Adjusting a Cooling Device and a Server in Response to a Thermal Event

• US 20080313492A1
• Filed: 04/23/2008
• Published: 12/18/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/12/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Hansen, Peter A.
• Application Number:
  US12/107,999
• Publication Number:
  US 20080313492A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 714/5
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/206 comprising thermal management
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3203 Power management, i.e. event-based initiation of a power-saving mode
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2015 Redundant power supplies power supply failure G06F1/30
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20836 Thermal management, e.g. server temperature control
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management

Abstract

In an electronic device enclosure, in response to a thermal event or a power event, an output of a cooling device and an operation of at least one of a plurality of electronic devices are adjusted. The adjustment of the output of the cooling device and operation of the at least one of the electronic devices is according to a policy that considers power consumption of the cooling device and the electronic devices.

Claims

1. A method for use in an electronic device enclosure, comprising:

monitoring for an event in the electronic device enclosure that includes a plurality of electronic devices, wherein the event includes one of a thermal event and a power event; and

in response to the event,

adjust an output of a cooling device in the electronic device enclosure, and

adjust an operation of at least one of the electronic devices,

wherein adjusting the output of the cooling device and operation of the at least one of the electronic devices is according to a policy that considers power consumption of the cooling device and the electronic devices.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing a cooling subsystem including a plurality of cooling devices that are shared by the plurality of electronic devices.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising monitoring an output level of the cooling device, wherein adjusting the output of the cooling device and operation of at least one of the electronic devices is based further on the monitored output level of the cooling device.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining power consumption of the cooling device and of the electronic devices, wherein adjusting the output of the cooling device and operation of at least one of the electronic devices is further based on the determined power consumption.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

determining a maximum power output of a power supply subsystem, wherein adjusting the output of the cooling device and the operation of the at least one of the electronic devices is further according to the determined maximum power output of the power subsystem.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the maximum power output of the power subsystem is the maximum power output of one of plural redundant power supplies in the power subsystem, wherein adjusting the output of the cooling device and the operation of the at least one of the electronic devices is further based on ensuring that one of the plural redundant power supplies can continue to provide power to the electronic device enclosure in case of failure of at least one other of the power supplies in the power subsystem.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

initially setting the cooling device to provide an output at less than a maximum output of the cooling device to reduce power consumption and to allow for additional power availability to the electronic devices.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein adjusting the operation of the at least one of the electronic devices comprises adjusting a cap setting of the at least one of the electronic devices.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein adjusting the cap setting comprises adjusting an electrical cap setting.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein adjusting the cap setting comprises adjusting a thermal cap setting.

11. The method of claim 8, further comprising sending a request to the electronic devices to determine respective cap settings of the electronic devices.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein adjusting the operation of the at least one of the electronic devices comprises adjusting a state of an input to the at least one of the electronic devices to cause the at least one of the electronic devices to transition between an active state and a low power state.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising updating the policy according to monitored operations of components in the electronic device enclosure.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the electronic device enclosure includes multiple cooling devices, the method further comprising:

detecting failure of one of the cooling devices, wherein adjusting the output of the cooling device and operation of the at least one of the electronic devices is further based on detection of the fan failure.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the electronic device enclosure comprises plural cooling devices corresponding to respective electronic devices, wherein the event includes a thermal event signaled by a temperature sensor in a particular one of the electronic devices, wherein adjusting the output of the cooling device comprises adjusting the output of at least one of the cooling devices corresponding to the particular electronic device and an electronic device adjacent the particular electronic device, and wherein adjusting the operation of the at least one of the electronic devices comprises adjusting the operation of at least one of the particular electronic device and an electronic device adjacent the particular electronic device.

16. An electronic device enclosure comprising:

a cooling device;

a plurality of electronic devices; and

a controller to;

monitor for an event in the electronic device enclosure, wherein the event includes one of a thermal event and a power event,

in response to the event,

adjust an output of the cooling device,

adjust an operation of at least one of the electronic devices,

wherein the controller adjusts the output of the cooling device and operation of the at least one of the electronic devices according to a policy that considers power consumption of the cooling device and the electronic devices.

17. The electronic device enclosure of claim 16, wherein the operation of the at least one of the electronic devices is adjusted by performing clock throttling at the at least one of the electronic devices.

18. An article comprising at least one computer-readable storage medium containing instructions that when executed cause a controller in an electronic device enclosure to:

store a policy that specifies how cooling devices and electronic devices in the electronic device enclosure are to be adjusted in response to an event that includes one of a thermal event and a power event, wherein the policy considers power consumption of the cooling device and the electronic devices;

monitor for a thermal event or power event in the electronic device enclosure; and

in response to the event,

adjust the cooling device and at least one of the electronic devices according to the policy.

19. The article of claim 18, wherein the instructions when executed cause the controller to further:

receive measurement information from temperature sensors and power sensors, wherein adjusting the cooling device and the at least one of the electronic devices is further based on the received measurement information.

20. The article of claim 18, wherein adjusting the at least one electronic device comprises changing a cap setting of the at least one electronic device, the cap setting indicating a maximum power consumption of the at least one electronic device.