Power over Ethernet cooling system
A portable or modular cooling system is operated via the power-over-Ethernet (PoE) standard. The cooling system receives electrical power via an Ethernet connection to a source device (such as a server, switch, or other PoE-enabled equipment). The cooling system may thus be used to spot-inject cooler ambient air in the vicinity of the source device without the need for grid electric and for cumbersome electrical wiring.
1. A memory device storing instructions that when executed cause a hardware processor to perform operations, the operations comprising:
receiving a signal representing an inoperable state of a power supply unit that supplies an electrical power to a cooling system that cools an Ethernet switch installed in a rack;
in response to the receiving of the signal representing the inoperable state of the power supply unit, disconnecting the cooling system from the power supply unit by opening an electrical connection between the cooling system and the power supply unit;
connecting the cooling system to a first Ethernet port of the Ethernet switch via a power-over-Ethernet cable to receive an electrical power delivered from the Ethernet switch;
receiving an output value generated by a temperature sensor, the output value representing a temperature associated with the Ethernet switch; and
supplying the electrical power delivered via the power-over-Ethernet cable from the Ethernet switch to a fan of the cooling system, the electrical power causing the fan to spin and to move an ambient air according to the output value generated by the temperature sensor.
2. The memory device of claim 1 , wherein the operations further comprise dedicating the electrical power delivered via the power-over-Ethernet cable to the fan.
3. The memory device of claim 1 , wherein the operations further comprise receiving an additional electrical power delivered via another power-over-Ethernet cable.
4. The memory device of claim 3 , wherein the operations further comprise dedicating the additional electrical power to another fan of the cooling system.
5. The memory device of claim 4 , wherein the operations further comprise supplying the additional electrical power to another fan.
6. The memory device of claim 3 , wherein the operations further comprise connecting a second Ethernet port of the Ethernet switch to a second fan.
7. A method, comprising:
receiving, by a controller, a signal representing an inoperable state of a power supply unit that supplies an electrical power to a cooling system that cools an Ethernet switch;
in response to the receiving of the signal representing the inoperable state of the power supply unit, disconnecting, by the controller, the cooling system from the power supply unit by opening an electrical connection between the cooling system and the power supply unit;
connecting, by the controller, the cooling system to a first Ethernet port of the Ethernet switch via a power-over-Ethernet cable to receive an electrical power delivered from the Ethernet switch;
receiving an output value representing a temperature associated with the Ethernet switch; and
supplying the electrical power delivered via the power-over-Ethernet cable from the Ethernet switch to a fan of the cooling system, the electrical power causing the fan to move an ambient air according to the output value.
8. The method of claim 7 , further comprising dedicating the electrical power delivered via the power-over-Ethernet cable to the fan.
9. The method of claim 7 , further comprising receiving an additional electrical power delivered via another power-over-Ethernet cable.
10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising dedicating the additional electrical power to another fan of the cooling system.
11. The method of claim 9 , further comprising supplying the additional electrical power to another fan.
12. The method of claim 7 , further comprising connecting a second Ethernet port of the Ethernet switch to a second fan.
13. An information handling system, comprising:
a hardware processor; and
a memory device accessible to the hardware processor, the memory device storing instructions that when executed cause the hardware processor to perform operations including:
receiving a signal representing an inoperable state of a power supply unit that supplies an electrical power to a cooling system that cools an Ethernet switch;
in response to the receiving of the signal representing the inoperable state of the power supply unit, disconnecting the cooling system from the power supply unit by opening an electrical connection between the cooling system and the power supply unit;
connecting the cooling system to a first Ethernet port of the Ethernet switch via a power-over-Ethernet cable to receive an electrical power delivered from the Ethernet switch;
receiving an output value representing a temperature associated with the Ethernet switch; and
supplying the electrical power delivered via the power-over-Ethernet cable from the Ethernet switch to a fan of the cooling system, the electrical power causing the fan to spin and to move an ambient air according to the output value.
14. The information handling system of claim 13 , wherein the operations further comprise dedicating the electrical power delivered via the power-over-Ethernet cable to the fan.
15. The information handling system of claim 13 , wherein the operations further comprise receiving an additional electrical power delivered via another power-over-Ethernet cable.
16. The information handling system of claim 15 , wherein the operations further comprise dedicating the additional electrical power to another fan of the cooling system.
17. The information handling system of claim 15 , wherein the operations further comprise supplying the additional electrical power to another fan.
18. The information handling system of claim 13 , wherein the operations further comprise connecting a second Ethernet port of the Ethernet switch to a second fan.