Flexible server chassis with alternative power supply locations and directions
An information handling system includes a chassis having a cold aisle edge and a hot aisle edge, one or more devices inserted within the cold aisle edge, a power supply unit, and a baseboard management controller (BMC). The BMC determines whether a power supply cooling fan of the power supply unit installed within the information handling system has a fixed airflow direction or changeable airflow direction. In response to the power supply cooling fan having a fixed airflow direction, the BMC determines a configuration of the information handling system. The BMC determines a power supply cooling fan orientation of a power supply cooling fan within the power supply unit, and whether the power supply cooling fan orientation corresponds to the configuration of the information handling system. If not, the BMC provides an alert message to an individual associated with the information handling system.
1. An information handling system comprising:
a chassis including a cold aisle edge and a hot aisle edge;
one or more devices inserted within the cold aisle edge;
a plurality of cooling fans located along the hot aisle edge, wherein the plurality of cooling fans have a first fixed airflow direction to pull a first airflow from the cold aisle edge across the one or more devices and out the hot aisle edge;
a power supply unit including a power supply cooling fan located within a housing of the power supply unit, the power supply unit to provide power to the one or more devices, the power supply cooling fan to provide a second airflow through the power supply unit and not across the one or more devices; and
a baseboard management controller to:
determine whether the power supply cooling fan of the power supply unit installed within the information handling system has a fixed airflow direction or changeable airflow direction;
in response to the power supply cooling fan having the fixed airflow direction, the baseboard management controller to:
determine a configuration of the information handling system, wherein the configuration of the information handling system includes a location of the power supply unit along the cold aisle edge or along the hot aisle edge;
determine a power supply cooling fan orientation of the power supply cooling fan within the power supply unit;
determine whether the power supply cooling fan orientation corresponds to the configuration of the information handling system, wherein the power supply cooling fan orientation corresponds to the configuration of the information handling system when the power supply cooling fan moves the second airflow within the power supply unit from the cold aisle edge to the hot aisle edge;
in response to the power supply cooling fan orientation corresponding to the configuration of the information handling system, provide the second airflow within the power supply unit; and
in response to the power supply cooling fan orientation not corresponding to the configuration of the information handling system, provide an alert message to an individual associated with the information handling system.
2. The information handling system of claim 1 , wherein the determination of the power supply cooling fan orientation, the baseboard management controller further to determine whether the power supply cooling fan only pulls the second airflow across the power supply unit, or the power supply cooling fan only pushes the second airflow across the power supply unit.
3. The information handling system of claim 1 , wherein in response to the power supply cooling fan having the changeable airflow direction, the baseboard management controller further to determine that the power supply cooling fan pushes the second airflow in a first setting and pulls the second airflow in a second setting.
4. The information handling system of claim 3 , wherein in response to the power supply unit being installed within the cold aisle edge, the baseboard management controller to enable a proper airflow direction within the power supply unit by setting the power supply cooling fan in the second setting to pull the second airflow across the power supply unit.
5. The information handling system of claim 1 , wherein the determining of whether the power supply cooling fan orientation corresponds to the configuration of the information handling system and in response to the power supply unit being installed within the cold aisle edge and the power supply cooling fan only pushes the second airflow across the power supply, the baseboard management controller further to determine that the power supply cooling fan orientation does not match the configuration of the information handling system.
6. The information handling system of claim 1 , wherein the determining of whether the power supply cooling fan orientation corresponds to the configuration of the information handling system and in response to the power supply unit being installed within the cold aisle edge and the power supply cooling fan only pulling the second airflow across the power supply, the baseboard management controller to determine that the power supply cooling fan orientation corresponds to the configuration of the information handling system.
7. The information handling system of claim 1 , wherein the determination of the configuration of the information handling system, the baseboard management controller further to determine a model number of the power supply unit.
8. The information handling system of claim 1 , wherein the determination of the configuration of the information handling system, the baseboard management controller to determine one or more characteristics of power cables connected between the power supply unit and a device in the information handling system.
9. A method comprising:
pulling, by a plurality of cooling fans of a server, a first airflow from a cold aisle edge of the server across one or more devices and out a hot aisle edge of the server, wherein the plurality of cooling fans have a first fixed airflow direction;
determining, by a baseboard management controller of the server, whether a power supply cooling fan located within a housing of a power supply unit installed within the server has a fixed airflow direction or changeable airflow direction, the power supply cooling fan to provide a second airflow through the power supply unit and not across the one or more devices;
in response to the power supply cooling fan having the fixed airflow direction:
determining a configuration of the server, wherein the configuration of the server includes a plurality of cooling fans located along a hot aisle edge of the server, and a location of the power supply unit along a cold aisle edge or along the hot aisle edge;
determining a power supply cooling fan orientation of the power supply cooling fan within the power supply unit;
determining whether the power supply cooling fan orientation corresponds to the configuration of the server, wherein the power supply cooling fan orientation corresponds to the configuration of the information handling system when the power supply cooling fan moves the second airflow within the power supply unit from the cold aisle edge to the hot aisle edge;
in response to the power supply cooling fan orientation corresponding to the configuration of the server, providing the second airflow within the power supply unit; and
in response to the power supply cooling fan orientation not corresponding to the configuration of the server, providing an alert message to an individual associated with the server.
10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the determining of the power supply cooling fan orientation, the method further comprises:
determining whether the power supply cooling fan only pulls airflow across the power supply unit or the power supply cooling fan only pushes the second airflow across the power supply unit.
11. The method of claim 9 , wherein in response to the power supply cooling fan having the changeable airflow direction, the method further comprises:
determining that the power supply cooling fan pushes the second airflow in a first setting and pulls the airflow in a second setting.
12. The method of claim 11 , wherein in response to the power supply unit being installed within the cold aisle edge, the method further comprises:
enabling a proper airflow direction within the power supply unit by setting the power supply cooling fan in the second setting to pull the second airflow within the power supply unit.
13. The method of claim 9 , wherein the determining of whether the power supply cooling fan orientation corresponds to the configuration of the server, the method further comprises:
in response to the power supply unit being installed within the cold aisle edge and the power supply cooling fan only pushes the second airflow within the power supply, determining that the power supply cooling fan orientation does not match the configuration of the server.
14. The method of claim 9 , wherein the determining of whether the power supply cooling fan orientation corresponds to the configuration of the server, the method further comprises:
in response to the power supply unit being installed within the cold aisle edge and the power supply cooling fan only pulling the second airflow within the power supply, determining that the power supply cooling fan orientation corresponds to the configuration of the server.
15. The method of claim 9 , wherein the determining of the configuration of the server, the method further comprises:
determining a model number of the power supply unit.
16. The method of claim 9 , wherein the determining of the configuration of the server, the method further comprises:
determining one or more characteristics of power cables connected between the power supply unit and a device in the server.