Distributed system and method for managing power usage among server data processing systems

• US 7,467,311 B2
• Filed: 06/09/2005
• Issued: 12/16/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/09/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Lenovo International Limited (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Bahali, Sumanta K., Bailey, Warren D., Foster, Jimmy G. Sr., Sellman, Gregory D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Du; Thuan
• Assistant Examiner(s): Brown; Michael J
• Application Number:
  US11/148,579
• Publication Number:
  US 20060282685A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,286 Days
• Field of Search: 713/300, 713/320, 713/323, 713/324, 713/375
• US Class Current: 713/320
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3203 Power management, i.e. event-based initiation of a power-saving mode

Abstract

A distributed method and system for managing power usage among server data processing systems are disclosed. According to one embodiment, a server data processing system of a plurality of server data processing systems is provided, where the server data processing system comprises a power management communication port to communicatively couple the server data processing system to all other server data processing systems of the plurality of server data processing systems and a system management processor coupled to the power management communication port. In the described embodiment, the system management processor comprises communication logic configured to monitor power usage of all the other server data processing systems of the plurality, and power management logic configured to perform a power management operation on the server data processing system based upon the monitored power usage.

Claims

1. A server data processing system of a plurality of server data processing systems for managing power usage, said server data processing system comprising:

a power management communication port to communicatively couple said server data processing system to all other server data processing systems of said plurality of server data processing systems, wherein each server data processing system is a unit server rack separate from the other server data processing systems and each server data processing system may comprise multiple processors; and

a system management processor coupled to said power management communication port comprising,

communication logic configured to;

monitor power usage of said all other server data processing systems, and

determine a total power usage of said plurality of server data processing systems utilizing said power usage data corresponding to said server data processing system and said power usage data corresponding to each of said all other server data processing system of said plurality of server data processing systems;

receive, from each of said all other server data processing system of said plurality of server data processing systems, corresponding power usage data; and

transmit power usage data corresponding to said server data processing system to each of said all other server data processing system of said plurality of server data processing systems, wherein each server data processing system of said plurality has a full complement of power usage data from all other server data processing systems; and

power management logic configured to;

perform a power management operation on said server data processing system based upon said power usage of said all other server data processing systems; and

select said power management operation based upon said total power usage of said plurality of server data processing systems;

wherein said power management operation includes one or more of;

applying a cumulative power usage reduction factor, such as a cumulative weighted throttling time, for each server data processing system;

establishing a throttling level utilizing one of a plurality of available levels, which level is selected based on a current cumulative power usage;

adjusting the throttling level to enable increased power usage when the cumulative power usage falls below a pre-established threshold.

2. The server data processing system of claim 1, wherein said power usage data corresponding to said server data processing system comprises a cumulative power usage reduction factor corresponding to said server data processing system, and said power management logic is further configured to select said power management operation based upon said cumulative power usage reduction factor.

3. The server data processing system of claim 1, wherein said server data processing system further comprises a storage element to store data specifying a power usage threshold, and said power management logic is further configured to compare said total power usage to said power usage threshold and to select said power management operation in response to a comparison of said total power usage and said power usage threshold.

4. The server data processing system of claim 1, wherein said power management logic is further configured to select a power management state of a plurality of power management states based upon said total power usage of said plurality of server data processing systems and to assume said power management state.

5. A method for managing power usage within a server data processing system of a plurality of server data processing systems, said method comprising:

communicatively coupling said server data processing system to all other server data processing systems of said plurality of server data processing systems, wherein each server data processing system is a unit server rack separate from the other server data processing systems and each server data processing system may comprise multiple processors;

monitoring power usage of said all other server data processing systems utilizing communication logic of a system management processor of said server data processing system;

receiving power usage data from each of said all other server data processing system of said plurality of server data processing systems utilizing said communication logic;

determining a total power usage of said plurality of server data processing systems utilizing said power usage data corresponding to said server data processing system and said power usage data corresponding to each of said all other server data processing system of said plurality of server data processing systems;

transmitting power usage data corresponding to said server data processing system to each of said all other server data processing system of said plurality of server data processing systems utilizing said communication logic, wherein each server data processing system of said plurality has a full complement of power usage data from all other server data processing systems;

performing a power management operation on said server data processing system based upon said power usage of said all other server data processing systems utilizing power management logic of said system management processor; and

selecting said power management operation based upon said total power usage of said plurality of server data processing systems utilizing said power management logic;

wherein said power management operation includes one or more of;

applying a cumulative power usage reduction factor, such as a cumulative weighted throttling time, for each server data processing system;

establishing a throttling level utilizing one of a plurality of available levels, which level is selected based on a current cumulative power usage;

adjusting the throttling level to enable increased power usage when the cumulative power usage falls below a pre-established threshold.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein said power usage data corresponding to said server data processing system comprises a cumulative power usage reduction factor corresponding to said server data processing system, and said method further comprises selecting said power management operation based upon said cumulative power usage reduction factor utilizing said power management logic.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein said server data processing system further comprises a storage element to store data specifying a power usage threshold, and said method further comprises comparing said total power usage to said power usage threshold, and selecting said power management operation in response to said comparing utilizing said power management logic.

8. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

selecting a power management state of a plurality of power management states based upon said total power usage of said plurality of server data processing systems utilizing said power management logic.

9. A machine-readable storage medium having a plurality of instructions executable by a machine embodied therein, wherein said plurality of instructions when executed cause said machine to perform a method for managing power usage within a server data processing system of a plurality of server data processing systems, said method comprising:

communicatively coupling said server data processing system to all other server data processing systems of said plurality of server data processing systems, wherein each server data processing system is a unit server rack separate from the other server data processing systems and each server data processing system may comprise multiple processors;

monitoring power usage of said all other server data processing systems utilizing communication logic of a system management processor of said server data processing system;

determining a total power usage of said plurality of server data processing systems utilizing said power usage data corresponding to said server data processing system and said power usage data corresponding to each of said all other server data processing system of said plurality of server data processing systems;

receiving power usage data from each of said all other server data processing system of said plurality of server data processing systems utilizing said communication logic;

transmitting power usage data corresponding to said server data processing system to each of said all other server data processing system of said plurality of server data processing systems utilizing said communication logic, wherein each server data processing system of said plurality has a full complement of power usage data from all other server data processing systems;

performing a power management operation on said server data processing system based upon said power usage of said all other server data processing systems utilizing power management logic of said system management processor; and

selecting said power management operation based upon said total power usage of said plurality of server data processing systems utilizing said power management logic;

wherein said power management operation includes one or more of;

applying a cumulative power usage reduction factor, such as a cumulative weighted throttling time, for each server data processing system;

establishing a throttling level utilizing one of a plurality of available levels, which level is selected based on a current cumulative power usage;

adjusting the throttling level to enable increased power usage when the cumulative power usage falls below a pre-established threshold.

10. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein said power usage data corresponding to said server data processing system comprises a cumulative power usage reduction factor corresponding to said server data processing system, and said method further comprises selecting said power management operation based upon said cumulative power usage reduction factor utilizing said power management logic.

11. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein said server data processing system further comprises a storage element to store data specifying a power usage threshold, and said method further comprises comparing said total power usage to said power usage threshold, and selecting said power management operation in response to said comparing utilizing said power management logic.

12. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 9, said method further comprising:

selecting a power management state of a plurality of power management states based upon said total power usage of said plurality of server data processing systems utilizing said power management logic.