METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR MANAGING FACILITY POWER AND COOLING

• US 20110307820A1
• Filed: 01/31/2011
• Published: 12/15/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/02/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Schneider Electric IT Corporation (Schneider Electric SE)
• Original Assignee: American Power Conversion Corporation (Schneider Electric SE)
• Inventors: Rasmussen, Neil, VanGilder, James W., Dalgas, Mikkel, Berard, Stephen, Jensen, Henrik, Daae, Henrik, Schoellhammer, Sandi
• Granted Patent: US 8,315,841 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/771
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/206 comprising thermal management
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2119/08 Thermal analysis or thermal optimisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 30/13 Architectural design, e.g. computer-aided architectural design [CAAD] related to design of buildings, bridges, landscapes, production plants or roads
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20836 Thermal management, e.g. server temperature control

Abstract

Systems and methods are provided for determining data center cooling and power requirements and for monitoring performance of cooling and power systems in data centers. At least one aspect provides a system and method that enables a data center operator to determine available power and cooling at specific areas and enclosures in a data center to assist in locating new equipment in the data center.

Claims

1-57. -57. (canceled)

58. A computer-implemented method of designing and upgrading an equipment layout in a data center, the method comprising:

providing, by a computer, a graphical user interface for designing the equipment layout in the data center, the graphical user interface including a graphical representation of the equipment layout;

receiving, via the graphical user interface, input indicating operational guidelines for the data center;

receiving, via the graphical user interface, input specifying locations of a plurality of equipment racks and at least one cooling provider included within the data center;

executing, by the computer, a predictive analysis to determine cooling and power performance of the plurality of equipment racks and the at least one cooling provider;

determining a comparison result indicating whether the cooling and power performance meet the operational guidelines; and

displaying a representation of the plurality of equipment racks, the at least one cooling provider, the cooling and power performance, and the comparison result in the graphical user interface.

59. The method of claim 58, wherein receiving the input indicating the operational guidelines includes at least one of (a)receiving input specifying power redundancy requirements of the plurality of equipment racks and (b) receiving input specifying cooling redundancy requirements of the plurality of equipment racks within the data center.

60. The method of claim 58, further including determining at least one of stranded cooling capacity and stranded power capacity in the data center.

61. The method of claim 58, further including receiving, via the graphical user interface, input specifying locations of a plurality of perforated floor tiles included within the data center.

62. The method of claim 58, further including issuing at least one warning based on the comparison result.

63. The method of claim 58, further including:

receiving input specifying operating parameters for each of the plurality of equipment racks and at least one cooling provider;

searching for equipment matching the operating parameters; and

displaying the equipment matching the operating parameters.

64. The method of claim 58, wherein determining the comparison result further includes storing, the equipment layout, as a result of the cooling and power performance meeting the operational guidelines.

65. The method of claim 64, further including:

retrieving the equipment layout;

receiving, via the graphical user interface, input specifying locations of additional equipment in the equipment layout, the additional equipment including at least one of at least one additional equipment rack and at least one additional cooling provider;

executing, by the computer, the predictive analysis to determine cooling and power performance of the additional equipment;

determining a second comparison result indicating whether the cooling and power performance meet the operational guidelines; and

displaying a representation of the plurality of equipment racks, the at least one cooling provider, the at least one additional equipment rack, the at least one additional cooling provider, the cooling and power performance, and the second comparison result in the graphical user interface.

66. The method of claim 65, wherein receiving the input specifying the locations of the additional equipment in the graphical representation further includes providing, via the graphical interface, at least one proposed location for the additional equipment that meets the operational guidelines.

67. The method of claim 65, further including storing an updated equipment layout including the at least one additional equipment rack, and the at least one additional cooling provider, as a result of meeting the operational guidelines.

68. A system for designing and upgrading an equipment layout in a data center, the system comprising:

a memory for storing data;

a graphical user interface for designing the equipment layout in the data center, the graphical user interface including a graphical representation of the equipment layout;

a controller coupled to the memory and to the graphical user interface, and configured to;

receive, via the graphical user interface, input indicating operational guidelines for the data center;

receive, via the graphical user interface, input specifying locations of a plurality of equipment racks and at least one cooling provider included within the data center;

perform a predictive analysis to determine cooling and power performance of the plurality of equipment racks and the at least one cooling provider;

determine a comparison result indicating whether the cooling and power performance meet the operational guidelines; and

provide an output, via the graphical user interface, including the plurality of equipment racks, the at least one cooling provider, the cooling and power performance, and the comparison result.

69. The system of claim 68, wherein the operational guidelines include at least one of power redundancy requirements and cooling redundancy requirements of the plurality of equipment racks for the data center.

70. The system of claim 68, wherein the controller is further configured to determine at least one of stranded cooling capacity and stranded power capacity in the data center.

71. The system of claim 68, wherein the controller is further configured to receive input specifying locations for a plurality of perforated floor tiles within the data center.

72. The system of claim 68, wherein the controller is further configured to issue at least one warning based on the comparison result.

73. The system of claim 68, wherein the controller is further configured to:

receive input indicating operating parameters for each of the plurality of equipment racks and at least one cooling provider;

search for equipment matching the operating parameters; and

provide a second output to the graphical user interface, the second output including the equipment matching the operating parameters.

74. The system of claim 68, wherein the controller is further configured to store the equipment layout, in the memory, as a result of receiving the comparison result meeting the operational guidelines.

75. The system of claim 74, wherein the controller is further configured to

retrieve the equipment layout;

receive, via the graphical user interface, input specifying locations of additional equipment included within the data center, the additional equipment including at least one of at least one additional equipment rack and at least one additional cooling provider;

perform the predictive analysis to determine cooling and power performance of the additional equipment;

determine a second comparison result indicating whether the cooling and power performance meet the operational guidelines; and

provide a second output, via the graphical user interface, the second output including an updated equipment layout, including the additional equipment, the cooling and power performance, and the second comparison result.

76. The system of claim 74, wherein the controller is further configured to store the second output, in the memory, as a result of the second comparison result meeting the operational guidelines.

77. A computer readable medium having stored thereon sequences of instructions including instructions that will cause a processor to:

provide a graphical user interface for designing the equipment layout in the data center, the graphical user interface including a graphical representation of the equipment layout;

receive input indicating operational guidelines for the data center;

receive input specifying locations of a plurality of equipment racks and at least one cooling provider included within the data center;

execute a predictive analysis to determine cooling and power performance of the plurality of equipment racks and the at least one cooling provider in the data center;

determine a comparison result indicating whether the cooling and power performance meet the operational guidelines; and

display a representation of the plurality of equipment racks, the at least one cooling provider, the cooling and power performance, and the comparison result in the graphical user interface.