Method for diverting power reserves and shifting activities according to activity priorities in a server cluster in the event of a power interruption

• US 6,990,593 B2
• Filed: 07/31/2001
• Issued: 01/24/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hewlett Packard Enterprise Development LP (Hewlett-Packard Enterprise Company)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Nakagawa, O Sam
• Primary Examiner(s): Browne, Lynne H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): YANCHUS III, PAUL B
• Application Number:
  US09/919,134
• Publication Number:
  US 20030037150A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,638 Days
• Field of Search: 713/300, 713/340, 713/310, 713/320, 713/324, 709/223, 709/229, 709/226
• US Class Current: 713/300
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/28 Supervision thereof, e.g. detecting power-supply failure by out of limits supervision
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3203 Power management, i.e. event-based initiation of a power-saving mode

Abstract

A system and method for Quality of Service (QoS) based server cluster power management is disclosed. The method of the present invention includes: grouping activities within a server cluster into predefined sets; assigning a priority level to each set; identifying a server hosting a set of lower-priority activities within the cluster; receiving a power interruption signal; and diverting power reserves of the server to another server in the cluster, in response to the power interruption signal. The system of the present invention includes: servers, hosting a plurality of activity sets each having an associated QoS level; power reserves coupled to the servers; a switch matrix coupled to direct the power reserves between the servers; and a power manager, coupled to the switch matrix, for commanding the switch matrix to divert power from servers hosting low QoS activity sets to servers hosting high-priority activity sets, in response to a power interruption.

Claims

1. A method for server cluster power management, comprising:

grouping activities within a server cluster into at least a high and a low priority group and wherein a group includes at least one activity;

receiving a power interruption signal;

shifting a group of high priority activities to a first server in the cluster in response to the power interruption signal;

diverting power reserves of a second server in the server cluster to the first server in response to the power interruption signal; and

diverting a low priority activity to another server in the cluster.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the grouping step includes:

grouping activities by data type.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the grouping includes:

grouping activities by process.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the grouping includes:

defining activity sets based on Quality of Service according to a Common Open Policy Service Protocol (COPS).

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the grouping is based, in part, on the Quality of Service associated with an activity.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the receiving the power interruption signal includes:

receiving the power interruption signal, in response to a network administrator command.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the diverting includes:

diverting battery power reserves of the second server to the first server in the cluster.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

identifying the first server as a server hosting a highest priority activity; and

diverting power reserves from all other cluster servers to the first server.

9. A method for server cluster power management, comprising:

grouping activities within a server cluster into at least a high and a low priority group and wherein a group includes at least one activity;

receiving a power interruption signal;

shifting a group of high priority activities to a first server in the cluster in response to the power interruption signal;

diverting power reserves of a second server in the server cluster to the first server in response to the power interruption signal; and

incrementally shutting down lower-priority activities on the first server as power reserves dwindle.

10. The method of claim 9 further comprising:

identifying the first server as a server hosting a highest priority activity; and

diverting power reserves from all other cluster servers to the first server.

11. A method for server cluster power management, comprising:

grouping activities within a server cluster into predefined sets;

assigning a priority level to each set;

receiving a power interruption signal;

programmatically identifying a priority server hosting a highest priority activity;

diverting power reserves from all servers to the priority server, in response to the power interruption signal; and

incrementally shutting down lower-priority activities on the priority server as power reserves dwindle.

12. A computer-usable medium embodying computer program code for commanding a computer to perform server cluster power management comprising:

grouping activities within a server cluster into predefined sets;

assigning a priority level to each set;

programmatically identifying a first server hosting a first set of lower-priority activities within the cluster;

receiving a power interruption signal;

diverting power reserves of the first server to another server in the cluster, in response to the power interruption signal; and

diverting the first set of lower-priority activities to another server in the cluster.

13. The medium of claim 12 wherein the assigning the priority level includes:

assigning the priority level based on the Quality of Service associated with the activity set.

14. The medium of claim 12 wherein the receiving the power interruption signal includes:

receiving the power interruption signal, in response to a server cluster power failure.

15. The medium of claim 12 wherein the receiving the power interruption signal includes:

receiving the power interruption signal, in response to a network administrator command.

16. The medium of claim 12 further comprising:

identifying a second server hosting an activity which is highest on the priority list;

diverting power reserves from all servers to the second server.

17. A Computer-usable medium embodying computer program code for commanding a computer to perform server cluster power management comprising:

grouping activities within a server cluster into predefined sets;

assigning a priority level to each set;

programmatically identifying a first server hosting a first set of lower-priority activities within the cluster;

receiving a power interruption signal;

diverting power reserves of the first server to a second server in the cluster, in response to the power interruption signal; and

incrementally shutting down lower-priority activities on the second server as power reserves dwindle.

18. The medium of claim 17 wherein the receiving the power interruption signal includes:

receiving the power interruption signal, in response to a server cluster power failure.

19. The medium of claim 17 wherein the receiving the power interruption signal includes:

receiving the power interruption signal, in response to a network administrator command.

20. The medium of claim 17 further comprising:

identifying a second server hosting an activity which is highest on the priority list;

diverting power reserves from all servers to the second server.