Environmental Monitoring in Data Facilities

• US 20090012633A1
• Filed: 08/20/2007
• Published: 01/08/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/06/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Zhao, Feng, Liu, Jie, Priyantha, Nissanka Bodhi
• Granted Patent: US 7,894,944 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/90
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/206 comprising thermal management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 715/961 Operator interface with visual structure or function dictated by intended use

Abstract

Processes and techniques for environmental monitoring in a data facility are described. A network of environmental sensors is arranged to monitor a variety of environmental conditions of the facility. The sensors can be queried to generate data describing specific environmental conditions, and the data can be processed to generate an environmental image of all or part of the data facility. The environmental image can optionally be viewed by data facility personnel and can be used to manipulate one or more environmental conditions of the data facility.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving environmental data from a sensor network comprising a plurality of sensors, the sensor network configured to monitor one or more environmental conditions associated with a data facility;

processing the environmental data to produce an environmental image of at least part of the data facility; and

making the environmental image available for viewing.

2. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein at least one of the sensors comprises a wireless sensor.

3. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the plurality of sensors comprises at least one of a temperature sensor a humidity sensor, a power usage sensor, and an air flow sensor.

4. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the sensor network further comprises a sensor server to process the environmental data.

5. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the environmental image comprises at least one of a temperature profile, a humidity profile, a power usage profile, or an air flow profile.

6. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising displaying the environmental image on a sensor interface.

7. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising manipulating one or more of the environmental conditions based on the environmental image.

8. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

generating an alert based on at least one of the environmental conditions; and

manipulating one or more of the environmental conditions based on the alert.

9. A system comprising:

a sensor network comprising a plurality of sensors, each of the plurality of sensors configured to monitor one or more environmental conditions of a data facility;

a sensor server to receive environmental data from the sensor network and process the environmental data to produce an environmental image of the data facility; and

a sensor interface to display the environmental image to a user.

10. A system as recited in claim 9, wherein at least one of the plurality of sensors comprises a wireless sensor.

11. A system as recited in claim 9, wherein the environmental image comprises a real-time view of environmental conditions.

12. A system as recited in claim 9, wherein the sensor interface is configured to receive user input, and based on the user input, manipulate one or more of the environmental conditions.

13. A system as recited in claim 9, wherein the sensor interface comprises a web page.

14. A system as recited in claim 9, wherein the sensor server is configured to generate an alert based on the environmental data.

15. A system as recited in claim 14, wherein the sensor server is configured to manipulate one or more of the environmental conditions based on the alert.

16. One or more computer-readable media comprising computer executable instructions that, when executed, perform acts comprising:

receiving a request from a user for environmental data, the environmental data describing one or more environmental conditions of a data facility;

querying a plurality of sensors for the environmental data; and

constructing an environmental image based at least in part on the environmental data.

17. One or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 16, the computer-readable media further comprising computer executable instructions that, when executed, perform acts comprising:

displaying the environmental image to the user.

18. One or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 16, the computer-readable media further comprising computer executable instructions that, when executed, perform acts comprising:

receiving user feedback; and

based on the user feedback, manipulating one or more of the environmental conditions.

19. One or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 16, the computer-readable media further comprising computer executable instructions that, when executed, perform acts comprising:

populating a website with the environmental image.

20. One or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 16, wherein the environmental image comprises one or more of a temperature profile, a humidity profile, or a power usage profile.