Method for managing power consumption of multiple computer servers

• US 6,795,928 B2
• Filed: 03/18/2002
• Issued: 09/21/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/18/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lenovo International Limited (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Bradley, David John, Harper, Richard Edwin, Hunter, Steven Wade
• Primary Examiner(s): Voeltz, Emanuel Todd
• Assistant Examiner(s): BARNES-BULLOCK, CRYSTAL JOY
• Application Number:
  US10/100,341
• Publication Number:
  US 20030177165A1
• Time in Patent Office: 918 Days
• Field of Search: 713/300, 713/340, 713/320, 713/323, 709/105, 709/226, 700/291, 700/22
• US Class Current: 713/320
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/206 comprising thermal management
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3206 Monitoring of events, devices or parameters that trigger a change in power modality
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20836 Thermal management, e.g. server temperature control
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management

Abstract

A method for managing power consumption of multiple computer servers is disclosed. The current workload information and the current capacity information of a group of computer servers within a computer server pool are determined. A short term history and a long term history of the workload information are then built based on the determined workload information. Next, the information regarding short-term variations in workload is determined. Similarly, the information regarding long-term variations in workload is determined. Based on a combination of the above-mentioned determined short-term and long-term information, at least one of the computer servers is powered on or powered off.

Claims

1. A method for managing power consumption in computer servers, said method comprising:

selecting a sample window having a plurality of workload samples;

determining a maximum sample-to-sample deviation value (DV) of said plurality of workload samples within said selected sample window;

determining a capacity envelope, wherein said capacity envelope include a lower limit and an upper limit determined by

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said method further includes powering on and powering off said plurality of computer servers alternatively at each sample point when said workload is constant and said upper limit equals said lower limit.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said adjusting a current capacity includes powering on at least one of said plurality of computer servers.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said adjusting a current capacity includes powering off at least one of said plurality of computer servers.

5. A computer program product for managing power consumption in computer servers, said computer program product comprising:

program code means for selecting a sample window having a plurality of workload samples;

program code means for determining a maximum sample-to-sample deviation value of said plurality of workload samples within said selected sample window;

program code means for determining a capacity envelope, wherein said capacity envelope include a lower limit and an upper limit determined by

6. The computer program product of claim 5, wherein said computer program product further includes program code means for powering on and powering off said plurality of computer servers alternatively at each sample point when said workload is constant and said upper limit equals said lower limit.

7. The computer program product of claim 5, wherein said program code means for adjusting a current capacity includes program code means for powering on at least one of said plurality of computer servers.

8. The computer program product of claim 5, wherein program code means for said adjusting a current capacity includes program code means for powering off at least one of said plurality of computer servers.

9. An apparatus for managing power consumption in computer servers, said method comprising:

means for selecting a sample window having a plurality of workload sample;

means for determining a maximum sample-to-sample deviation value of said plurality of workload samples within said selected sample window;

means for determining a capacity envelope, wherein said capacity envelope include a lower limit and an upper limit determined by

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein said apparatus further includes means for powering on and powering off said plurality of computer servers alternatively at each sample point when said workload is constant and said upper limit equals said lower limit.

11. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein said means for adjusting a current capacity includes means for powering on at least one of said plurality of computer servers.

12. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein said means for adjusting a current capacity includes means for powering off at least one of said plurality of computer servers.