System and method for improving fan life in an information handling system
View Patent ↗An information handling system includes a first fan in a first location for cooling a first component of the information handling system, a second fan in a second location for cooling a second component of the information handling system, and a management controller. The management controller determines that the first fan has experienced greater stress than the second fan, and recommends that the first fan be placed in the second location and that the second fan be placed in the first location.
1. An information handling system comprising:
a first fan in a first location for cooling a first component of the information handling system;
a second fan in a second location for cooling a second component of the information handling system; and
a management controller operable to:
determine that the first fan has experienced greater stress than the second fan in the management controller is further operable to determine a first efficiency level of the first fan, and wherein in determining the first efficiency level, the management controller is further operable to turn on the first fan, turn off the second fan, and measure a power level of the first fan; and
recommend that the first fan be placed in the second location and that the second fan be placed in the first location, wherein the first fan is placed in the second location and the second fan is placed in the first location in response to the recommendation.
2. The information handling system of claim 1 , wherein:
in determining that the first fan has experienced greater stress than the second fan, the management controller is further operable to:
determine that the first efficiency level is below a threshold efficiency level; and
recommending that the first fan be placed in the second location and that the second fan be placed in the first location is based upon the determination that the first efficiency level is below the threshold efficiency level.
3. The information handling system of claim 1 , wherein:
in determining that the first fan has experienced greater stress than the second fan, the management controller is further operable to:
determine a second efficiency level of the second fan; and
determine that the first efficiency level is less than the second efficiency level; and
recommending that the first fan be placed in the second location and that the second fan be placed in the first location is based upon the determination that the first efficiency level is less than the second efficiency level.
4. The information handling system of claim 1 , wherein in determining that the first fan has experienced greater stress than the second fan, the management controller is further operable to:
determine a first usage level of the first fan.
5. The information handling system of claim 4 , wherein:
in determining that the first fan has experienced greater stress than the second fan, the management controller is further operable to determine that the first usage level is above a threshold usage level; and
recommending that the first fan be placed in the second location and that the second fan be placed in the first location is based upon the determination that the first usage level is above the threshold usage level.
6. The information handling system of claim 4 , wherein:
in determining that the first fan has experienced greater stress than the second fan, the management controller is further operable to:
determine a second usage level of the second fan; and
determine that the first usage level is greater than the second usage level; and
recommending that the first fan be placed in the second location and that the second fan be placed in the first location is based upon the determination that the first usage level is greater than the second usage level.
7. The information handling system of claim 4 , wherein the first usage level is determined as:
Usage
=
∑
0
N
(
RPM
60
sec
min
×
T
Inlet
+
T
Rise
60
°
C
.
)
where N is the time since the fan was new, RPM is a speed of the first fan in revolutions per minute, T Inlet is a temperature at an inlet of the first fan, and TRise is the rise in temperature from the inlet to an exhaust of the first fan.
8. The information handling system of claim 1 , wherein the management controller is further operable to:
determine that the first fan has been placed in the second location and that the second fan has been placed in the first location.
9. The information handling system of claim 8 , wherein, in determining that the first fan has been placed in the second location and that the second fan has been placed in the first location, the management controller is further operable to:
determine that the first fan has been removed from the first location;
determine that the second fan has been removed from the second location;
determine that the second fan has been inserted into the first location; and
determine that the first fan has been inserted into the second location.
10. The information handling system of claim 8 , wherein:
the management controller is further operable to:
write first identification information to the first fan; and
write second identification information to the second fan; and
determining that the first fan has been placed in the second location and that the second fan has been placed in the first location is based upon the first identification information and the second identification information.
11. The information handling system of claim 10 , wherein the first identification information includes at least one of a unique identifier for the first fan, an efficiency level of the first fan, and a usage level of the first fan.
12. A method comprising:
turning on, by a management controller of a server, a first fan in a first location of an information handling system;
turning off, by the management controller, a second fan in a second location of the information handling system;
measuring, by the management controller, a first power level of the first fan;
determining, by the management controller, a first efficiency level of the first fan based on the first power level;
determining, by the management controller, a first stress level for the first fan based upon the first efficiency level;
turning on, by the management controller, the second fan;
turning off, by the management controller, the first fan;
measuring, by the management controller, a second power level of the first fan;
determining, by the management controller, a second efficiency level of the second fan based on the second power level;
determining, by the management controller, a second stress level for the second fan based upon the second efficiency level;
determining, by the management controller, that the first stress level is greater than the second stress level;
recommending, by the management controller, that the first fan be placed in the second location and that the second fan be placed in the first location;
placing the first fan in the second location in response to the recommendation; and
placing the second fan in the first location in response to the recommendation.
13. The method of claim 12 , wherein:
in determining the first stress level, the method further comprises determining a first usage level of the first fan;
in determining that the first stress level is greater than the second stress level, the method further comprises determining that the first usage level is above a threshold usage level; and
recommending that the first fan be placed in the second location and that the second fan be placed in the first location is based upon the determination that the first usage level is above the threshold usage level.
14. The method of claim 13 , wherein:
in determining the first stress level, the method further comprises determining a first usage level of the first fan;
in determining that the first stress level is greater than the second stress level, the method further comprises:
determining a second usage level of the second fan; and
determining that the first usage level is greater than the second usage level; and
recommending that the first fan be placed in the second location and that the second fan be placed in the first location is based upon the determination that the first usage level is greater than the second usage level.
15. The method of claim 13 , wherein the first usage level is determined as:
Usage
=
∑
0
N
(
RPM
60
sec
min
×
T
Inlet
+
T
Rise
60
°
C
.
)
where N is the time since the fan was new, RPM is a speed of the first fan in revolutions per minute, T Inlet is a temperature at an inlet of the first fan, and TRise is the rise in temperature from the inlet to an exhaust of the first fan.
16. A non-transitory computer-readable medium including code for performing a method, the method comprising:
turning on a first fan in a first location of an information handling system;
turning off a second fan in a second location of the information handling system;
measuring a first power level of the first fan;
determining a first efficiency level of the first fan based on the first power level;
determining, by a management controller, a first stress level for the first fan based upon the first efficiency, level;
turning on the second fan;
turning off the first fan;
measuring a second power level of the first fan;
determining a second efficiency level of the second fan based on the second power level;
determining, by the management controller, a second stress level for the second based upon the second efficiency level;
determining, by the management controller, that the first stress level is greater than the second stress level; and
recommending, by the management controller, that the first fan be placed in the second location and that the second fan be placed in the first location, wherein the first fan is placed in the second location and the second fan is placed in the first location in response to the recommendation.