System and Method for Thresholding System Power Loss Notifications in a Data Processing System Based on Vital Product Data

• US 20080244311A1
• Filed: 04/02/2007
• Published: 10/02/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/02/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lenovo International Limited (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Kubo, Robert Akira, Elliott, John Charles, Lucas, Gregg Steven
• Granted Patent: US 7,747,900 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 714/22
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/28 Supervision thereof, e.g. detecting power-supply failure by out of limits supervision
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/305 in the event of power-supply fluctuations

Abstract

A system and method for thresholding system power loss notifications in a data processing system are provided. Power loss detection modules are provided in a data processing system having one or more data processing devices, such as blades in an IBM BladeCenter® chassis. The power loss detection modules detect the type of infrastructure of the data processing system, a position of a corresponding data processing device within the data processing system, and a capability of the data processing system to provide power during a power loss scenario. The detection module detects various inputs identifying these types of data processing system and power system characteristics and provides logic for defining a set of behaviors during a power loss scenario, e.g., behaviors for sending system notifications of imminent power loss. The detection of the various inputs and the defining of a set of behaviors may be performed statically and/or dynamically.

Claims

1. A computer program product comprising a computer useable medium having a computer readable program, wherein the computer readable program, when executed on a data processing system, causes the data processing system to:

access vital product data (VPD) information for each of a plurality of data processing devices within the data processing system;

identify one or more data processing devices of the plurality of data processing devices that are powered-on to a fully functional state;

determine a current power distribution network configuration relative to the one or more data processing devices based on the identified one or more data processing devices that are powered-on to a fully functional state, in response to a power supply module of the data processing system asserting an Early Power Off Warning (EPOW) signal; and

assert a power loss notification signal, indicative of an imminent power loss to the data processing device, to logic of the data processing system based on the determined current power distribution network configuration relative to the one or more data processing devices.

2. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the computer readable program causes the data processing system to assert the power loss notification signal to logic of the data processing system by:

calculating a Power Line Disturbance (PLD) filter time based on the determined current power distribution network configuration; and

asserting the power loss notification signal if the power supply module asserts the EPOW signal for longer than the PLD filter time.

3. The computer program product of claim 2, wherein calculating a Power Line Disturbance (PLD) filter time based on the determined current power distribution network configuration comprises:

calculating a system load value based on the identified one or more data processing devices that are powered-on to a fully functional state; and

adjusting the PLD filter time based on the system load value.

4. The computer program product of claim 3, wherein the VPD information for each of the plurality of data processing devices comprises power consumption information for a corresponding data processing device, and wherein the system load value is calculated based on the power consumption information corresponding to the one or more data processing devices that are powered-on to a fully functional state.

5. The computer program product of claim 3, wherein adjusting the PLD filter time based on the system load value comprises decreasing the PLD filter time with increased system load value.

6. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the computer readable program further causes the data processing system to:

measure an actual holdup capacitance time for the power supply module; and

store the actual holdup capacitance time in a vital product data (VPD) storage device associated with the power supply module, wherein the current power distribution network configuration is determined based on the actual holdup capacitance time stored in the VPD storage device associated with the power supply module.

7. The computer program product of claim 6, wherein the actual holdup capacitance time is measured at one of manufacture or testing time of the power supply module.

8. The computer program product of claim 6, wherein the actual holdup capacitance time is measured dynamically during a power-down operation of the power supply module.

9. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein the actual holdup capacitance time for a plurality of power supply modules of the data processing system are measured dynamically during power-down operations of the plurality of power supply modules.

10. The computer program product of claim 9, wherein the actual holdup capacitance time for each of the plurality of power supply modules is stored in one or more non-volatile memories associated with the plurality of power supply modules prior to complete loss of power by the power supply modules during the power-down operations.

11. The computer program product of claim 10, wherein the actual holdup capacitance time values for each of the plurality of power supply modules of the data processing system are read from the one or more non-volatile memories by a management module of the data processing system in response to a restoration of power to the plurality of power supply modules, and wherein a largest actual holdup capacitance time of the plurality of power supply modules is utilized to calculate an adjustment value for adjusting the PLD filter time.

12. A data processing system, comprising:

at least one data processing device;

at least one power supply module coupled to the at least one data processing device; and

power loss detection logic coupled to at least one of the at least one data processing device or the at least one power supply module, wherein the power loss detection logic;

accesses vital product data (VPD) information for each of a plurality of data processing devices within the data processing system;

identifies one or more data processing devices of the plurality of data processing devices that are powered-on to a fully functional state;

determines a current power distribution network configuration relative to the one or more data processing devices based on the identified one or more data processing devices that are powered-on to a fully functional state, in response to a power supply module of the data processing system asserting an Early Power Off Warning (EPOW) signal; and

asserts a power loss notification signal, indicative of an imminent power loss to the data processing device, to logic of the data processing system based on the determined current power distribution network configuration relative to the one or more data processing devices.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the power loss detection logic asserts the power loss notification signal to logic of the data processing system by:

calculating a Power Line Disturbance (PLD) filter time based on the determined current power distribution network configuration; and

asserting the power loss notification signal if the power supply module asserts the EPOW signal for longer than the PLD filter time.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein calculating a Power Line Disturbance (PLD) filter time based on the determined current power distribution network configuration comprises:

calculating a system load value based on the identified one or more data processing devices that are powered-on to a fully functional state; and

adjusting the PLD filter time based on the system load value.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the VPD information for each of the plurality of data processing devices comprises power consumption information for a corresponding data processing device, and wherein the system load value is calculated based on the power consumption information corresponding to the one or more data processing devices that are powered-on to a fully functional state.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein adjusting the PLD filter time based on the system load value comprises decreasing the PLD filter time with increased system load value.

17. The system of claim 12, wherein logic of the power supply module:

measures an actual holdup capacitance time for the power supply module; and

stores the actual holdup capacitance time in a vital product data (VPD) storage device associated with the power supply module, and wherein the current power distribution network configuration is determined based on the actual holdup capacitance time stored in the VPD storage device associated with the power supply module.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the actual holdup capacitance time is measured at one of manufacture time of the power supply module or testing time of the power supply module.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein:

the actual holdup capacitance time is measured dynamically during power-down operations of a plurality of power supply modules,

the actual holdup capacitance time for each of the plurality of power supply modules is stored in one or more non-volatile memories associated with the plurality of power supply modules prior to complete loss of power by the power supply modules during the power-down operations,

the actual holdup capacitance time values for each of the plurality of power supply modules of the data processing system are read from the one or more non-volatile memories by a management module of the data processing system in response to a restoration of power to the plurality of power supply modules, and

a largest actual holdup capacitance time of the plurality of power supply modules is utilized to calculate an adjustment value for adjusting the PLD filter time.

20. A method, in a data processing system, for controlling assertion of an imminent power loss notification signal notifying the data processing system of an imminent loss of power to a data processing device, comprising:

accessing vital product data (VPD) information for each of a plurality of data processing devices within the data processing system;

identifying one or more data processing devices of the plurality of data processing devices that are powered-on to a fully functional state;

determining a current power distribution network configuration relative to the one or more data processing devices based on the identified one or more data processing devices that are powered-on to a fully functional state, in response to a power supply module of the data processing system asserting an Early Power Off Warning (EPOW) signal; and

asserting a power loss notification signal, indicative of an imminent power loss to the data processing device, to logic of the data processing system based on the determined current power distribution network configuration relative to the one or more data processing devices.