VISUAL INDICATION OF DATA CENTER CONDITIONS

• US 20160275772A1
• Filed: 03/16/2015
• Published: 09/22/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/16/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Apcar, Jeff
• Granted Patent: US 9,734,676 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/326 for error or online/offline status
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/18 Status alarms G08B21/02 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 5/36 using visible light sources
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/165 following a pre-assigned programmed sequence; Logic control [LC]

Abstract

In one embodiment, an apparatus is disclosed that includes one or more device interfaces, a processor coupled to the one or more device interfaces and configured to execute a process, and a memory configured to store the process executable by the processor. The process when executed is operable to receive condition data regarding a measured condition of a zone of a data center. The process when executed is also operable to determine a visual effect for a portion of a light strip based on the condition data. The portion of the light strip is associated with the zone and is located in the zone. The process when executed is further operable to control the portion of the light strip to display the determined visual effect.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

one or more device interfaces;

a processor coupled to the one or more device interfaces and configured to execute a process; and

a memory configured to store the process executable by the processor, the process when executed operable to;

receive condition data regarding a measured condition of a zone of a data center;

determine a visual effect for a portion of a light strip based on the condition data, wherein the portion of the light strip is associated with the zone and is located in the zone; and

control the portion of the light strip to display the determined visual effect.

2. The apparatus as in claim 1, wherein the condition data is indicative of at least one of:

a measured airflow in the zone, a measured temperature in the zone, or a measured humidity in the zone.

3. The apparatus as in claim 1, wherein the condition data is indicative of at least one of:

an amount of available computing resources of a device located in the zone or an operational state of the device.

4. The apparatus as in claim 1, wherein the process when executed is further operable to:

associate the portion of the light strip with the zone, in response to receiving a first instruction from a user interface device; and

map light strip colors to ranges of the condition data, in response to receiving a second instruction from the user interface device, wherein the determined visual effect comprises one of the mapped light strip colors.

5. The apparatus as in claim 1, wherein the zone corresponds to a portion of a computing rack in the data center to which the portion of the light strip is mounted.

6. The apparatus as in claim 1, wherein a computing rack is located in the zone of the data center and the portion of the light strip is mounted to a ceiling of the data center above the computing rack.

7. The apparatus as in claim 1, wherein the apparatus is configured to control the light strip by:

providing a control command to a microcontroller coupled to the light strip, wherein the control command indicates the determined visual effect.

8. The apparatus as in claim 1, wherein the light strip is a first light strip and a portion of a second light strip is also associated with the zone and located in the zone, and wherein the process when executed is operable to:

control the first and second light strips to illuminate the portions of the light strips located in the zone with the determined visual effect.

9. The apparatus as in claim 1, wherein the determined visual effect comprises one or more of:

a determined color for the portion of the light strip, an amount of illumination by the portion of the light strip, a blinking effect, or a percentage of the LEDs in the portion of the light strip that are to be illuminated.

10. A method comprising:

receiving, at a controller, condition data regarding a measured condition of a zone of a data center;

determining, by the controller, a visual effect for a portion of a light strip based on the condition data, wherein the portion of the light strip is associated with the zone and is located in the zone; and

controlling, by the controller, the portion of the light strip to display the determined visual effect.

11. The method as in claim 10, wherein the condition data is indicative of at least one of:

a measured airflow in the zone, a measured temperature in the zone, or a measured humidity in the zone.

12. The method as in claim 10, wherein the condition data is indicative of at least one of:

an amount of available computing resources of a device located in the zone or an operational state of the device.

13. The method as in claim 10, further comprising:

associating, by the controller, the portion of the light strip with the zone, in response to receiving a first instruction from a user interface device; and

mapping, by the controller, light strip colors to ranges of the condition data, in response to receiving a second instruction from the user interface device, wherein the determined visual effect comprises one of the mapped light strip colors.

14. The method as in claim 10, wherein the zone corresponds to a portion of a computing rack in the data center to which the portion of the light strip is mounted.

15. The method as in claim 10, wherein a computing rack is located in the zone of the data center and the portion of the light strip is mounted to a ceiling of the data center above the computing rack.

16. The method as in claim 10, wherein the controller controls the portion of the light strip to display the determined visual effect by:

providing, by the controller, a control command to a microcontroller coupled to the light strip, wherein the control command indicates the determined visual effect.

17. The method as in claim 10, wherein the light strip is a first light strip and a portion of a second light strip is also associated with the zone and located in the zone, and wherein the method further comprises:

controlling, by the controller, the first and second light strips to illuminate the portions of the light strips located in the zone with the determined visual effect.

18. The method as in claim 10, wherein the determined visual effect comprises one or more of:

a determined color for the portion of the light strip, an amount of illumination by the portion of the light strip, a blinking effect, or a percentage of the LEDs in the portion of the light strip that are to be illuminated.

19. A tangible, non-transitory, computer-readable media having software encoded thereon, the software when executed by a processor of a device operable to:

receive condition data regarding measured condition of a zone of a data center;

determine a visual effect for a portion of a light strip based on the condition data, wherein the portion of the light strip is associated with the zone and is located in the zone; and

control the portion of the light strip to display the determined visual effect.

20. The computer-readable media of claim 19, wherein the software when executed is further operable to:

associate the portion of the light strip with the zone, in response to receiving a first instruction from a user interface device; and

map light strip colors to ranges of the condition data, in response to receiving a second instruction from the user interface device, wherein the determined visual effect comprises one of the mapped light strip colors.