Preemptive thermal control by processor throttling in a modular computing system

• US 7,881,826 B2
• Filed: 04/17/2008
• Issued: 02/01/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/17/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Paruthi, Meghna, McBeth, Ryan M., Farrugia, John, Cakici, Sertac, Vega, Madeline
• Primary Examiner(s): Shechtman; Sean P
• Application Number:
  US12/104,694
• Publication Number:
  US 20090265044A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,020 Days
• Field of Search: 700/9, 700/20, 700 28- 29, 700/46, 700/49, 700275-278, 700/282, 700/299, 700/300, 702/132, 702182-184, 702/188, 713/300, 713/322, 709/226
• US Class Current: 700/276
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/206 comprising thermal management
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3203 Power management, i.e. event-based initiation of a power-saving mode
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/324 by lowering clock frequency
• 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 modular computing housing includes a housing structure having a plurality of component slots that each can receive one of a plurality of components, where at least one of the components includes a processor having an operating frequency. A cooling system provides airflow through each of the component slots. A thermal control system can be communicably connected to each of the component slots and each of the received component processors. The thermal control system receives configuration data from each of the component slots, retrieves throttle data corresponding to the configuration data, and directs at least one received component processors to reduce its operating frequency in accordance with the throttle data.

Claims

1. A modular computer housing system comprising:

a housing having a plurality of component slots, wherein each of said plurality of component slots can receive one of a plurality of components, wherein said components include at least one processor having an adjustable operating frequency; and

a thermal control system communicably coupled to each of said component slots and each of said received component processors;

wherein said thermal control system receives configuration data from each of said plurality of component slots including an identification of a particular component slot among the plurality of component slots that is not occupied by a powered component, retrieves throttle data corresponding to said configuration data, and directs the at least one processor to vary its operating frequency in accordance with said throttle data, wherein the throttle data indicates differing operating frequencies for the at least one processor based upon its physical proximity to the particular component slot.

2. The modular computer housing system of claim 1, and further comprising a cooling system to provide airflow through said plurality of component slots.

3. The modular computer housing system of claim 1, wherein the particular component slot receives an unpowered airflow restriction filler and said configuration data includes airflow restriction filler identification data.

4. The modular computer housing system of claim 1, wherein said thermal control system retrieves said throttle data from a look-up table.

5. The modular computer housing system of claim 1, wherein the particular component slot is empty and said configuration data includes empty component slot identification data.

6. A thermal control process in a modular computing housing including a plurality of component slots, said process comprising:

determining configuration data regarding the plurality of component slots in the modular computing housing, the configuration data including an identification of a particular component slot among the plurality of component slots that is not occupied by a powered component and at least one component slot including a processor;

determining processor throttle data based on said configuration data; and

changing an operating frequency of at least one processor in the plurality of component slots in accordance with said processor throttle data, wherein the throttle data indicates differing operating frequencies for the at least one processor based upon its physical proximity to the particular component slot.

7. The thermal control process of claim 6, wherein said determining configuration data includes identifying component slots having powered components installed therein, component slots having unpowered airflow restriction fillers installed therein, and empty slots.

8. The thermal control process of claim 6, and further comprising forcing air about components installed in said plurality of component slots.

9. The thermal control process of claim 6, wherein determining processor throttle data comprises retrieving said processor throttle data from a look-up table.

10. A program product, comprising:

a computer readable storage medium; and

program code stored within the computer readable storage medium that, when executed, cause a computer to perform;

determining configuration data regarding the plurality of component slots in the modular computing housing, the configuration data including an identification of a particular component slot among the plurality of component slots that is not occupied by a powered component and at least one component slot including a processor;

determining processor throttle data based on said configuration data; and

changing an operating frequency of at least one processor in the plurality of component slots in accordance with said processor throttle data, wherein the throttle data indicates differing operating frequencies for the at least one processor based upon its physical proximity to the particular component slot.

11. The program product of claim 10, wherein said configuration data is generated by identifying component slots having powered components installed therein, component slots having unpowered airflow restriction fillers installed therein, and empty slots.

12. The program product of claim 10, wherein determining processor throttle data comprises retrieving said processor throttle data from a look-up table.

13. A thermal control system for a modular computing system, comprising:

a configuration sensor to collect configuration data of said modular computing system, the configuration data including an identification of a particular component slot among a plurality of component slots that is not occupied by a powered component;

data storage including a configuration data structure, wherein the data storage outputs processor throttle data from the configuration data structure corresponding to configuration data detected by the configuration sensor; and

a processor throttle module that, responsive to the processor throttle data, controls operating frequencies of at least one processor in said modular computing system in accordance with said processor throttle data, wherein the throttle data indicates differing operating frequencies for the at least one processor based upon its physical proximity to the particular component slot.

14. The thermal control system of claim 13, wherein said modular computing system includes an enclosure housing said at least one processor.

15. The thermal control system of claim 13, wherein said configuration data indicates which components are present in the plurality of component slots and a location of each of the components in the modular computing system.

16. The thermal control system of claim 13, wherein said configuration data structure comprises a configuration look-up table.

17. The thermal control system of claim 13, wherein said configuration data indicates that the particular component slot is empty.