POWER DISTRIBUTION SYSTEMS AND METHODOLOGY
The invention addresses the needs associated with the entire data center power distribution lifecycle—design, build, operation and upgrades. The design and construction is facilitated by a system for prefabricating power whips that accommodate changing data center needs. The invention also allows for upgrading power supply components without powering down critical equipment. Improved power and network strips and associated logic further facilitate data center operation.
1 .- 18 . (canceled)
19 . A power distribution system, comprising:
a power grid for distributing power over a geographic distribution area;
one or more grid controllers for controlling distribution of power across said power grid; and
a number of customer premises controllers, each for controlling delivery of power within a particular customer premises based on communication between said customer premises controller and at least one of said grid controllers.
20 . A system as set forth in claim 19 , wherein said premises controllers are operative for controlling delivery of power based on defined policies.
21 . A system as set forth in claim 20 , wherein said defined polices include local policies specific to said customer premises.
22 . A system as set forth in claim 20 , wherein said defined policies include grid policies communicated from at least one of said grid controllers.
23 . A system as set forth in claim 22 , wherein said grid policies are executed in accordance with local policies.
24 . A system as set forth in claim 19 , wherein said customer premises controllers are associated with individual electrical receptacles of said customer premises.
25 . A power distribution method, comprising:
identifying an over-capacity condition with respect to at least a portion of a power distribution grid, said over-capacity situation potentially requiring reduction of power provided to standard residential and business customers; and
addressing said over-capacity condition by controlling power distribution at a level finer than the finest distribution subdivision of said power distribution grid servicing said standard residential and commercial customers.
26 . A method as set forth in claim 25 , wherein said step of addressing comprises one of reducing and interrupting power delivered to a subset less than the whole of the set of receptacles of a single customer premises.