System and method for wireless rack management controller communication

• US 10,499,534 B2
• Filed: 02/15/2018
• Issued: 12/03/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 02/09/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Inventors: Masuyama, Jinsaku, Ahmed, Sajjad S., Palmer, John R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Smith, Courtney L
• Assistant Examiner(s): Morrison, Rashen E
• Application Number:
  US15/897,753
• Publication Number:
  US 20180177070A1
• Time in Patent Office: 656 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/1498 Resource management, Optimisation arrangements, e.g. configuration, identification, tracking, physical location thermal management H05K7/20836

Abstract

An information handling system, includes a server rack including a first communication device. The server rack has a mounting flange with a plurality of mounting holes. The information handling system also includes a server installed in the server rack and secured to the mounting flange via a first mounting hole of the plurality of mounting holes. The server includes a second communication device, that is coupled to the first communication device via a second mounting hole of the plurality of mounting holes.

Claims

1. An information handling system, comprising:

a mounting ear having a plurality of mounting holes, the mounting ear and the mounting holes being in conformance with an EIA Standard EIA-310; and

a first communication device affixed to a front side of the mounting ear and collocated with a first one of the mounting holes, wherein the information handling system is configured to be installed in a server rack such that a back side of the mounting ear is in contact with a front side of a mounting flange of the server rack and is secured to the server rack via a fastener through a second one of the mounting holes, wherein the first communication device is configured to be coupled to a second communication device through the first mounting hole, the second communication device being affixed to a back side of the mounting flange, and wherein the first communication device is coupled to the second communication device via a wireless communication interface that is transmitted through the first one of the first mounting holes and the first one of the second mounting holes.

2. The information handling system of claim 1, wherein the wireless communication interface comprises a radio-based communication interface.

3. The information handling system of claim 2, wherein the radio-based communication interfaces comprises one of a Wireless Universal Serial Bus link, a Bluetooth communication link, a WiFi communication link, and a ZigBee communication link.

4. The information handling system of claim 2, wherein the wireless communication interface comprises an optical-based communication interface.

5. The information handling system of claim 4, wherein the optical an IEEE 802.15.7 communication link.

6. The information handling system of claim 1, further comprising:

a network interface coupled to the first communication device.

7. The information handling system of claim 6, wherein the network interface communicates data processing network traffic to a switch via the first and second communication devices.

8. The information handling system of claim 6, wherein the network interface communicates management network traffic to a switch via the first and second communication devices.

9. A method, comprising:

providing, on an information handling system, a mounting ear having a plurality of mounting holes, the mounting ear and the mounting holes being in conformance with an EIA Standard EIA-310;

attaching a first communication device to a front side of the mounting ear, the first communication device collocated with a first one of the mounting holes;

installing the information handling system in a server rack such that a back side of the mounting ear is in contact with a front side of a mounting flange of the server rack;

securing the information handling system to the server rack via a fastener through a second one of the mounting holes; and

coupling the first communication device to a second communication device through the first mounting hole, the second communication device being affixed to a back side of the mounting flange, wherein the first communication device is coupled to the second communication device via a wireless communication interface that is transmitted through the first one of the first mounting holes and the first one of the second mounting holes.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the wireless communication interface comprises a radio-based communication interface.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the radio-based communication interfaces comprises one of a Wireless Universal Serial Bus link, a Bluetooth communication link, a WiFi communication link, and a ZigBee communication link.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the wireless communication interface comprises an optical-based communication interface.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the optical an IEEE 802.15.7 communication link.

14. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

coupling the first communication device to a network interface of the information handling system.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

communicating, by the network interface, data processing network traffic to a switch via the first and second communication devices.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

communicating, by the network interface, management network traffic to a switch via the first and second communication devices.

17. A server rack, comprising:

a mounting flange having a plurality of first mounting holes, the mounting flange and the first mounting holes being in conformance with an EIA Standard EIA-310; and

a first communication device affixed to a back side of the mounting flange and collocated with a first one of the first mounting holes, wherein the server rack is configured to receive an information handling system such that a front side of the mounting flange is in contact with a back side of a mounting ear of the information handling system and is secured to the information handling system via a fastener through a second one of the mounting holes, wherein the first communication device is configured to be coupled to a second communication device through the first mounting hole, the second communication device being affixed to a front side of the mounting ear, and wherein the first communication device is coupled to the second communication device via a wireless communication interface that is transmitted through the first one of the first mounting holes and the first one of the second mounting holes.

18. The server rack of claim 17, further comprising:

a top-of-rack switch coupled to the first communication device.