System and method for activity or event base dynamic energy conserving server reconfiguration

• US 20070240006A1
• Filed: 04/24/2007
• Published: 10/11/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Huron IP LLC
• Original Assignee: Huron IP LLC
• Inventors: Fung, Henry
• Granted Patent: US 7,552,350 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/323
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/32 Means for saving power
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/40 Constructional details, e.g. power supply, mechanical construction or backplane

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. An information processing system comprising:

a frame or enclosure for mounting a plurality of devices;

a backplane having a plurality of backplane electrical connectors disposed within said frame or enclosure;

a plurality of devices, each including a device electrical connector, matingly coupled to said backplane electrical connectors, said plurality of devices including at least one network device for coupling said system with an external network, wherein at least said at least one network device is 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; and

a power manager disposed within said frame or enclosure and coupled to at least said at least one network device, said power manager being configured to determine an operating mode for at least said at least one network device selected from said first and third modes based on predetermined policies, and to direct at least said at least one network device to operate in said determined operating mode.

2. A system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said at least one network device comprises at least one of a server device, a computer node device, a monitor node device, a management module and a server module.

3. A system in accordance with claim 2, wherein said plurality of devices further comprises at least one of a power supply, a fan and a fan module.

4. A system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said at least one network device comprises at least one processor.

5. A system in accordance with claim 4 wherein said at least one network device is power managed by adjusting the performance of said processor to one or more of a predicted processor processing requirement and a measured processor processing requirement.

6. A system in accordance with claim 5 wherein said predicted processor processing requirement is a Quality of Service (QoS) based requirement, and said measured processor processing requirement comprises a substantially real-time measured processor processing requirement.

7. A system in accordance with claim 4, wherein said power manager of said system is integral with said at least one network device.

8. A system in accordance with claim 4, wherein said power manager of said system is separate from said at least one network device.

9. A system in accordance with claim 1, further comprising an activity monitor configured to detect a level of activity of at least said at least one network device.

10. A system in accordance with claim 9, wherein said power manager is further configured to (i) receive said level of activity information from said activity monitor, (ii) analyze said activity information, (iii) determine said operating mode for at least said at least one network device based on said activity information, and (iv) generate commands to at least said at least one network device to operate in said determined operating mode.

11. A system in accordance with claim 1, wherein at least said at least one network device is 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, said power manager further configured to determine an operating mode for at least said at least one network device selected from said first, second and third modes based on predetermined policies, and to direct at least said at least one network device to operate in said determined operating mode.

12. A system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said power manager takes the form of a network device comprising a computer node.

13. A system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said network device includes a processor and said system further includes an activity monitor configured to detect a level of activity of said processor, said activity monitor configured to monitor network layer activity in the form of TCP/IP protocol data packets, and the performance of the processor 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.

14. A system in accordance with claim 1 wherein said system further comprises a switching module, and said power manager receives activity indicators for said switching module and controls an operating mode of said switching module in response thereto.

15. A system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said power manager includes a control procedure algorithm implemented as software to implement a power on demand control procedure.

16. A system in accordance with claim 1 wherein said at least one network device is configured as at least one of a web server, a streaming media server, a cache server, a file server, an application server and a router.

17. A system in accordance with claim 16, wherein said at least one network device is reconfigurable at any time based on types of activities detected within the network to which the network device is or may be connected.

18. A system in accordance with claim 17 wherein one of said plurality of devices is designated as a master and is configured to initiate the reconfiguration of at least said at least one network device.

19. A power-conservative multi-node network device, comprising:

an enclosure having a power supply and a backplane bus;

a plurality of hot-pluggable node devices in the form of printed circuit (PC) cards adapted for connection with said back-plane bus; and

each said node device being reconfigurable in substantially real-time to adapt to changing conditions on the network.

20. A network device in accordance with claim 19, wherein each of said node devices includes power saving control features.