IP Library Granted Patent US 9,430,010
Granted Patent B2
US 9,430,010 · App. 14/199,701 · Granted Aug 30, 2016

System and method for server rack power mapping

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,430,010
App. No.
14/199,701
Granted
Aug 30, 2016
Kind
B2
Abstract

A server rack includes a rack space having a plurality of rack units for receiving equipment, a power mapping module, and a plurality of power receptacles. Each power receptacle is coupled to the power mapping module to provide an indication to the power mapping module when equipment is plugged in to the power receptacles, uniquely associated with one of the plurality of rack units, and collocated with the associated rack unit. The power mapping module is operable to determine which rack unit of the plurality of rack units that first equipment is installed into, based upon a first power receptacle of the first equipment being coupled to a first power receptacle of the plurality of power receptacles.

Claims (48)

1. A server rack comprising:

a rack space including a plurality of rack units for receiving equipment;

a management controller; and

a plurality of power receptacles, wherein each power receptacle is:

coupled to the management controller;

provides an indication to the management controller when equipment is plugged in to the power receptacles;

uniquely associated with one of the rack units; and

collocated with the associated rack unit;

wherein:

the management controller determines into which rack unit of the plurality of rack units that first equipment is installed, based upon a first power receptacle of the first equipment being coupled to a first power receptacle of the power receptacles;

each power receptacle broadcasts a respective unique identifier to the equipment that is coupled to the respective power receptacle; and

the management controller maps the power connections in the server rack based upon which unique identifier is received by which piece of equipment.

2. The server rack of claim 1 , wherein the management controller further

forms a management network with the equipment installed in the rack units via the power receptacles.

3. The server rack of claim 2 , wherein the management controller further

manages the equipment installed in the rack units via the power receptacles.

4. The server rack of claim 1 , wherein: the management controller is further:

directs each piece of equipment installed in the server rack to broadcast, a unique identifier associated with each piece of equipment to the particular power receptacle that each piece of equipment is coupled to; and

maps the power connections in the server rack based upon which unique identifier is received by which power receptacle.

5. A method comprising:

coupling a management controller of a server rack to a plurality of power receptacles;

uniquely associating each power receptacle with one of the rack units of the server rack;

collocating each power receptacle with the associated rack unit;

installing first equipment into a first rack unit of the server rack;

coupling a power receptacle of the first equipment to a power receptacle of the first rack unit;

determining, via the management controller, that the first equipment is installed into the first rack unit based upon the power receptacle of the first equipment being coupled to the power receptacle of the first rack unit;

broadcasting, by each power receptacle, a respective unique identifier to the equipment that is coupled to the respective power receptacle; and

mapping, by the management controller, the power connections in the server rack based upon which unique identifier is received by which piece of equipment.

6. The method of claim 5 , further comprising:

forming, by the management controller, a management network with the equipment installed in the rack units via the power receptacles.

7. The method of claim 6 , further comprising

managing, by the management controller, the equipment installed in the rack units via the power receptacles.

8. The method of claim 5 , further comprising:

directing, by the management controller, each piece of equipment installed in the server rack to broadcast, a unique identifier associated with each piece of equipment to the particular power receptacle that each piece of equipment is coupled to; and

mapping, by the management controller, the power connections in the server rack based upon which unique identifier is received by which power receptacle.

9. A non-transitory computer-readable medium including code for performing a method, the method comprising:

coupling a management controller of a server rack to a plurality of power receptacles;

uniquely associating each power receptacle with one of the rack units of the server rack;

collocating each power receptacle with the associated rack unit;

installing first equipment into a first rack unit of the server rack;

coupling a power receptacle of the first equipment to a power receptacle of the first rack unit; and

determining, via the management controller, that the first equipment is installed into the first rack unit based upon the power receptacle of the first equipment being coupled to the power receptacle of the first rack unit;

broadcasting, by each power receptacle, a respective unique identifier to the equipment that is coupled to the respective power receptacle; and

mapping, by the management controller, the power connections in the server rack based upon which unique identifier is received by which piece of equipment.

10. The computer-readable medium of claim 9 , the method further comprising:

forming, by the management controller, a management network with the equipment installed in the rack units via the power receptacles.

11. The computer-readable medium of claim 10 , the method further comprising

managing, by the management controller, the equipment installed in the rack units via the power receptacles.

Assignments (15)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL/FRAME (053546/0001) Recorded Jun 23, 2022
From: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
To: DELL MARKETING L.P. (ON BEHALF OF ITSELF AND AS SUCCESSOR-IN-INTEREST TO CREDANT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.); DELL INTERNATIONAL L.L.C.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; DELL USA L.P.; EMC CORPORATION; DELL MARKETING CORPORATION (SUCCESSOR-IN-INTEREST TO FORCE10 NETWORKS, INC. AND WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.); EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
Reel/Frame 071642/0001 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL/FRAME (045455/0001) Recorded May 20, 2022
From: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
To: DELL MARKETING CORPORATION (SUCCESSOR-IN-INTEREST TO ASAP SOFTWARE EXPRESS, INC.); DELL MARKETING L.P. (ON BEHALF OF ITSELF AND AS SUCCESSOR-IN-INTEREST TO CREDANT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.); DELL USA L.P.; DELL INTERNATIONAL L.L.C.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; DELL MARKETING CORPORATION (SUCCESSOR-IN-INTEREST TO FORCE10 NETWORKS, INC. AND WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.); EMC CORPORATION (ON BEHALF OF ITSELF AND AS SUCCESSOR-IN-INTEREST TO MAGINATICS LLC); EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC (ON BEHALF OF ITSELF AND AS SUCCESSOR-IN-INTEREST TO MOZY, INC.); SCALEIO LLC
Reel/Frame 061753/0001 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL/FRAME (040136/0001) Recorded Apr 26, 2022
From: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
To: DELL MARKETING CORPORATION (SUCCESSOR-IN-INTEREST TO ASAP SOFTWARE EXPRESS, INC.); DELL MARKETING L.P. (ON BEHALF OF ITSELF AND AS SUCCESSOR-IN-INTEREST TO CREDANT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.); DELL USA L.P.; DELL INTERNATIONAL L.L.C.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; DELL MARKETING CORPORATION (SUCCESSOR-IN-INTEREST TO FORCE10 NETWORKS, INC. AND WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.); EMC CORPORATION (ON BEHALF OF ITSELF AND AS SUCCESSOR-IN-INTEREST TO MAGINATICS LLC); EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC (ON BEHALF OF ITSELF AND AS SUCCESSOR-IN-INTEREST TO MOZY, INC.); SCALEIO LLC
Reel/Frame 061324/0001 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Nov 3, 2021
From: CREDIT SUISSE AG, CAYMAN ISLANDS BRANCH
To: ASAP SOFTWARE EXPRESS, INC.; AVENTAIL LLC; CREDANT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; DELL USA L.P.; DELL INTERNATIONAL, L.L.C.; DELL MARKETING L.P.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; DELL SOFTWARE INC.; DELL SYSTEMS CORPORATION; EMC CORPORATION; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC; FORCE10 NETWORKS, INC.; MAGINATICS LLC; MOZY, INC.; SCALEIO LLC; WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.
Reel/Frame 058216/0001 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Apr 22, 2020
From: CREDANT TECHNOLOGIES INC.; DELL INTERNATIONAL L.L.C.; DELL MARKETING L.P.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; DELL USA L.P.; EMC CORPORATION; FORCE10 NETWORKS, INC.; WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
To: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A.
Reel/Frame 053546/0001 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Mar 21, 2019
From: CREDANT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; DELL INTERNATIONAL L.L.C.; DELL MARKETING L.P.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; DELL USA L.P.; EMC CORPORATION; FORCE10 NETWORKS, INC.; WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
To: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A.
Reel/Frame 049452/0223 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Sep 21, 2016
From: ASAP SOFTWARE EXPRESS, INC.; AVENTAIL LLC; CREDANT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; DELL USA L.P.; DELL INTERNATIONAL L.L.C.; DELL MARKETING L.P.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; DELL SOFTWARE INC.; DELL SYSTEMS CORPORATION; EMC CORPORATION; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC; FORCE10 NETWORKS, INC.; MAGINATICS LLC; MOZY, INC.; SCALEIO LLC; SPANNING CLOUD APPS LLC; WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.
To: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 040136/0001 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Sep 21, 2016
From: ASAP SOFTWARE EXPRESS, INC.; AVENTAIL LLC; CREDANT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; DELL USA L.P.; DELL INTERNATIONAL L.L.C.; DELL MARKETING L.P.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; DELL SOFTWARE INC.; DELL SYSTEMS CORPORATION; EMC CORPORATION; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC; FORCE10 NETWORKS, INC.; MAGINATICS LLC; MOZY, INC.; SCALEIO LLC; SPANNING CLOUD APPS LLC; WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.
To: CREDIT SUISSE AG, CAYMAN ISLANDS BRANCH, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 040134/0001 →
RELEASE OF REEL 032809 FRAME 0987 (NOTE) Recorded Sep 14, 2016
From: BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: DELL SOFTWARE INC.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; SECUREWORKS, INC.
Reel/Frame 040026/0953 →
RELEASE OF REEL 032810 FRAME 0038 (TL) Recorded Sep 14, 2016
From: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: DELL SOFTWARE INC.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; SECUREWORKS, INC.
Reel/Frame 040027/0686 →
RELEASE OF REEL 032810 FRAME 0023 (ABL) Recorded Sep 13, 2016
From: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
To: DELL SOFTWARE INC.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; SECUREWORKS, INC.
Reel/Frame 040014/0320 →
SUPPLEMENT TO PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT (TERM LOAN) Recorded May 1, 2014
From: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; DELL SOFTWARE INC.; SECUREWORKS, INC.
To: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 032810/0038 →
SUPPLEMENT TO PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT (NOTES) Recorded May 1, 2014
From: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; DELL SOFTWARE INC.; SECUREWORKS, INC.
To: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY N.A., AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 032809/0987 →
SUPPLEMENT TO PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT (ABL) Recorded May 1, 2014
From: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; DELL SOFTWARE INC.; SECUREWORKS, INC.
To: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 032810/0023 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 20, 2014
From: PALMER, JOHN R.; AHMED, SYED S.; MASUYAMA, JINSAKU
To: DELL PRODUCTS, LP
Reel/Frame 032488/0953 →