Remediating power loss at a server

• US 10,409,349 B2
• Filed: 02/19/2016
• Issued: 09/10/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 02/19/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Kelly, Bryan, Harris, Shaun L., Shaw, Mark A., Khessib, Badriddine
• Primary Examiner(s): Derose, Volvick
• Application Number:
  US15/048,362
• Publication Number:
  US 20170242467A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,299 Days
• Field of Search: 713300
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/28 Supervision thereof, e.g. detecting power-supply failure by out of limits supervision
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/30 Means for acting in the event of power-supply failure or interruption, e.g. power-supply fluctuations for resetting only G06F1/24
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3203 Power management, i.e. event-based initiation of a power-saving mode
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/0709 in a distributed system consisting of a plurality of standalone computer nodes, e.g. clusters, client-server systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/0757 by exceeding a time limit, i.e. time-out, e.g. watchdogs

Abstract

Aspects extend to methods, systems, and computer program products for remediating power loss at a server. Aspects of the invention increase the likelihood of gracefully shutting down a server and associated components in a data center when mains power is lost for a specified amount of time (e.g., an amount of time beyond transition to generator power). A server can include a management module (e.g., a BMC) and a watchdog module. When the management controller detects loss of power at a power supply unit, the management controller orchestrates a graceful shutdown of the server in response to power loss. When the management module is unresponsive, the watchdog module provides backup functionality for orchestrating a graceful shutdown in response to power loss. As such, data can be saved from RAM to more durable storage even when the management module is unresponsive.

Claims

1. A computer system, the computer system comprising:

one or more processors; and

system memory coupled to the one or more processors, the system memory storing instructions that are executable by the one or more processors,

wherein the one or more processors executing the instructions stored in the system memory cause the one or more processors to;

detect a power supply unit (PSU) alert at the computer system from a PSU supplying power to the computer system;

start a timer at a secondary shutdown module of the computer system which has secondary responsibility for gracefully shutting down the computer system, the timer configured to allow time for the secondary shutdown module to gracefully shutdown the computer system prior to depletion of a battery supplying backup power for components of the computer system;

receive an acknowledgment at the secondary shutdown module from a management controller which has primary responsibility for gracefully shutting down the computer system, the acknowledgement indicating that the management controller is gracefully shutting down the computer system based on the detected PSU alert at the computer system; and

in response to receiving the acknowledgement that the management controller is handling the graceful shutdown, abort the timer corresponding to the secondary responsibility to gracefully shut down the computer via the secondary shutdown module.

2. The computer system of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are configured to start the timer in response to a failure alert signal from the PSU.

3. The computer system of claim 2, wherein the PSU alert is received over a data connection between the PSU and the secondary shutdown module.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are configured to start the timer in response to the PSU alert being detected via one of:

an RS-232 bus, an Inter-Integrated Circuit (I²C) bus, or a System Management Bus (SMB).

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to copy data stored in the system memory to persistent storage during the graceful shutdown via the management controller.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to gracefully shut down the computer system including:

initiate a PCIe reset for the computer system; and

initiate an Asynchronous Dynamic Refresh for the computer system.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to send a notification to a Baseboard Management Controller (BMC) included in an Intelligent Platform Management Interface (IPMI) at the computer system.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the secondary shutdown module comprises a circuit that is separate and distinct from circuitry of the management controller.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the management controller comprises a baseboard management controller (BMC) and the secondary shutdown module comprises a programmable logic device (PLD) that is independent of the BMC.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the received acknowledgement at the secondary shutdown module provides notice to the secondary shutdown module that the management controller is aware of the PSU alert at the computer system.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the secondary shutdown module sets an amount of time within the timer to prevent depletion of battery power of a battery powering the computer system.

12. A method for use at a computer system, the method comprising:

detecting a power supply unit (PSU) alert at the computer system from a PSU supplying power to the computer system;

starting a timer at a secondary shutdown module of the computer system which has secondary responsibility for gracefully shutting down the computer system, the timer configured to allow time for the secondary shutdown module to gracefully shut down the computer system prior to depletion of a battery supplying backup power for components of the computer system;

sending a notification of the PSU alert to a management controller at the computer system, the management controller having primary responsibility for gracefully shutting down the computer system;

determining that the management controller having primary responsibility for gracefully shutting down the computer system has failed to provide a response to the secondary shutdown module within a predetermined period of time based on the timer; and

gracefully shutting down the computer system via the secondary shutdown module due to the management controller being unresponsive.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein detecting the PSU alert comprises detecting an alert indicating that power was lost at a mains power connection.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein starting the timer comprises starting the timer in response to detecting activation of the PSU alert from the PSU.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein starting the timer comprises starting the timer in response to detecting activation of the PSU alert received via one of:

an RS-232 bus, an Inter-Integrated Circuit (I²C) bus, or a System Management Bus (SMB).

16. The method of claim 12, wherein gracefully shutting down the computer system comprises copying data stored in Random Access Memory (RAM) to persistent storage in response to expiration of the timer.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein gracefully shutting down the computer system in response to expiration of the timer comprises:

initiating a PCIe reset for the computer system; and

initiating an Asynchronous Dynamic Refresh for the computer system.

18. A method for use at a computer system, the method comprising:

detecting a power supply unit (PSU) alert at the computer system from a PSU supplying power to the computer system;

starting a timer at a secondary shutdown module of the computer system which has secondary responsibility for gracefully shutting down the computer system, the timer configured to allow time for the secondary shutdown module to gracefully shut down the computer system prior to depletion of a battery supplying backup power for components of the computer system;

receiving an acknowledgment at the secondary shutdown module from a management controller which has primary responsibility for gracefully shutting down the computer system, the acknowledgement indicating the management controller is gracefully shutting down the computer system based on the detected PSU at the computer system; and

in response to receiving the acknowledgement that the management controller is handling the graceful shutdown, aborting the timer corresponding to the secondary responsibility to gracefully shut down the computer via the secondary shutdown module.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein starting the timer in comprises starting the timer in response to the PSU alert being received from the PSU.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein detecting the PSU alert comprises receiving the PSU alert over a data connection connecting the PSU and the secondary shutdown module.

21. The method of claim 18, further comprising copying data stored in system memory to persistent storage during the graceful shutdown by the management controller.