Thermal analysis in a data processing system

• US 6,889,908 B2
• Filed: 06/30/2003
• Issued: 05/10/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Crippen, Martin Joseph, Piazza, William Joseph, Matteson, Jason Aaron
• Primary Examiner(s): Norman, Marc
• Application Number:
  US10/610,303
• Publication Number:
  US 20040262409A1
• Time in Patent Office: 680 Days
• Field of Search: 622/592, 62/89, 621/78, 621/86, 622/09, 236/49.3, 454/184, 361/691, 361/695, 361/696
• US Class Current: 236/49.3
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/30 for purposes related to the operation of the system, e.g. for safety or monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/32 Responding to malfunctions or emergencies
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/52 Indication arrangements, e.g. displays
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/62 characterised by the type of control or by internal processing, e.g. using fuzzy logic, adaptive control or estimation of values
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 23/0235 based on a comparison with predetermined threshold or range, e.g. "classical methods", carried out during normal operation; threshold adaptation or choice; when or how to compare with the threshold
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/206 comprising thermal management
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3006 where the computing system is distributed, e.g. networked systems, clusters, multiprocessor systems multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46; allocation of resources G06F9/50
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3051 Monitoring arrangements for monitoring the configuration of the computing system or of the computing system component, e.g. monitoring the presence of processing resources, peripherals, I/O links, software programs verification or detection of system hardware configuration G06F11/2247
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3058 Monitoring arrangements for monitoring environmental properties or parameters of the computing system or of the computing system component, e.g. monitoring of power, currents, temperature, humidity, position, vibrations thermal management in cooling arrangements of a computing system G06F1/206
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20727 within server blades for removing heat from heat source
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20836 Thermal management, e.g. server temperature control

Abstract

Methods, systems, and media for thermal analysis are disclosed. Embodiments of the invention receive temperatures associated with elements of a system. The temperatures received are dependant upon airflow and heating patterns of the elements. Differences between the temperatures received and expected temperatures are detected. Potential airflow and heating patterns associated with a thermal problem are then determined, the potential airflow and heating patterns being substantially consistent with the temperatures received, to identify a root cause of the thermal problem as a probable source of the differences. More specifically, embodiments collect temperature readings from temperature sensors within an enclosure of the system; identify and upward temperature gradient or temperature that exceeds a threshold temperature; and select a failure scenario associated with a root cause of a thermal problem that is similar to the thermal problem described by the temperature readings collected.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving temperatures associated with elements of a system, wherein the temperatures received are dependent upon airflow and heating patterns of the elements;

detecting a difference between the temperatures received and expected temperatures; and

determining potential airflow and heating patterns associated with an element of the elements, the potential airflow and heating patterns being substantially consistent with the temperatures received, to identify the element as a probable source of the difference.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising adjusting an operation of the system to modify a temperature gradient of the system in response to identifying the element as a probable source of the difference.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining a failure scenario having a change in a system topology associated with the difference and

calculating airflow and heating patterns for the failure scenario.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the difference comprises accessing the expected airflow and heating patterns stored in memory, the expected airflow and heating patterns being selected based upon a topology of the system.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the difference comprises calculating the expected airflow and heating patterns based upon a topology of the system substantially contemporaneous with the temperatures received.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the difference comprises identifying a temperature gradient associated with a temperature of the temperatures received.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the difference comprises identifying a temperature of the temperatures received that exceeds a threshold temperature.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the potential airflow and heating patterns for the element comprises selecting a failure scenario associated with temperatures, based upon the temperatures received and a topology of the system.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the potential airflow and heating patterns for the element comprises:

determining a failure scenario based upon a topology of the system;

calculating the potential airflow and heating patterns for the failure scenario; and

comparing temperatures associated with the potential airflow and heating patterns against the temperatures received.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising selecting the failure scenario from a group of failure scenarios to identify the probable source, based upon a similarity between the temperatures associated with the potential airflow and heating patterns and the temperatures received.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein calculating the potential airflow and heating patterns comprises calculating the potential airflow and heating patterns based upon an airflow loop via an opening associated with the element.

12. An apparatus, comprising:

temperature sensors to detect temperatures dependent upon airflow and heating patterns of elements within an enclosure of a system;

a temperature monitor coupled with the temperature sensors to receive the temperatures and to detect a difference between the temperatures received and expected temperatures; and

a failure determiner coupled with the temperature monitor to determine potential airflow and heating patterns associated with an element of the elements, the potential airflow and heating patterns being substantially consistent with the temperatures received, to identify the element as a probable source of the difference.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, further comprising an operation adjuster coupled with the failure determiner to adjust an operation of the system to modify a temperature gradient of the system in response to identifying the element as a probable source of the difference.

14. The apparatus of claim 12, further comprising a topology adjuster coupled with the failure determiner to adjust a topology of the system in response to changing the element.

15. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the temperature monitor comprises an expected temperature determiner to calculate the expected airflow and heating patterns based upon a topology of the system.

16. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the failure determiner comprises a scenario selector coupled with memory to select a failure scenario associated with temperatures, based upon the temperatures received and a topology of the system, the topology being substantially contemporaneous with the temperatures received.

17. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the failure determiner comprises:

a scenario selector coupled with memory to determine a failure scenario based upon a topology of the system;

a scenario calculator coupled with the scenario selector to calculate the potential airflow and heating patterns for the failure scenario; and

a scenario comparator coupled with the scenario calculator to compare temperatures associated with the potential airflow and heating patterns against the temperatures received.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the scenario calculator comprises a loop calculator to calculate the potential airflow and heating patterns based upon an airflow loop via an opening associated with the element.

19. A machine-accessible medium containing instructions, which when executed by a machine, cause said machine to perform operations, comprising:

receiving temperatures associated with elements of a system, wherein the temperatures received are dependent upon airflow and heating patterns of the elements;

detecting a difference between the temperatures received and expected temperatures; and

determining potential airflow and heating patterns associated with an element of the elements, the potential airflow and heating patterns being substantially consistent with the temperatures received, to identify the element as a probable source of the difference.

20. The machine-accessible medium of claim 19, wherein the operations further comprise adjusting an operation of the system to modify a temperature gradient of the system in response to identifying the element as a probable source of the difference.

21. The machine-accessible medium of claim 19, wherein the operations further comprise:

determining a failure scenario having a change in a system topology associated with the difference and

calculating airflow and heating patterns for the failure scenario.

22. The machine-accessible medium of claim 19, wherein determining the potential airflow and heating patterns for the element comprises selecting a failure scenario associated with temperatures, based upon the temperatures received and a topology of the system.

23. The machine-accessible medium of claim 19, wherein determining the potential airflow and heating patterns for the element comprises:

determining a failure scenario based upon a topology of the system;

calculating the potential airflow and heating patterns for the failure scenario; and

comparing temperatures associated with the potential airflow and heating patterns against the temperatures received.

24. The machine-accessible medium of claim 23, wherein calculating the potential airflow and heating patterns comprises calculating the potential airflow and heating patterns based upon an airflow loop via an opening associated with the element.