System and Method for Strategic Power Supply Sequencing in a Computer System with Multiple Processing Resources and Multiple Power Supplies

• US 20080072090A1
• Filed: 11/30/2007
• Published: 03/20/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/19/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Inventors: Abell, Keith, Hartmann, Alfred, O'Connor, Clint
• Granted Patent: US 9,552,053 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/330
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/26 Power supply means, e.g. regulation thereof for memories G11C
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/263 Arrangements for using multiple switchable power supplies, e.g. battery and AC G06F1/30 takes precedence
• 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: G06F 1/329 by task scheduling
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management

Abstract

A system and method are provided for strategic power supply sequencing in a computer system. The system and method includes a plurality of processing resources that process data and a plurality of power supplies that provide power for the processing resources. A power management engine adjusts the power supplies in response to processing resource changes to optimize power consumption. The power management engine brings online power supplies to meet the demand created by bringing online additional processing resources and brings offline power supplies to meet the decreased demand caused by a decrease in the number of processing resources. Also, the power management engine rotates which power supplies operate to take advantage of more efficient power supplies and to extend the lives of the power supplies. The power management engine also adjusts the power supplies in advance based upon predicted demand levels for the computer system.

Claims

1-25. -25. (canceled)

26. A method for power management in a computer system including multiple processing resources and multiple power supplies operable to supply power to the multiple processing resources, the method comprising:

receiving a notification of a pending change in the operating status of one or more of the multiple processing resources; and

in response to the notification, adjusting one or more of the multiple power supplies before the change in the operating status of the one or more processing resources is implemented.

27. A method according to claim 26, further comprising:

based on processing demand, determining an appropriate change in the operating status of one or more of the multiple processing resources; and

wherein the notification is based on the determined change in the operating status of the one or more processing resources.

28. A method according to claim 26, further comprising:

in response to the notification, accessing power-related data regarding the one or more processing resources having a pending change in operating status; and

determining an adjustment of one or more power supplies based at least on the accessed power-related data regarding the one or more processing resources.

29. A method according to claim 26, further comprising:

in response to the notification, accessing stored data regarding one or more of the multiple power supplies; and

determining an adjustment of one or more power supplies based at least on the accessed data regarding the one or more power supplies.

30. A method according to claim 26, wherein adjusting one or more of the multiple power supplies comprises powering up one or more power supplies.

31. A method according to claim 26, wherein adjusting one or more of the multiple power supplies comprises powering down one or more power supplies.

32. A method according to claim 26, wherein the multiple processing resources comprise multiple servers.

33. A method according to claim 26, further comprising:

in response to the notification, determining additional power demands associated with the pending operating status change of the one or more processing resources; and

determining an adjustment of one or more power supplies based at least on the determined additional power demands.

34. A method according to claim 26, further comprising:

in response to the notification, determining an inrush power demand associated with the pending operating status change of the one or more processing resources; and

determining an adjustment of one or more power supplies based at least on the determined inrush power demand.

35. A method according to claim 26, further comprising periodically adjusting the power supplies by rotating which power supplies provide power to the processing resources.

36. A method for power management in a computer system including multiple processing resources and multiple power supplies operable to supply power to the multiple processing resources, the method comprising:

receiving a notification of a change in the operating status of one or more of the multiple processing resources;

accessing power-related data regarding the one or more processing resources; and

adjusting one or more of the multiple power supplies based at least on the accessed power-related data regarding the one or more processing resources.

37. A method according to claim 36, wherein:

the power-related data regarding the one or more processing resources comprises at least one of inrush current data and steady state current data regarding the one or more processing resources; and

accessing the power-related data regarding the one or more processing resources comprises accessing one or more tables of stored data.

38. A method according to claim 36, wherein the multiple processing resources comprise a multiple servers.

39. A method according to claim 36, wherein:

the notification comprises a notification of a pending change in the operating status of one or more processing resources; and

adjusting one or more of the multiple power supplies comprises adjusting one or more of the multiple power supplies before the pending change in the operating status of the one or more processing resources is implemented.

40. A method according to claim 36, further comprising:

accessing stored data regarding one or more of the multiple power supplies; and

adjusting the one or more power supplies based at least on the accessed power-related data regarding the one or more processing resources and the accessed data regarding the one or more power supplies.

41. A method for power management in a computer system including multiple processing resources and multiple power supplies operable to supply power to the multiple processing resources, the method comprising:

receiving a notification of a change in the operating status of one or more of the multiple processing resources;

accessing stored data regarding one or more of the multiple power supplies; and

in response to the notification, adjusting at least one of the multiple power supplies based at least on the accessed data regarding the one or more power supplies.

42. A method according to claim 41, wherein:

the stored data regarding one or more of the multiple power supplies comprises at least one of inrush current delivery data, steady state current capacity data, and power efficiency data regarding the one or more power supplies; and

accessing the stored data regarding the one or more power supplies comprises accessing one or more tables of stored data.

43. A method according to claim 41, wherein:

the stored data regarding one or more of the multiple power supplies comprises at least one of load data, peak efficiency current data, and power supply response time data regarding the one or more power supplies; and

accessing the stored data regarding the one or more power supplies comprises accessing one or more tables of stored data.

44. A method according to claim 41, wherein:

the notification comprises a notification of a pending change in the operating status of one or more processing resources; and

adjusting one or more of the multiple power supplies comprises adjusting one or more of the multiple power supplies before the pending change in the operating status of the one or more processing resources is implemented.

45. A method according to claim 41, further comprising:

accessing stored power-related data regarding one or more of the multiple processing resources; and

adjusting the one or more power supplies based at least on the accessed data regarding the one or more power supplies and the accessed power-related data regarding the one or more processing resources.