Data center intelligent control and optimization

• US 10,254,720 B2
• Filed: 08/10/2016
• Issued: 04/09/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 12/04/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Baselayer Technology, LLC
• Original Assignee: Baselayer Technology, LLC
• Inventors: Slessman, George, Slessman, William, Malik, Kevin, Steffensen, Jeremy, Holmgren, Kjell
• Primary Examiner(s): Karim, Ziaul
• Application Number:
  US15/233,584
• Publication Number:
  US 20160349716A1
• Time in Patent Office: 972 Days
• Field of Search: 700 29
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 13/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/206 comprising thermal management
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3203 Power management, i.e. event-based initiation of a power-saving mode
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/5094 where the allocation takes into account power or heat criteria power management in computers in general G06F1/3203; thermal management in computers in general G06F1/206
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/04 Forecasting or optimisation specially adapted for administrative or management purposes, e.g. linear programming or "cutting stock problem" market predictions or forecasting for commercial activities G06Q30/0202
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/1488 Cabinets therefor, e.g. chassis or racks or mechanical interfaces between blades and support structures
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/1498 Resource management, Optimisation arrangements, e.g. configuration, identification, tracking, physical location thermal management H05K7/20836
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20745 within rooms for removing heat from cabinets, e.g. by air conditioning device
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management

Abstract

Systems and methods of monitoring, analyzing, optimizing and controlling data centers and data center operations are disclosed. The system includes data collection and storage hardware and software for harvesting operational data from data center assets and operations. Intelligent analysis and optimization software enables identification of optimization and/or control actions. Control software and hardware enables enacting a change in the operational state of data centers.

Claims

1. A method of controlling data center operations comprising:

receiving a first expression from at least one of a database, an application, an application programming interface, or a controller;

parsing, by a data center infrastructure control system (“

DCICS”

), the first expression to identify a first operation and data collection points associated with data center assets;

generating, by the DCICS, first machine code instructions based on the first expression, wherein the first machine code instructions include instructions to obtain at least a first point data from the data collection points and perform the first operation based upon the first point data;

obtaining the first point data from the data collection points according to the first machine code instructions, the data collection points including at least one sensor associated with the data center assets;

executing, by the DCICS, the first machine code instructions to produce a first result of the first operation based on at least the first point data;

determining, by the DCICS and based upon the first result, a first control instruction;

executing the first control instruction for changing an operational state of at least one of a data center asset and a data center as a control operation result and further for generating a second expression;

parsing, by the DCICS, the second expression to identify a second operation and the data collection points associated with the data center assets;

generating, by the DCICS, second machine code instructions based on the second expression, wherein the second machine code instructions include instructions to obtain at least a second point data from the data collection points and perform the second operation based upon the second point data;

obtaining the second point data from the data collection points according to the second machine code instructions, the data collection points including the at least one sensor associated with the data center assets;

executing, by the DCICS, the second machine code instructions to produce a second result of the second operation based on at least the second point data;

comparing the first result to the second result; and

determining a verification of the change in the operational state resulting from the execution of the first control instruction based on the comparison between the first result and the second result.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first control instruction comprises at least one of moving data from a first data storage device to a second data storage device, moving a software application from a first computing device to a second computing device, terminating a software application, initiating a software application, initiating a virus protection strategy, creating a user permission, revoking a user permission, shutting down a computing device, adjusting an operating temperature, initiating a fire suppression system, turning on an air handler, shutting down an air handler, adjusting a fan speed, adjusting a valve, locking a door, and unlocking a door, locking an access panel, and unlocking an access panel.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein at least one of a) the second computing device is in a separate physical location from the first computing device, b) at least one of the first computing device and the second computing device are virtual machines, c) the moving to a second computing device comprises creating a virtual computing device.

4. The method of claim 2, further comprising sending the first control instruction to the controller, wherein the controller executes the first control instruction.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising obtaining the control operation result for the execution from at least one of the controller and a database.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first operation comprises at least one of sum, max, min, mean, and count.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor comprises at least one of a temperature sensor, a humidity sensor, a fire detector, a smoke detector, a high sensitivity smoke detector, a moisture detector, a spot leak detector, a pressure sensor, an intrusion detector, a valve position indicator, a power monitor, a fan speed and a fan direction.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein at least a subset of the data collection points comprises at least one of information technology (IT) equipment, an IT equipment interface, a virtualization system, and external system data.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining, by the DCICS, based upon the second point data and upon failing to verify the change in operational state, a second control instruction, wherein executing the second control instruction causes a change in the operational state of one of the data center asset or the data center.