Maintaining server performance in a power constrained environment

• US 20050289362A1
• Filed: 06/24/2004
• Published: 12/29/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/24/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Daedalus Blue LLC
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Schwartz, William Bradley, Merkin, Aaron Eliahu
• Granted Patent: US 7,281,145 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/300
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3203 Power management, i.e. event-based initiation of a power-saving mode
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3287 by switching off individual functional units in the computer system
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management

Abstract

A method of managing resources in a data processing configuration includes allocating system resources to an application to ensure a specified level of performance for the application. A system parameter is then modified to conserve power consumption upon detecting a condition resulting in a reduction of available system power. The original system resource allocation is then modified to maintain the specified level of performance following the modification of the system parameter. The system resources may include system CPU cycles and allocating system resources may include allocating a specified percentage of the CPU cycles to a high priority application. The reduction of available system power may be caused by an excessive ambient temperature or the failure of a power supply. Modifying the system parameter to conserve power consumption includes throttling the CPU speed and then dynamically increasing the percentage of CPU cycles allocated to the high priority application.

Claims

1. A method of managing resources in a data processing system, comprising:

allocating system resources to applications executing on the resources to ensure a specified level of performance for at least some of the applications;

modifying a system parameter to conserve power consumption responsive to a condition resulting in a reduction of available system power; and

modifying the allocation of system resources to maintain the specified level of performance responsive to modifying the system parameter.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the system resources includes system CPU cycles and wherein allocating system resources includes allocating a specified percentage of the CPU cycles to a high priority application.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the condition resulting in a reduction of the available system power includes a temperature sensor indicating a system temperature in excess of a specified threshold.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the condition resulting in a reduction of the available system power includes a power supply failure.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein modifying the system parameter to conserve power consumption includes throttling the CPU speed.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein modifying the allocation of system resources includes increasing the percentage of CPU cycles allocated to the high priority application responsive to the throttling.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein modifying the allocation of system resource futher includes decreasing the percentage of CPU cycles allocated to the high priority application responsive to increasing the CPU speed following a condition indicating an increase in available power.

8. A computer program product comprising a set of computer executable instructions, stored on a computer readable medium, for managing resources in a data processing system, comprising:

code means for allocating system resources to applications executing on the resources to ensure a specified level of performance for at least some of the applications;

code means for modifying a system parameter to conserve power consumption responsive to a condition resulting in a reduction of available system power; and

code means for modifying the allocation of system resources to maintain the specified level of performance responsive to modifying the system parameter.

9. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein the system resources includes system CPU cycles and wherein the code means for allocating system resources includes code means for allocating a specified percentage of the CPU cycles to a high priority application.

10. The computer program product of claim 9, wherein the condition resulting in a reduction of the available system power includes a temperature sensor indicating a system temperature in excess of a specified threshold.

11. The computer program product of claim 9, wherein the condition resulting in a reduction of the available system power includes a power supply failure.

12. The computer program product of claim 9, wherein the code means for modifying the system parameter to conserve power consumption includes throttling the CPU speed.

13. The computer program product of claim 12, wherein the code means for modifying the allocation of system resources includes code means for increasing the percentage of CPU cycles allocated to the high priority application responsive to the throttling.

14. The computer program product of claim 13, wherein the code means for modifying the allocation of system resources further includes code means for decreasing the percentage of CPU cycles allocated to the high priority application responsive to increasing the CPU speed following a condition indicating an increase in available power.

15. A data processing system, comprising:

means for allocating resources of the system to a specified application, wherein the allocation of resources to the application reflects an expected level of performance associated with the application;

means for detecting a system condition problem;

means for modifying a system parameter in response to the system condition problem, wherein modification of the system parameter affects the ability of the system to maintain the expected level of performance; and

means for re-allocating the system resources after modifying the system parameter to achieve the expected level of performance.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the means for allocating resources includes means for allocating a specified percentage of CPU cycles to the application.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein means for detecting a system condition problem comprises means for detecting a condition that reduces the amount of power available to the system.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein modifying a system parameter comprises reducing the clock speed of at least one processor of the system.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein re-allocating the system resources comprises increasing the percentage of CPU cycles allocated to the application.

20. The system of claim 15, wherein the system includes a set of blade servers, a power module, and a management module, wherein the set of blade servers shares power supplied by the power module and wherein the management module participates in allocating resources, modifying the system parameter, and re-allocating the system resources.