Power on demand and workload management system and method

• US 20060248359A1
• Filed: 02/28/2006
• Published: 11/02/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Huron IP LLC
• Original Assignee: Huron IP LLC
• Inventors: Fung, Henry T.
• Granted Patent: US 7,484,111 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 1/3209 Monitoring remote activity, e.g. over telephone lines or network connections
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3221 of disk drive devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0625 Power saving in storage systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0634 by changing the state or mode of one or more devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0689 Disk arrays, e.g. RAID, JBOD
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management

Abstract

Network architecture, computer system and/or server, circuit, device, apparatus, method, and computer program and control mechanism for managing power consumption and workload in computer system and data and information servers. Further provides power and energy consumption and workload management and control systems and architectures for high-density and modular multi-server computer systems that maintain performance while conserving energy and method for power management and workload management. Dynamic server power management and optional dynamic workload management for multi-server environments is provided by aspects of the invention. Modular network devices and integrated server system, including modular servers, management units, switches and switching fabrics, modular power supplies and modular fans and a special backplane architecture are provided as well as dynamically reconfigurable multi-purpose modules and servers. Backplane architecture, structure, and method that has no active components and separate power supply lines and protection to provide high reliability in server environment.

Claims

1. A computer system comprising:

a plurality of computers operating as servers each having at least one processor and an activity monitor identifying a level of activity indicator for said at least one processor;

each of said computers being operable in;

(i) a first mode having a first maximum performance level and a first power consumption rate, and (ii) a third mode having a third maximum performance level lower than said first maximum performance level and a third power consumption rate lower than said first power consumption rate;

each of said computers further being operable in (iii) a second mode having a second maximum performance level intermediate between said first maximum performance level and said third maximum performance level and a second power consumption rate intermediate between said first power consumption rate and said third power consumption rate; and

a power manager computer;

(i) configured within or coupled to each of said computers and receiving said level of activity information from each of said plurality of computers;

(ii) analyzing said plurality of received level of activity information;

(iii) determining an operating mode for each of said computers selected from said first mode, said second mode, and third mode based on said analyzed activity information and predetermined policies take into account performance of a combination of said servers and power conservation; and

(iv) generating commands to each of said plurality of computers directing each of said plurality of computers to operate in said determined operating mode.

2. The computer system in claim 1, wherein said activity monitor comprises an activity monitor that monitors an activity selected from the set of activities consisting of:

a program application layer activity, a network layer activity, a physical layer activity, and combinations thereof.

3. The computer system in claim 2, wherein at the physical level the number of processor idle threads executed within a predetermined period of time are measured to determine processor loading and the processor performance is adjusted to by altering the operating mode to substantially match the level of processor loading.

4. The computer system in claim 1, wherein said activity monitor comprises a network layer activity monitoring TCP/IP protocol data packets;

and processor performance is incrementally lowered by said power manager using said mode control until data packets start dropping indicating that the processor performance is at the limit of adequacy and then increasing the processor performance by a specified increment to act as a safety margin to provide reliable communication of the packets.

5. The computer system in claim 2, wherein said application layer activity monitor comprises monitoring use of a port address within said computers, said monitoring including counting or measuring a number of times a specific port address is being requested within a predetermined period of time, and in response to that counting or measurement, placing a sufficient amount of computer performance to meet the performance requirement for each application requesting the port address.

6. The computer system in claim 2, wherein said application layer activity monitor comprises monitoring use of a port address within said computers.

7. The computer system in claim 2, wherein said network layer activity monitor comprises monitoring use of a TCP/IP protocol within said computers.

8. The computer system in claim 2, wherein said physical layer activity monitor comprises monitoring the execution of idle threads within said computers.

9. The computer system in claim 2, wherein said physical layer activity monitor comprises monitoring counting activities having particular activity values within said computers.

10. The computer system in claim 1, wherein:

said first mode operation is characterized by operating said processor at a first processor clock frequency and a first processor core voltage, said second mode operation is characterized by operating said processor at a second processor clock frequency and a second processor core voltage, and said third mode operation is characterized by operating said processor at a third processor clock frequency and a third processor core voltage;

said second mode of operation being further characterized in that said second processor clock frequency and said second processor core voltage in combination consuming less power than said first processor clock frequency and said first processor core voltage in combination, and said third processor clock frequency and said third processor core voltage in combination consuming less power than said second processor clock frequency and said second processor core voltage in combination.

11. The computer system in claim 10, wherein performance of a group of said computers configured as physical network devices forming a single logical device are power managed by reducing the performance and power consumption of each constituent physical device in predetermined equal increments or predetermined unequal increments.

12. The computer system in claim 10, wherein network device loading and quality of service (QoS) are measured for a plurality of physical network devices organized as a single logical network device.

13. The computer system in claim 10, wherein said third processor clock frequency is less than said second processor clock frequency which is less than said first processor clock frequency.

14. The computer system in claim 13, wherein said second processor core voltage is less than said first processor core voltage.

15. The computer system in claim 14, wherein said third processor core voltage is less than said second processor core voltage.

16. The computer system in claim 10, wherein said third processor clock frequency is less than said second processor clock frequency which is less than said first processor clock frequency;

and said second processor core voltage is less than said first processor core voltage.

17. The computer system in claim 16, wherein:

each said computer including a local power manager determining an operating mode for itself selected from said first mode and said second mode based on processor internal activity information.

18. The computer system in claim 17, wherein said processor internal activity information comprising idle thread execution information.

19. The computer system in claim 17, wherein a transition from said first mode to said second mode is controlled locally within each said computer;

and a transition from either said first mode or said second mode to said third mode are controlled globally by said power manager.

20. The computer system in claim 19, wherein a transition from said second mode to said first mode is controlled locally within each said computer;

and a transition from said third mode to either said first mode or said second mode is controlled globally by said power manager.

21. The computer system in claim 1, wherein said activity indicator comprises a network quality of service indicator, and wherein a quality-of-service (QoS) is first established, and a processor performance is established based on predetermined policies that select a processor clock frequency, and a minimum processor core voltage is selected to match said selected processor clock frequency;

and wherein the established processor performance is used to control an operating mode.

22. The computer system in claim 1, wherein power is conserved by controlling each computer node to enter one of said second mode or said third mode using one or more of a quality of service based predictive processor performance reduction and a activity based measured performance requirement.

23. The computer system in claim 1, wherein at least some of said computers include a mass storage device including a rotatable storage device.

24. The computer system in claim 23, wherein when the system includes a plurality of network devices and there is a requirement that one network device be placed in a lower power consumption mode, the network device selected for such lower power consumption is selected according to predetermined policies such that different network devices are placed in lower power consumption mode each time such selection is required.

25. The computer system in claim 24, wherein said reduced power operation is determined according to a procedure for controlling power consumption by said system, said system having a plurality of computers operating as said network devices, each computer including at least one processor, and each computer being operable in a first mode having a first maximum performance level and a first power consumption rate, and a third mode having a third maximum performance level lower than said first maximum performance level and a third power consumption rate lower than said first power consumption rate;

said procedure comprising;

monitoring activity within said computers and identifying a level of activity for said at least one processor within said computers;

analyzing said plurality of level of activity information;

determining an operating mode for each of said computers selected from said first mode and third mode based on said analyzed activity information; and

generating commands to each of said plurality of computers directing each of said plurality of computers to operate in said determined operating mode.

26. The system in claim 25, wherein each of said computers further being operable in a second mode having a second maximum performance level intermediate between said first maximum performance level and said third maximum performance level and a second power consumption rate intermediate between said first power consumption rate and said third power consumption rate;

said determining an operating mode further comprising determining an operating mode for each of said computers selected from said first mode, said second mode, and said third mode based on said analyzed activity information;

a transition from said first mode to said second mode is controlled locally within each said computer; and

a transition from either said first mode or said second mode to said third mode are controlled globally by said power manager; and

a transition from said second mode to said first mode is controlled locally within each said computer; and

a transition from said third mode to either said first mode or said second mode is controlled globally by said power manager.

27. A computer server system comprising:

a plurality of computers operating as servers each having at least one processor and an activity monitor identifying a level of activity indicator for said at least one processor, said activity monitor comprises an activity monitor that monitors an activity selected from the set of activities consisting of;

a program application layer activity, a network layer activity, a physical layer activity, and combinations thereof;

each of said computers being operable in;

(i) a first mode having a first maximum performance level and a first power consumption rate, and (ii) a third mode having a third maximum performance level lower than said first maximum performance level and a third power consumption rate lower than said first power consumption rate;

each of said computers further being operable in (iii) a second mode having a second maximum performance level intermediate between said first maximum performance level and said third maximum performance level and a second power consumption rate intermediate between said first power consumption rate and said third power consumption rate; and

a power manager computer;

(i) configured within or coupled to each of said computers and receiving said level of activity information from each of said plurality of computers;

(ii) analyzing said plurality of received level of activity information;

(iii) determining an operating mode for each of said computers selected from said first mode, said second mode, and third mode based on said analyzed activity information and predetermined policies; and

(iv) generating commands to each of said plurality of computers directing each of said plurality of computers to operate in said determined operating mode;

wherein when said activity monitor comprises a physical layer activity, at the physical level the number of processor idle threads executed within a predetermined period of time are measured to determine processor loading and the processor performance is adjusted to by altering the operating mode to substantially match the level of processor loading;

wherein when said activity monitor comprises a network layer activity monitoring TCP/IP protocol data packets; and

processor performance is incrementally lowered by said power manager using said mode control until data packets start dropping indicating that the processor performance is at the limit of adequacy and then increasing the processor performance by a specified increment to act as a safety margin to provide reliable communication of the packets;

wherein when said activity monitor comprises said application layer, said activity monitor comprises monitoring use of a port address within said computers, said monitoring including counting or measuring a number of times a specific port address is being requested within a predetermined period of time, and in response to that counting or measurement, placing a sufficient amount of computer performance to meet the performance requirement for each application requesting the port address;

said first mode operation is characterized by operating said processor at a first processor clock frequency and a first processor core voltage, said second mode operation is characterized by operating said processor at a second processor clock frequency and a second processor core voltage, and said third mode operation is characterized by operating said processor at a third processor clock frequency and a third processor core voltage;

said second mode of operation being further characterized in that said second processor clock frequency and said second processor core voltage in combination consuming less power than said first processor clock frequency and said first processor core voltage in combination, and said third processor clock frequency and said third processor core voltage in combination consuming less power than said second processor clock frequency and said second processor core voltage in combination.

28. A system as in claim 27, wherein performance of a group of said computers configured as physical network devices forming a single logical device are power managed by reducing the performance and power consumption of each constituent physical device in predetermined equal increments or predetermined unequal increments.

29. A system as in claim 27, wherein network device loading and quality of service (QoS) are measured for a plurality of physical network devices organized as a single logical network device.

30. A system as in claim 27, wherein:

said third processor clock frequency is less than said second processor clock frequency which is less than said first processor clock frequency;

said second processor core voltage is less than said first processor core voltage;

said third processor core voltage is less than said second processor core voltage;

each said computer including a local power manager determining an operating mode for itself selected from said first mode and said second mode based on processor internal activity information including idle thread execution information;

a transition from said first mode to said second mode is controlled locally within each said computer; and

a transition from either said first mode or said second mode to said third mode are controlled globally by said power manager; and

a transition from said second mode to said first mode is controlled locally within each said computer; and

a transition from said third mode to either said first mode or said second mode is controlled globally by said power manager.

31. In a server farm comprising a multiplicity of computer systems operating as content servers, a method of operating said servers, each server computer including at least one processor, and each computer being operable in a first mode having a first maximum performance level and a first power consumption rate, and a third mode having a third maximum performance level lower than said first maximum performance level and a third power consumption rate lower than said first power consumption rate;

said method comprising;

monitoring activity within each said computer server and identifying a level of activity for said at least one processor within said server computer;

analyzing said plurality of level of activity information and predetermined policies take into account performance of a combination of said servers and power conservation;

determining an operating mode for each of said computers selected from said first mode and third mode based on said analyzed activity information; and

generating commands to each of said multiplicity of server computers directing each of said plurality of computers to operate in said determined operating mode.