IP Library Granted Patent US 9,423,854
Granted Patent B2
US 9,423,854 · App. 14/199,715 · Granted Aug 23, 2016

System and method for server rack power management

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,423,854
App. No.
14/199,715
Granted
Aug 23, 2016
Kind
B2
Abstract

A server rack includes a management controller, a power mapping module coupled to the management controller, 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 of the power consumed by equipment that is plugged in to each power receptacle. The management controller is operable to determine that the power consumed by the equipment installed in the server rack is greater than a first high power threshold and throttle a first piece of equipment installed in the rack space.

Claims (57)

1. A server rack comprising:

a management controller; and

a plurality of power receptacles, wherein each power receptacle is coupled to the management controller, and each power receptacle provides an indication to the management controller of the power consumed by equipment that is plugged in to each power receptacle;

wherein the management controller:

determines that the power consumed by the equipment installed in the server rack is greater than a first high power threshold;

throttles a first piece of equipment installed in the server rack;

determines that the power consumed by the equipment installed in the server rack is greater than a second high power threshold, but less than the first high power threshold; and

powers a second piece of equipment installed in the server rack from a powered off state to a stand-by state.

2. The server rack of claim 1 , wherein in throttling the first piece of equipment, the management controller further throttles a processor of the first piece of equipment.

3. The server rack of claim 1 , wherein in throttling the first piece of equipment, the management controller further throttles a memory of the first piece of equipment.

4. The server rack of claim 1 , wherein in throttling the first piece of equipment, the management controller further throttles a running average power of the first piece of equipment.

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

determines that the power consumed by the equipment installed in the server rack is greater than a third high power threshold, but less than the first high power threshold, the third high power threshold being lower than the first high power threshold; and

powers the second piece of equipment from the stand-by state to a powered on state.

6. The server rack of claim 5 , wherein the management controller further:

determines that all equipment in the server rack is in the powered on state;

provides an indication to a data center management controller that all equipment in the server rack is in the powered on state; and

receives, from the data center management controller, an instruction to migrate a workload from the server rack to a server on a different server rack.

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

determines that the power consumed by the equipment installed in the server rack is less than a first low power threshold; and

powers a second piece of equipment installed in the server rack from a powered on state to a stand-by state.

8. The server rack of claim 7 , wherein the management controller further:

determines that the power consumed by the equipment installed in the server rack is less than a second low power threshold, the second low power threshold being lower than the first low power threshold; and

powers the second piece of equipment from the stand-by state to a powered off state.

9. A method comprising:

installing equipment in a server rack;

coupling each piece of equipment to a power receptacle of the server rack;

providing, by each power receptacle, an indication to a management controller of the server rack, a power consumed by equipment that is plugged in to each power receptacle;

determining, by the management controller, that the power consumed by the equipment installed in the server rack is greater than a first high power threshold;

throttling a first piece of equipment installed in the server rack;

determining, by the management controller, that the power consumed by the equipment installed in the rack space is greater than a second high power threshold, but less than the first high power threshold; and

powering a second piece of equipment installed in the rack space from a powered off state to a stand-by state.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein in throttling the first piece of equipment, the method further comprises throttling a processor of the first piece of equipment.

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein in throttling the first piece of equipment, the method further comprises throttling a memory of the first piece of equipment.

12. The method of claim 9 , wherein in throttling the first piece of equipment, the method further comprises throttling a running average power of the first piece of equipment.

13. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:

determining, by the management controller, that the power consumed by the equipment installed in the server rack is greater than a third high power threshold, but less than the first high power threshold, the third high power threshold being lower than the first high power threshold; and

powering the second piece of equipment from the stand-by state to a powered on state.

14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising:

determining, by the management controller, that all equipment in the server rack is in the powered on state;

providing an indication to a data center management controller that all equipment in the server rack is in the powered on state; and

receiving, from the data center management controller, an instruction to migrate a workload from the server rack to a server on a different server rack.

15. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:

determining, by the management controller, that the power consumed by the equipment installed in the server rack is less than a first low power threshold; and

powering a second piece of equipment installed in the server rack from a powered on state to a stand-by state.

16. The method of claim 15 , further comprising:

determining, by the management controller, that the power consumed by the equipment installed in the server rack is less than a second low power threshold, the second low power threshold being lower than the first low power threshold; and

powering the second piece of equipment from the stand-by state to a powered off state.

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

installing equipment in a server rack;

coupling each piece of equipment to a power receptacle of the server rack;

providing, by each power receptacle, an indication to a management controller of the server rack, a power consumed by equipment that is plugged in to each power receptacle;

determining, by the management controller, that the power consumed by the equipment installed in the server rack is greater than a first high power threshold;

throttling a first piece of equipment installed in the server rack;

determining, by the management controller, that the power consumed by the equipment installed in the server rack is less than a first low power threshold; and

powering a second piece of equipment installed in the server rack from a powered on state to a stand-by state.

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 17 , wherein in throttling the first piece of equipment, the method further comprises one of throttling a processor of the first piece of equipment, throttling a memory of the first piece of equipment, and throttling a running average power of the first piece of equipment.

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 032489/0011 →