Multi-server and multi-CPU power management system and method
First Claim
1. In a computer system comprising:
- a plurality of computers operating as servers each computer having at least one processing unit, a memory coupled to said at least one processing unit, logic circuits coupled to said processing unit contributing to operation of said computer system, and an activity monitor identifying a level of activity information for said at least one processor, a method for controlling the operating mode and as a result the power consumption each of said plurality of computers in said computer system between a plurality of operating modes each having a different electrical power consumption levels or ranges;
said method comprising;
configuring each of said computers to be operable in at least;
(i) a first mode having a first maximum performance level and a first power consumption rate, (ii) a third mode having a third maximum performance level lower than said first maximum performance level and a third power consumption rate lower than said first power consumption rate, and (iii) a second mode having a second maximum performance level intermediate between said first maximum performance level and said third maximum performance level and a second power consumption rate intermediate between said first power consumption rate and said third power consumption rate;
generating, by each of said plurality of computers, a level of activity information;
communicating the level of activity information from each of said plurality of computers to a power manager computer, the power manager computer being one of the plurality of computers or a different computer;
receiving by the power manager computer said level of activity information from each of said plurality of computers;
analyzing by said power manager computer said plurality of received level of activity information;
determining by said power manager computer an operating mode for each of said computers selected from said first mode, said second mode, and third mode based on said analyzed activity information and predetermined policies;
generating commands to each of said plurality of computers directing each of said plurality of computers to operate in said determined operating mode; and
while operating in a first selected operating mode exhibiting that first selected mode'"'"'s characteristic power consumption range, (i) monitoring said computer system to detect the occurrence or non-occurrence of a first event; and
(ii) transitioning said computer system from said first selected operating mode to a second selected operating mode exhibiting that second selected operating mode'"'"'s power consumption range.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Network architecture, computer system and/or server, circuit, device, apparatus, method, and computer program and control mechanism for managing power consumption and workload in computer system and data and information servers. Further provides power and energy consumption and workload management and control systems and architectures for high-density and modular multi-server computer systems that maintain performance while conserving energy and method for power management and workload management. Dynamic server power management and optional dynamic workload management for multi-server environments is provided by aspects of the invention. Modular network devices and integrated server system, including modular servers, management units, switches and switching fabrics, modular power supplies and modular fans and a special backplane architecture are provided as well as dynamically reconfigurable multi-purpose modules and servers. Backplane architecture, structure, and method that has no active components and separate power supply lines and protection to provide high reliability in server environment.
168 Citations
35 Claims
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1. In a computer system comprising:
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a plurality of computers operating as servers each computer having at least one processing unit, a memory coupled to said at least one processing unit, logic circuits coupled to said processing unit contributing to operation of said computer system, and an activity monitor identifying a level of activity information for said at least one processor, a method for controlling the operating mode and as a result the power consumption each of said plurality of computers in said computer system between a plurality of operating modes each having a different electrical power consumption levels or ranges;
said method comprising;configuring each of said computers to be operable in at least;
(i) a first mode having a first maximum performance level and a first power consumption rate, (ii) a third mode having a third maximum performance level lower than said first maximum performance level and a third power consumption rate lower than said first power consumption rate, and (iii) a second mode having a second maximum performance level intermediate between said first maximum performance level and said third maximum performance level and a second power consumption rate intermediate between said first power consumption rate and said third power consumption rate;generating, by each of said plurality of computers, a level of activity information; communicating the level of activity information from each of said plurality of computers to a power manager computer, the power manager computer being one of the plurality of computers or a different computer; receiving by the power manager computer said level of activity information from each of said plurality of computers; analyzing by said power manager computer said plurality of received level of activity information; determining by said power manager computer an operating mode for each of said computers selected from said first mode, said second mode, and third mode based on said analyzed activity information and predetermined policies; generating commands to each of said plurality of computers directing each of said plurality of computers to operate in said determined operating mode; and while operating in a first selected operating mode exhibiting that first selected mode'"'"'s characteristic power consumption range, (i) monitoring said computer system to detect the occurrence or non-occurrence of a first event; and
(ii) transitioning said computer system from said first selected operating mode to a second selected operating mode exhibiting that second selected operating mode'"'"'s power consumption range. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
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35. A computer program product for use in conjunction with a computer system including a plurality of computers each having at least one processing unit, a memory coupled to said at least one processing unit, logic circuits coupled to said processing unit contributing to operation of said computer system, and an activity monitor coupled with said processing unit a method for controlling the operating mode and as a result the power consumption of said computer system between a plurality of operating modes for each computer wherein each computer having a different electrical power consumption levels or ranges;
- the computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium and a computer program mechanism embedded therein, the computer program mechanism, comprising;
a program module that directs said computer system to function in a specified manner, the program module including instructions for; (i) monitoring said computer system including each of the plurality of computers to receive activity information from the activity monitors of each computer to detect the occurrence or non-occurrence of a first event while operating in a first selected operating mode exhibiting that first selected mode'"'"'s characteristic power consumption range; and (ii) transitioning said plurality of computers in said computer system on an individual computer basis based on said computer activity information from said first selected operating mode to a second selected operating mode exhibiting that second selected operating mode'"'"'s power consumption range; while operating in said second selected operating mode for any of said plurality of computers exhibiting that second selected mode'"'"'s characteristic power consumption range, (i) monitoring each of said plurality of computers in said computer system to detect the occurrence or non-occurrence of a second event; and
(ii) transitioning said plurality of computers within said computer system based on said activity information on a computer-by-computer basis from said second selected operating mode to a third selected operating mode exhibiting that third selected operating mode'"'"'s power consumption range;said first selected operating mode ans said second selected operating mode comprises different operating modes, and said second selected operating mode and said third selected operating mode comprise different operating modes, each of said first, second, and third operating modes being selected from the set of modes consisting of; (i) a mode in which said processing unit is operated at substantially maximum rated processing unit clock frequency and at substantially maximum rated processing unit core voltage, and said logic curcuit is operated at substantially maximum rated logic circuit clock frequency; (ii) a mode in which said processing unit is oprated at less than maximum rated processing unit clock frequency and at less than or equal to a maximum rated processing unit core voltage, and said logic circuit is operated at substantially maximum rated logic circuit frequency; and (iii) a mode in which said processing unit is operated at a substantially zero frequency processing unit clock frequency and at less than or equal to a maximum rated processing unit core voltage sufficient to maintain processor unit state, and said logic circuit is operated at substantially maximum rated logic circuit clock frequency; said set further comprises a mode in which said processing unit is powered off by removing a processing unit clock frequency and a processing unit core voltage.
- the computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium and a computer program mechanism embedded therein, the computer program mechanism, comprising;
Specification