System and method for packing heat producing devices in an array to prevent local overheating
First Claim
1. A method of controlling the operation of a plurality of devices that are arranged in a device array of a system and generate heat when operated, the method comprising the steps of:
- receiving dimensions of the device array defining a volume of N cells in which the devices are arranged, one device to a cell;
receiving a number of clusters for determining a number of operational groups to which the devices in the array are to be assigned, wherein substantially all of the devices in a cluster are operated substantially simultaneously with each operation of the system;
receiving a number L indicating the maximum number of clusters of devices activated substantially simultaneously in every operation of the system;
receiving dimensions of a critical box that defines an arrangement of the devices into cells such that, if a device is assigned to each cell of the critical box and all devices are operated simultaneously, then thermal operating restrictions of the devices will be exceeded;
determining if the number of clusters is an integer divisor of the volume of the device array and halting further processing if not;
determining a logical building block comprising a logical sub-volume of the device array;
assigning a preliminary number label to each cell of the device array, the number labels running consecutively from 1 to the building block volume and repeating until all the devices are assigned a label;
assigning a final number label to each cell of the device array, each label corresponding to an assignment of the devices to operating clusters such that each device array cluster includes the same number of devices and each logical building block sub-volume of the device array includes at most one device from each cluster; and
operating the devices according to the cluster assignment specified by the final assignment step such that only devices in a set of at most L selected clusters are operated at any one time.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A configuration management subsystem of a subsystem array system assigns heat producing devices to clusters such that the number of devices activated will not create overheating, regardless of which limited set of clusters is activated. The subsystem receives the dimensions of the disk array, the number of devices, the number of cluster groups and the maximum number of clusters that can be operated substantially simultaneously, and the dimensions of a critical box that defines an arrangement of the devices into cells such that, if a device is assigned to each cell of the critical box and all devices are operated simultaneously, then thermal operating restrictions of the devices will be exceeded. The system first executes simple numbering loop operations to determine, if they exist, dimensions of a building block subarray that meet certain requirements relative to the input parameters. Using this building block subarray, the system then executes other simple numbering loop operations in which number labels are assigned to the disk devices (representing assignment of devices to disjoint clusters) such that if the maximum number of clusters are operating simultaneously, in every critical box subarray at least one device will not be operated.
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Citations
19 Claims
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1. A method of controlling the operation of a plurality of devices that are arranged in a device array of a system and generate heat when operated, the method comprising the steps of:
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receiving dimensions of the device array defining a volume of N cells in which the devices are arranged, one device to a cell; receiving a number of clusters for determining a number of operational groups to which the devices in the array are to be assigned, wherein substantially all of the devices in a cluster are operated substantially simultaneously with each operation of the system; receiving a number L indicating the maximum number of clusters of devices activated substantially simultaneously in every operation of the system; receiving dimensions of a critical box that defines an arrangement of the devices into cells such that, if a device is assigned to each cell of the critical box and all devices are operated simultaneously, then thermal operating restrictions of the devices will be exceeded; determining if the number of clusters is an integer divisor of the volume of the device array and halting further processing if not; determining a logical building block comprising a logical sub-volume of the device array; assigning a preliminary number label to each cell of the device array, the number labels running consecutively from 1 to the building block volume and repeating until all the devices are assigned a label; assigning a final number label to each cell of the device array, each label corresponding to an assignment of the devices to operating clusters such that each device array cluster includes the same number of devices and each logical building block sub-volume of the device array includes at most one device from each cluster; and operating the devices according to the cluster assignment specified by the final assignment step such that only devices in a set of at most L selected clusters are operated at any one time. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A computer-implemented method of determining an operational arrangement of disk devices that generate heat when operated in a system for data access, the method comprising the steps of:
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receiving dimensions of a disk array into which the disk devices are arranged for storing or retrieving data with each data access operation of the system, such dimensions defining a total volume of N cells in which the disk devices are arranged, one disk device to a cell; receiving a number of disk clusters to which the disk devices will be assigned such that substantially all of the devices in a cluster are operated substantially simultaneously with each data access operation of the system; receiving a number L of disk clusters indicating the maximum number of clusters of disk devices activated substantially simultaneously in every operation of the system; receiving dimensions of a critical box that defines an arrangement of the disk devices into cells such that, if a disk device is assigned to each cell of the critical box and all disk devices are operated simultaneously during the same data access operation, then thermal operating restrictions of the disk devices will be exceeded; determining if the number of clusters is an integer divisor of the volume of the device array and halting further processing if not; determining a logical building block comprising a logical sub-volume of the disk device array; assigning a preliminary number label to each cell of the disk device array, the number labels running from 1 to the building block volume and repeating until all the disk devices are assigned a label; and assigning a final number label to each cell of the device array, each label corresponding to an assignment of the devices to operating clusters such that each device array cluster includes the same number of devices and each logical building block sub-volume of the device array includes at most one disk device from each cluster. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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Specification