SERVER RACK SYSTEM

• US 20130135821A1
• Filed: 02/17/2012
• Published: 05/30/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/28/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Inventec Corporation
• Original Assignee: Inventec Corporation
• Inventors: Hsien, Liu-Shen
• Granted Patent: US 8,930,517 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 361/679.48
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2101/69 using geographic information, e.g. room number
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0817 by checking functioning
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/103 across network layers, e.g. resolution of network layer into physical layer addresses or address resolution protocol [ARP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5014 using dynamic host configuration protocol [DHCP] or bootstrap protocol [BOOTP]

Abstract

A server rack system is provided, which includes a rack, a rack management module, a plurality of servers, and a management network connection module. The rack management module is located in the rack and coupled to a management network line (MNL). The servers are located in the rack. Each server includes a baseboard management controller (BMC), and each BMC is used to monitor a working status of the server where the BMC is located. The management network connection module is located in the rack and coupled to the MNL to be connected to the rack management module and the BMC through the MNL. The rack management module is used to allocate an Internet Protocol (IP) address to the BMC and manage each server through the BMC corresponding to each IP address.

Claims

1. A server rack system, comprising:

a rack;

a rack management module, located in the rack and coupled to a management network line (MNL);

a plurality of servers, located in the rack, wherein each server comprises a baseboard management controller (BMC), and each BMC is used to monitor a working status of the server where the BMC is located; and

a management network connection module, located in the rack and coupled to the MNL to be connected to the rack management module and the BMC,

wherein the rack management module is used to allocate an Internet Protocol (IP) address to the BMC and manage each server through the BMC corresponding to each IP address.

2. The server rack system according to claim 1, wherein the rack management module provides a user interface (UI) through the MNL, so as to manage the MNL and the servers through the UI.

3. The server rack system according to claim 1, wherein the rack management module provides a UI through the MNL, so that a network segment is configured for the rack management module through the UI, and the rack management module allocates the IP address in the network segment to each BMC.

4. The server rack system according to claim 3, wherein the rack management module assigns the IP address corresponding to each BMC according to the Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP).

5. The server rack system according to claim 3, wherein the IP addresses corresponding to the BMCs are different from each other.

6. The server rack system according to claim 1, further comprising:

an application network connection module, located in the rack, coupled to an application network line (ANL), and coupled to network interfaces of the servers through the ANL, wherein the servers provide application services through the ANL.

7. The server rack system according to claim 1, further comprising:

at least one identification module, located in the rack and corresponding to each server,

wherein when each server is inserted in the rack and a corresponding relation is generated between each server and the corresponding identification module, the server generates an identification code signal;

the BMC of the server acquires the identification code signal, and sends the identification code signal to the rack management module through the MNL;

a record of a corresponding relation between a physical position in the rack and the identification code signal is pre-stored in the rack management module, and after receiving the identification code signal, the rack management module identifies the physical position of the server in the rack according to the record of the corresponding relation.

8. The server rack system according to claim 7, further comprising:

a plurality of fan modules, each corresponding to at least one of the servers,

wherein the rack management module acquires a corresponding relation between each server and each fan module according to the physical position of each server in the rack, acquires working status information of each server from each BMC through the MNL, and controls operation of the fan module corresponding to each server according to the corresponding relation between each server and each fan module and the working status information of each server.

9. The server rack system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a power module, electrically connected to the rack management module, the management network connection module, and the servers, and used to provide a working voltage required by the rack management module, the management network connection module, and the servers.

10. The server rack system according to claim 9, wherein the power module is controlled by the rack management module;

the rack management module acquires total power consumption information of the server rack system through the power module, and acquires power consumption information of each server from each BMC through the MNL; and

the rack management module manages each server through each BMC according to the total power consumption information and the power consumption information of each server.

11. The server rack system according to claim 1, wherein the rack management module is an Intelligent Platform Management Interface (IPMI).