Detecting an increase in thermal resistance of a heat sink in a computer system

1. A method of detecting an increase in thermal resistance of a heat sink in a computer system, the heat sink dissipating heat for a component of the computer system, the computer system comprising a fan controlling airflow across the heat sink, the computer system further comprising a temperature monitoring device, the method comprising:

measuring, by a monitoring module through use of the temperature monitoring device during operation of the computer system, thermal resistance of the heat sink;

determining whether the measured thermal resistance of the heat sink is greater than a threshold thermal resistance, the threshold thermal resistance stored in a thermal profile in non-volatile memory; and

if the measured thermal resistance of the heat sink is greater than the threshold thermal resistance, notifying a system administrator.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising establishing the thermal profile for the heat sink including:

operating the component for maximum heat dissipation by the heat sink;

operating the fan at a particular rotational speed;

measuring case temperature of the heat sink, ambient temperature of the computer system, power consumption of the component;

calculating a baseline thermal resistance of the heat sink; and

deriving the threshold thermal resistance from the baseline thermal resistance.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein establishing a thermal profile for the heat sink further comprises:

establishing the thermal profile by a manufacturer of the heat sink in a dust-free environment.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein measuring thermal resistance of the heat sink further comprises:

operating the component for maximum heat dissipation by the heat sink;

operating the fan at a particular rotational speed;

measuring case temperature of the heat sink, ambient temperature of the computer system, power consumption of the component; and

calculating current thermal resistance of the heat sink.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the particular rotational speed comprises a value stored in non-volatile memory of the computer system when the thermal profile is established.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the notifying a system administrator further comprises notifying the system administrator of excessive dust build-up on the heat sink.

7. An apparatus for detecting an increase in thermal resistance of a heat sink in a computer system, the heat sink dissipating heat for a component of the computer system, the computer system comprising a fan controlling airflow across the heat sink, the computer system further comprising a temperature monitoring device, 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:

measuring, by a monitoring module through use of the temperature monitoring device during operation of the computer system, thermal resistance of the heat sink;

determining whether the measured thermal resistance of the heat sink is greater than a threshold thermal resistance, the threshold thermal resistance stored in a thermal profile in non-volatile memory; and

if the measured thermal resistance of the heat sink is greater than the threshold thermal resistance, notifying a system administrator.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 further comprising computer program instructions capable of establishing the thermal profile for the heat sink including:

operating the component for maximum heat dissipation by the heat sink;

operating the fan at a particular rotational speed;

measuring case temperature of the heat sink, ambient temperature of the computer system, power consumption of the component;

calculating a baseline thermal resistance of the heat sink; and

deriving the threshold thermal resistance from the baseline thermal resistance.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein establishing a thermal profile for the heat sink further comprises:

establishing the thermal profile by a manufacturer of the heat sink in a dust-free environment.

10. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein measuring thermal resistance of the heat sink further comprises:

operating the component for maximum heat dissipation by the heat sink;

operating the fan at a particular rotational speed;

measuring case temperature of the heat sink, ambient temperature of the computer system, power consumption of the component; and

calculating current thermal resistance of the heat sink.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the particular rotational speed comprises a value stored in non-volatile memory of the computer system when the thermal profile is established.

12. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the notifying a system administrator further comprises notifying the system administrator of excessive dust build-up on the heat sink.

13. A computer program product for detecting an increase in thermal resistance of a heat sink in a computer system, the heat sink dissipating heat for a component of the computer system, the computer system comprising a fan controlling airflow across the heat sink, the computer system further comprising a temperature monitoring device, the computer program product disposed in a computer readable, recordable medium, the computer program product comprising computer program instructions capable of:

measuring, by a monitoring module through use of the temperature monitoring device during operation of the computer system, thermal resistance of the heat sink;

determining whether the measured thermal resistance of the heat sink is greater than a threshold thermal resistance, the threshold thermal resistance stored in a thermal profile in non-volatile memory; and

if the measured thermal resistance of the heat sink is greater than the threshold thermal resistance, notifying a system administrator.

14. The computer program product of claim 13 further comprising computer program instructions capable of establishing the thermal profile for the heat sink including:

operating the component for maximum heat dissipation by the heat sink;

operating the fan at a particular rotational speed;

measuring case temperature of the heat sink, ambient temperature of the computer system, power consumption of the component;

calculating a baseline thermal resistance of the heat sink; and

deriving the threshold thermal resistance from the baseline thermal resistance.

15. The computer program product of claim 14 wherein establishing a thermal profile for the heat sink further comprises:

establishing the thermal profile by a manufacturer of the heat sink in a dust-free environment.

16. The computer program product of claim 13 wherein measuring thermal resistance of the heat sink further comprises:

operating the component for maximum heat dissipation by the heat sink;

operating the fan at a particular rotational speed;

measuring case temperature of the heat sink, ambient temperature of the computer system, power consumption of the component; and

calculating current thermal resistance of the heat sink.

17. The computer program product of claim 16 wherein the particular rotational speed comprises a value stored in non-volatile memory of the computer system when the thermal profile is established.

18. The computer program product of claim 13 wherein the notifying a system administrator further comprises notifying the system administrator of excessive dust build-up on the heat sink.