Systems and methods for computer equipment management

• US 20090210813A1
• Filed: 02/13/2009
• Published: 08/20/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/15/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc.
• Original Assignee: The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc.
• Inventors: Komlenic, Todd, Sawczak, Stephen D.
• Application Number:
  US12/378,462
• Publication Number:
  US 20090210813A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/771
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/206 comprising thermal management
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3006 where the computing system is distributed, e.g. networked systems, clusters, multiprocessor systems multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46; allocation of resources G06F9/50
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3058 Monitoring arrangements for monitoring environmental properties or parameters of the computing system or of the computing system component, e.g. monitoring of power, currents, temperature, humidity, position, vibrations thermal management in cooling arrangements of a computing system G06F1/206
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/328 Computer systems status display G06F11/327 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/265 Personal security, identity or safety
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20836 Thermal management, e.g. server temperature control

Abstract

Methods of monitoring computer equipment: the methods may comprise receiving a series of sensor readings from each of a plurality of computer equipment locations and generating a user interface. The user interface may comprise an indication of each of the plurality of computer equipment locations, and an indication of a condition derived from a first sensor reading for each of the plurality of computer equipment locations. The first sensor reading may be selected from the series of sensor readings. Also, the indications of the conditions may be expressed on a visual scale. The methods may also comprise animating the user interface to chronologically display for each of the plurality of computer equipment locations, indications of the conditions derived from each sensor reading selected from the series of sensor readings.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method of monitoring computer equipment, the method comprising:

receiving with a server a series of sensor readings from each of a plurality of computer equipment locations;

generating a user interface with the server, wherein the server comprises operatively associated memory comprising computer-readable instructions for implementing the user interface and, wherein the user interface comprises;

an indication of each of the plurality of computer equipment locations; and

an indication of a condition derived from a first sensor reading for each of the plurality of computer equipment locations, wherein the first sensor reading is selected from the series of sensor readings, and wherein the indications of the conditions are expressed on a visual scale; and

animating the user interface with the server, wherein the animating comprises chronologically displaying for each of the plurality of computer equipment locations, data indicating the conditions that is derived from each sensor reading selected from the series of sensor readings.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of computer equipment locations comprise a computer equipment cabinet.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of computer equipment locations comprise at least one location selected from the group consisting of a location of a power component, and a location of a cooling unit.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the condition is at least one condition selected from the group consisting of a temperature, a current and a power.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising normalizing the condition over the plurality of computer equipment locations.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein normalizing the condition comprises comparing the condition at each of the plurality of computer equipment locations to an average value of the condition over all of the plurality of computer equipment locations.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving a range of time for the series of sensor readings from a user.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the range comprises a start time, an end time and a sampling rate.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising storing the series of sensor readings at a data storage location.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the user interface further comprises a chart field comprising an indication of the condition over time.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving the plurality of equipment locations from a user.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the visual scale is a color scale comprising a plurality of shades, wherein each shade corresponds to a value of the condition.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving from a user an indication of at least one sensor location at the computer equipment locations.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving from a user an indication of the condition.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the user interface further comprises a numerical indication of the condition derived from the first sensor reading for each of the plurality of computer equipment locations.

18. The system of claim 1, wherein the memory further comprises instructions that cause the server to normalize the condition over the plurality of computer equipment locations.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein normalizing the condition comprises comparing the condition at each of the plurality of computer equipment locations to an average value of the condition over all of the plurality of computer equipment locations.

20. The system of claim 1, wherein the visual scale is a color scale comprising a plurality of shades, wherein each shade corresponds to a value of the condition.

16. A system for monitoring computer equipment, the system comprising a server comprising at least one processor and operatively associated memory having instructions thereon that when implemented by the server, cause the sever to:

receive a series of sensor readings from each of a plurality of computer equipment locations;

generate a user interface, wherein the user interface comprises;

an indication of each of the plurality of computer equipment locations; and

an indication of a condition derived from a first sensor reading for each of the plurality of computer equipment locations, wherein the first sensor reading is selected from the series of sensor readings, and wherein the indications of the conditions are expressed on a visual scale; and

animate the user interface, wherein the animating comprises chronologically displaying for each of the plurality of computer equipment locations, indications of the conditions derived from each sensor reading selected from the series of sensor readings.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the condition is at least one condition selected from the group consisting of a temperature, a current and a power.

21. A computer readable medium having instructions thereon that when executed by at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to:

receive a series of sensor readings from each of a plurality of computer equipment locations;

generate a user interface, wherein the user interface comprises;

an indication of each of the plurality of computer equipment locations; and

an indication of a condition derived from a first sensor reading for each of the plurality of computer equipment locations, wherein the first sensor reading is selected from the series of sensor readings, and wherein the indications of the conditions are expressed on a visual scale; and

animate the user interface, wherein animating the user interface comprises chronologically displaying for each of the plurality of computer equipment locations, indications of the conditions derived from each sensor reading selected from the series of sensor readings.

22. A system for monitoring computer equipment, the system comprising:

means for receiving a series of sensor readings from each of a plurality of computer equipment locations;

means for generating a user interface, wherein the user interface comprises;

an indication of each of the plurality of computer equipment locations; and

an indication of a condition derived from a first sensor reading for each of the plurality of computer equipment locations, wherein the first sensor reading is selected from the series of sensor readings, and wherein the indications of the conditions are expressed on a visual scale; and

means for animating the user interface with the server, wherein the animating comprises chronologically displaying for each of the plurality of computer equipment locations, data indicating the conditions that is derived from each sensor reading selected from the series of sensor readings.