Operation ready transportable data center in a shipping container

• US 20080123288A1
• Filed: 09/13/2006
• Published: 05/29/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/13/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oracle America, Inc. (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sun Microsystems Incorporated (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Hillis, W. Daniel
• Granted Patent: US 7,551,971 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 361/687
• CPC Class Codes: E04H 2001/1283 Small buildings of the ISO containers type
• CPC Class Codes: E04H 2005/005 Buildings for data processing centers
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/1497 Rooms for data centers; Shipping containers therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20745 within rooms for removing heat from cabinets, e.g. by air conditioning device

Abstract

A movable data center is disclosed that comprises a portable container in which an operable computer system is assembled. A data link, power supply link and cooling system are provided through ports on the exterior of the container. The computer system is assembled to a rack that is secured to the container with a shock absorbing mechanism.

Claims

1. A movable data center comprising:

a portable container;

an operable computer system assembled to a rack that is disposed in the portable container, the rack being secured to the container with a shock absorbing mount, the shock absorbing mount including a base support and a top restraint;

a data link connecting the computer system to a terminal in the container;

a power supply link for the computer system that is connected to a power supply disposed outside of the container; and

a cooling system includes a heat exchange module that takes heat generated by the computer system from inside the container and transfers the heat outside the container.

2. The data center of claim 1 wherein the base support includes a self damping resilient spring.

3. The data center of claim 1 wherein the base support includes at least one coil of wire rope that is wound about a horizontal axis and secured between the rack and the container.

4. The data center of claim 1 wherein the base support includes at least one skid that is secured to the rack through a shock absorbing mechanism.

5. The data center of claim 1 wherein the top restraint includes a pin that is secured to a bracket that is attached to the container, wherein the pin is received in a bushing that defines an opening that receives the pin and permits limited movement of the pin relative to the bushing.

6. The data center of claim 5 wherein the pin is retained by a bracket that supports the pin for vertical movement to allow the rack to be disconnected from the container.

7. The data center of claim 6 wherein the bushing is a resilient block connected to the rack with the opening facing a top wall of the container that receives the pin, and wherein the pin is permitted to move in any direction in a horizontal plane above the rack.

8. The data center of claim 1 wherein the container includes a floor that is secured to the container by a shock absorbing mounting arrangement.

9. The data center of claim 1 wherein the data link includes an ethernet switch disposed in the container that is accessible from outside the container.

10. The data center of claim 1 wherein the cooling system is a chilled water cooling system including a chiller located outside the container that provides chilled water to the heat exchange module.

11. The data center of claim 10 wherein the chiller is disposed in a second portable container.

12. The data center of claim 10 wherein the chiller is part of a static structure located adjacent the container.

13. The data center of claim 1 wherein the power supply link includes at least one electrical panel of circuit breakers that is attached to an inside portion of the container, and wherein the power supply link further comprises power wiring to the computer system.

14. The data center of claim 1 wherein the power supply link also provides power to a dehumidifier disposed within the container.

15. The data center of claim 1 wherein the power supply link also provides power to an ethernet switch.

16. The data center of claim 1 wherein a plurality of racks are provided and wherein each rack supports a plurality of servers that are configured to cooperate as a unit to provide data processing for a computer network disposed outside the container.

17. The data center of claim 16 wherein at least one of the racks supports a plurality of data storage apparatus.

18. A movable data center comprising:

a shipping container having six sides;

a preconfigured data processing system operatively disposed in the container for processing data, wherein the data processing system is accessible from outside the container via a data link;

a power distribution system operatively disposed in the container for distributing power to the data processing system via a power distribution link; and

a cooling system operatively disposed in the shipping container for transferring heat from inside the container to outside the container via a substantially air tight access port.

19. The data center of claim 18 wherein the data processing system is substantially isolated from shock and vibration applied to the container.

20. The data center of claim 18 wherein the shipping container shields the data processing system from electromagnetic waves applied to the container.

21. The data center of claim 18 further comprising a dehumidifier and a sensor and wherein the data processing system includes a control station configured to control the dehumidifier in response to a signal received from the sensor.

22. The data center of claim 21 wherein the sensor is at least one of a humidity sensor, a water sensor, a temperature sensor, a smoke sensor, and a tamper switch.

23. The data center of claim 21 wherein the sensor is a tamper switch and wherein the control station issues an on command to the dehumidifier if an access door associated with the tamper switch is open.

24. The data center of claim 18 further comprising a main power switch and a sensor and wherein the data processing system includes a control station configured to control the main power switch in response to a signal received from the sensor.

25. The data center of claim 24 wherein the sensor is at least one of a humidity sensor, a water sensor, a temperature sensor, a smoke sensor, and a tamper switch.

26. The data center of claim 24 wherein the sensor is a smoke sensor and wherein the control station issues an off command to the main power switch if the smoke sensor senses smoke.

27. The data center of claim 18 further comprising a chiller and a sensor and wherein the data processing system includes a control station configured to control the chiller in response to a signal received from the sensor.

28. The data center of claim 27 wherein the sensor is at least one of a humidity sensor, a water sensor, a temperature sensor, a smoke sensor, and a tamper switch.

29. The data center of claim 27 wherein the sensor is an interior temperature sensor and wherein the control station issues an on command to the chiller if the interior temperature sensor senses a predetermined temperature.