PERFORMANCE OPTIMIZATION IN COMPUTER COMPONENT RACK

• US 20120215373A1
• Filed: 02/17/2011
• Published: 08/23/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/17/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Koblenz, Brian, Cox, Timothy J., Sulzen, William
• Application Number:
  US13/029,450
• Publication Number:
  US 20120215373A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/300
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1919 characterised by the type of controller

Abstract

A system and method are provided for use with a containerized data center that includes a rack, at least one computer component disposed within the rack, at least one sensor to measure an operating condition associated with the at least one computer component within the rack, a database including a plurality of algorithms configured to control environmental conditions of the at least one computer component within the rack, and an environmental control system to control environmental conditions for the computer component within the rack. In response to the measured operating condition associated with the at least one computer component within the rack falling outside of a setpoint range, thermal treatment of the computer component is achieved utilizing an algorithm that is selected from the database to control the environmental control system.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

in a computer component rack comprising at least one computer component and a thermal treatment system configured to control an environmental condition for the at least one computer component within the rack, measuring an operating condition comprising a condition associated with the at least one computer component in the rack;

selecting an algorithm from a plurality of environmental control algorithms stored within a database; and

in response to the measured operating condition falling outside of a setpoint range, thermally treating the at least one computer component via the thermal treatment system and in accordance with the selected algorithm.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the selected algorithm depends upon at least one of a type of computer component within the rack and historical performance information of the at least one computer component within the rack.

3. The method of claim 2, and further comprising dynamically changing from the selected algorithm to another algorithm during operation of the rack based upon at least one of a change in the measured operating condition and a change of second measured condition, wherein the second measured condition comprises at least one of a second measured operating condition associated with the at least one computer component within the rack and a measured condition external to the rack.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the measured operating condition comprises a workload of the at least one computer component.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the rack is disposed in a container with a second rack, and temperature control within each rack is independently maintained by separately monitoring at least one operating condition associated with at least one computer component within each rack.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the thermal treatment by the thermal treatment system comprises at least one of adjusting a fan operating speed and a coolant flow rate within the rack.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein thermal treatment by the thermal treatment system is adjusted based upon operation of a fan located within the at least one computer component.

8. A system comprising:

a containerized data center comprising a rack, at least one computer component disposed within the rack, at least one sensor to measure an operating condition of the at least one computer component disposed within the rack, and a thermal treatment system to control an environmental condition for the at least one computer component within the rack;

a database including a plurality of algorithms configured to control environmental conditions of the at least one computer component within the rack; and

a controller to select an algorithm from the database and to control the thermal treatment system, wherein in response to the measured operating condition of the at least one computer component within the rack falling outside of a setpoint range, the controller controls the thermal treatment system utilizing the selected algorithm to thermally treat the at least one computer component.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the selected algorithm is dependent upon at least one of a type of computer component within the rack and historical performance information of the at least one computer component within the rack.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the controller is configured to dynamically switch from the selected algorithm to another algorithm during operation of the rack based upon at least one of a change in the measured operating condition and a change of second measured condition, wherein the second measured condition comprises at least one of a second measured operating condition associated with the at least one computer component within the rack and a measured condition external to the rack.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the measured operating condition comprises a workload of the at least one computer component.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the thermal treatment system comprises at least one rack fan, and the controller controls the cooling system by adjusting an operating speed of the at least one rack fan.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the thermal treatment system further comprises a coolant flow conduit that provides flowing coolant within the rack, and the controller further controls the cooling system by adjusting a coolant flow rate within the rack.

14. The system of claim 8, wherein the at least one computer component includes a fan located within the computer component, and the controller further controls operation of the thermal treatment system dependent upon operation of the fan located within the at least one computer component.

15. The system of claim 8, wherein the containerized data center further comprises a plurality of racks, and the controller separately and independently controls cooling for at least two racks based upon different algorithms associated with the at least two racks.

16. An environmental control system configured for use with a containerized data center, the containerized data center comprising a rack, at least one computer component disposed within the rack, at least one sensor to measure an operating condition of the at least one computer component disposed within the rack, and a thermal treatment system to thermally treat the at least one computer component within the rack, the temperature control system comprising:

a database including a plurality of algorithms configured to control environmental conditions of the at least one computer component within the rack, wherein at least one algorithm is dependent upon at least one of a type of computer component within the rack and at least another algorithm is dependent upon historical performance information of the at least one computer component within the rack; and

a controller to control the thermal treatment system of the containerized data center utilizing an algorithm selected from the database, wherein in response to the measured operating condition of the at least one computer component falling outside of a setpoint range, the controller controls the thermal treatment system to thermally treat the at least one computer component utilizing the selected algorithm.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the controller is configured to dynamically switch from the selected algorithm to another algorithm during operation of the rack based upon at least one of a change in the measured operating condition and a change of second measured condition, wherein the second measured condition comprises at least one of a second measured operating condition associated with the at least one computer component within the rack and a measured condition external to the rack.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the measured operating condition comprises a workload of the at least one computer component.

19. The system of claim 16, wherein the at least one computer component includes a fan located within the computer component, and the controller further controls operation of the thermal treatment system dependent upon operation of the fan located within the at least one computer component.

20. The system of claim 16, wherein the containerized data center further comprises a plurality of racks, and the controller separately and independently controls cooling for at least two racks based upon different algorithms associated with the at least two racks.

21. One or more computer readable storage media encoded with software comprising computer executable instructions and when the software is executed operable to:

generate a measure of an operating condition of at least one computer component in a computer component rack that includes a thermal treatment system configured to provide thermal treatment to the at least one computer component within the rack;

select an algorithm from a plurality of environmental control algorithms stored within a database; and

in response to the measured operating condition of the at least one computer component within the rack falling outside of a setpoint range, generate a control to thermally treat the at least one computer component utilizing the selected algorithm.

22. The computer readable storage media of claim 21, wherein the selected algorithm depends upon at least one of a type of computer component within the rack and historical performance information of the at least one computer component within the rack.

23. The computer readable storage media of claim 22, and further comprising instructions that are operable to dynamically change from the selected algorithm to another algorithm during operation of the rack based upon at least one of a change in the measured operating condition and a change of second measured condition, wherein the second measured condition comprises at least one of a second measured operating condition associated with the at least one computer component within the rack and a measured condition external to the rack.