Thermal and power management apparatus

• US 20060168975A1
• Filed: 01/28/2005
• Published: 08/03/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/28/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Hewlett Packard Enterprise Development LP (Hewlett-Packard Enterprise Company)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Simon, Glenn C., Malone, Christopher G., Larson, Thane M.
• Application Number:
  US11/046,476
• Publication Number:
  US 20060168975A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 62/180
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/30 for purposes related to the operation of the system, e.g. for safety or monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2110/00 Control inputs relating to air properties
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2110/10 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2110/30 Velocity
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20836 Thermal management, e.g. server temperature control

Abstract

A method for processing airflow distribution in a data center comprises monitoring airflow in a ventilation system including a plurality of fans in at least one server in the data center, and controlling cooling in the ventilation system as a function of the sensed airflow.

Claims

1. An airflow distribution apparatus for usage in a data center comprising:

at least one airflow sensor coupled to a plurality of fans in at least one server in the data center; and

a controller coupled to the at least one sensor and configured to monitor airflow for the fan plurality and control cooling in the data center as a function of the sensed airflow.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising:

the controller further configured to generate a real-time dynamic airflow mapping from sensed airflow.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising:

a graphical user interface; and

the controller configured to display via the graphical user interface a real-time dynamic airflow mapping describing a current data center configuration and airflow throughout locations in the data center configuration.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising:

a control interface coupled to a computer room air conditioning (CRAC) system; and

the controller coupled to the control interface and further configured to control the computer room air conditioning (CRAC) system as a function of sensed airflow.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising:

the controller further configured to map airflow in three dimensions as a function of sensed airflow and fan location.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising:

a thermometer interface adapted to couple to at least one thermometer located in at least one position in the data center; and

the controller coupled to the thermometer interface, the controller being configured to measure ambient temperature in the at least one position in the data center and to map airflow in multiple dimensions as a function of sensed airflow and fan location, the controller being further configured to map data center ventilation as a function of the airflow mappings and the at least one position ambient temperature measurement.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising:

a server interface adapted to couple to a plurality of servers in the data center; and

the controller coupled to the server interface, the controller being further configured to monitor power consumption in the plurality of servers, map airflow in multiple dimensions as a function of sensed airflow and fan location, and control cooling in the data center as a function of server power consumption and the airflow mapping.

8. The apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising:

a server interface adapted to couple to a plurality of servers in the data center; and

the controller coupled to the server interface, the controller being further configured to monitor software execution load in the plurality of servers, map airflow in multiple dimensions as a function of sensed airflow and fan locations, and map data center ventilation as a function of server software execution load and the airflow mapping.

9. The apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising:

a thermometer interface adapted to couple to at least one thermometer located in at least one position in the data center;

a server interface adapted to couple to a plurality of servers in the data center; and

the controller coupled to the thermometer interface and the server interface, the controller being further configured to monitor software execution load in a plurality of servers in the data center and map airflow in multiple dimensions as a function of sensed airflow, fan location, the at least one position ambient temperature measurement, server power consumption, and server software execution load.

10. A ventilation system for a data center comprising:

a raised-floor overlying an under-floor plenum space;

at least one airflow sensor coupled to a plurality of fans in multiple servers arranged in at least one cabinet in the data center; and

a controller coupled to the at least one airflow sensor and configured to monitor airflow for the fan plurality and control cooling in the data center as a function of the sensed airflow.

11. The system according to claim 10 further comprising:

a graphical user interface; and

the controller configured to display via the graphical user interface a real-time dynamic airflow mapping describing a current data center configuration and airflow throughout locations in the data center configuration.

12. The system according to claim 10 further comprising:

a computer room air conditioning (CRAC) system configured to ventilate the data center; and

the controller further configured to control the computer room air conditioning (CRAC) system as a function of the airflow mapping.

13. The system according to claim 10 further comprising:

at least one thermometer located in at least one positioned the data center; and

the controller coupled to the at least one thermometer, the controller being configured to measure ambient temperature in the at least one position in the data center and to map airflow in multiple dimensions as a function of sensed airflow and fan location, the controller being further configured to map data center ventilation as a function of the airflow mappings and the at least one position ambient temperature measurement.

14. The system according to claim 10 further comprising:

a server interface adapted to couple to a plurality of servers in the data center; and

the controller coupled to the server interface and further configured to monitor power consumption in the plurality of servers, map airflow in multiple dimensions as a function of sensed and fan location, and map data center ventilation as a function of server power consumption and the airflow mapping.

15. The system according to claim 10 further comprising:

a server interface adapted to couple to a plurality of servers in the data center; and

the controller coupled to the server interface and further configured to monitor software execution load in the plurality of servers, map airflow in multiple dimensions as a function of sensed airflow and fan location, and map data center ventilation as a function of server software execution load and the airflow mapping.

16. The system according to claim 10 further comprising:

at least one thermometer located in at least one positioned the data center;

a server interface adapted to couple to a plurality of servers in the data center; and

the controller coupled to the at least one thermometer and the server interface, the controller being further configured to monitor software execution load in a plurality of servers in the data center and map airflow in multiple dimensions as a function of sensed airflow readings, fan location, the at least one position ambient temperature measurement, server power consumption, and server software execution load.

17. A method of processing airflow distribution in a data center comprising:

monitoring airflow in a ventilation system including a plurality of fans in at least one server in the data center; and

controlling cooling in the ventilation system as a function of the sensed airflow.

18. The method according to claim 17 further comprising:

mapping airflow in multiple dimensions as a function of sensed airflow and fan location.

19. The method according to claim 17 further comprising:

generating a real-time dynamic airflow measurement from the sensed airflow readings.

20. The method according to claim 17 further comprising:

displaying a real-time dynamic airflow mapping describing a current data center configuration and airflow throughout locations in the data center configuration.

21. The method according to claim 17 further comprising:

controlling a computer room air conditioning (CRAC) system from the airflow mapping.

22. The method according to claim 17 further comprising:

mapping airflow in three dimensions as a function of airflow sensor readings and fan location.

23. The method according to claim 17 further comprising:

measuring ambient temperature in at least one position in the data center;

mapping airflow in multiple dimensions as a function of airflow sensor readings and fan locations; and

mapping data center ventilation as a function of the airflow mappings and the at least one position ambient temperature measurement.

24. The method according to claim 17 further comprising:

monitoring power consumption in a plurality of servers in the data center;

mapping airflow in multiple dimensions as a function of airflow sensor readings and fan location, and

mapping data center ventilation in multiple dimensions as a function of server power consumption and the airflow mapping.

25. The method according to claim 17 further comprising:

monitoring software execution load in a plurality of servers in the data center;

mapping airflow in multiple dimensions as a function of airflow sensor readings and fan location; and

mapping data center ventilation as a function of server software execution load and the airflow mapping.

26. The method according to claim 17 further comprising:

measuring ambient temperature in at least one position in the data center;

monitoring power consumption in a plurality of servers in the data center;

monitoring software execution load in a plurality of servers in the data center; and

mapping airflow in multiple dimensions as a function of airflow sensor readings, fan location, the at least one position ambient temperature measurement, server power consumption, and server software execution load.

27. An article of manufacture comprising:

a controller usable medium having a computable readable program code embodied therein for processing airflow distribution in a data center, the computable readable program code further comprising;

a code capable of causing the controller to monitor airflow in a ventilation system including a plurality of fans in at least one server in the data center; and

a code capable of causing the controller to control cooling in the ventilation system as a function of the sensed airflow.

28. The article of manufacture according to claim 27 further comprising:

a code capable of causing the controller to display a real-time dynamic airflow mapping describing a current data center configuration and airflow throughout locations in the data center configuration; and

a code capable of causing the controller to control a computer room air conditioning (CRAC) system from the airflow mapping.

29. The article of manufacture according to claim 27 further comprising:

a code capable of causing the controller to measure ambient temperature in at least one position in the data center;

a code capable of causing the controller to monitor power consumption in a plurality of servers in the data center;

a code capable of causing the controller to monitor software execution load in a plurality of servers in the data center; and

a code capable of causing the controller to map airflow in multiple dimensions as a function of the airflow sensor readings and fan location; and

a code capable of causing the controller to map data center ventilation in multiple dimensions as a function of the airflow mapping, the at least one position ambient temperature measurement, server power consumption, and server software execution load.

30. An airflow processing apparatus for usage in a data center comprising:

means for monitoring airflow in a ventilation system including a plurality of fans in at least one server in the data center; and

means for controlling cooling in the ventilation system as a function of the sensed airflow.