power consumption exceeds the predetermined maximum threshold, selecting a number of computers for throttling in dependence upon priority; and
throttling-down the selected computers, reducing the aggregate power consumption to a level below the predetermined maximum threshold.
2 . The method of claim 1 further comprising:
determining whether the aggregate power consumption is below a predetermined minimum threshold;
if the aggregate power consumption is below the predetermined minimum threshold, selecting a number of computers for throttling in dependence upon priority; and
throttling-up the selected computers, increasing the aggregate power consumption to a level above the predetermined minimum threshold.
3 . The method of claim 1 wherein throttling-down the selected computers further comprises reducing a CPU clock speed of one or more of the selected computers.
4 . The method of claim 1 wherein throttling-down the selected computers further comprises reducing a data communications bus clock speed of one or more of the selected computers.
5 . The method of claim 1 wherein selecting a number of computers for throttling in dependence upon priority further comprises selecting a number of computers in dependence upon data processing value rules.
6 . The method of claim 1 further comprising establishing the maximum threshold in dependence upon power objectives for the data center.
7 . A system for managing computer power consumption in a data center, the apparatus comprising a computer processor, a computer memory operatively coupled to the computer processor, the computer memory having disposed within it computer program instructions capable of:
monitoring aggregate power consumption of a plurality of computers in the data center, each of the computers being supplied power individually from a shared circuit in the data center;
determining whether the aggregate power consumption exceeds a predetermined maximum threshold;
if the aggregate power consumption exceeds the predetermined maximum threshold, selecting a number of computers for throttling in dependence upon priority; and
throttling-down the selected computers, reducing the aggregate power consumption to a level below the predetermined maximum threshold.
8 . The system of claim 7 wherein the computer memory also has disposed within it computer program instructions capable of:
determining whether the aggregate power consumption is below a predetermined minimum threshold;
if the aggregate power consumption is below the predetermined minimum threshold, selecting a number of computers for throttling in dependence upon priority; and
throttling-up the selected computers, increasing the aggregate power consumption to a level above the predetermined minimum threshold.
9 . The system of claim 7 wherein computer program instructions capable of throttling-down the selected computers further comprise computer program instructions capable of reducing a CPU clock speed of one or more of the selected computers.
10 . The system of claim 7 wherein computer program instructions capable of throttling-down the selected computers further comprise computer program instructions capable of reducing a data communications bus clock speed of one or more of the selected computers.
11 . The system of claim 7 wherein computer program instructions capable of selecting a number of computers for throttling in dependence upon priority further comprise computer program instructions capable of selecting a number of computers in dependence upon data processing value rules.
12 . The system of claim 7 wherein the computer memory also has disposed within it computer program instructions capable of receiving the maximum threshold in dependence upon power objectives for the data center.
13 . A computer program product for managing computer power consumption in a data center, the computer program product disposed in a computer readable medium, the computer program product comprising computer program instructions capable of:
monitoring aggregate power consumption of a plurality of computers in the data center, each of the computers being supplied power individually from a shared circuit in the data center;
determining whether the aggregate power consumption exceeds a predetermined maximum threshold;
if the aggregate power consumption exceeds the predetermined maximum threshold, selecting a number of computers for throttling in dependence upon priority; and
throttling-down the selected computers, reducing the aggregate power consumption to a level below the predetermined maximum threshold.
14 . The computer program product of claim 13 further comprising computer program instructions capable of:
determining whether the aggregate power consumption is below a predetermined minimum threshold;
if the aggregate power consumption is below the predetermined minimum threshold, selecting a number of computers for throttling in dependence upon priority; and
throttling-up the selected computers, increasing the aggregate power consumption to a level above the predetermined minimum threshold.
15 . The computer program product of claim 113 wherein computer program instructions capable of throttling-down the selected computers further comprise computer program instructions capable of reducing a CPU clock speed of one or more of the selected computers.
16 . The computer program product of claim 13 wherein computer program instructions capable of throttling-down the selected computers further comprise computer program instructions capable of reducing a data communications bus clock speed of one or more of the selected computers.
17 . The computer program product of claim 13 wherein computer program instructions capable of selecting a number of computers for throttling in dependence upon priority further comprise computer program instructions capable of selecting a number of computers in dependence upon data processing value rules.
18 . The computer program product of claim 13 further comprising computer program instructions capable of receiving the maximum threshold in dependence upon power objectives for the data center.
19 . The computer program product of claim 13 wherein the computer readable medium comprises a recordable medium.
20 . The computer program product of claim 13 wherein the computer readable medium comprises a transmission medium.