Administering power supplies in a data center

• US 7,992,014 B2
• Filed: 12/19/2007
• Issued: 08/02/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lenovo International Limited (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Lewis, Thomas F., Vernon, Kevin S. D., Reinberg, Kevin M., Langgood, John K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee; Thomas
• Assistant Examiner(s): Rahman; Fahmida
• Application Number:
  US11/960,450
• Publication Number:
  US 20090164824A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,322 Days
• Field of Search: 713/300, 713/310, 713320-324, 713/330, 713/340, 700/22, 700/292, 700/295
• US Class Current: 713/300
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/007 Arrangements for selectively connecting the load or loads to one or several among a plurality of power lines or power sources for providing uninterruptable power supply H02J9/00

Abstract

Administering power supplies in a data center including, upon connection of a first power supply through a power line to a circuit breaker in the data center, querying, by a power supply communications device of the first power supply through the power line, a circuit breaker communications device of the circuit breaker for a circuit breaker identification; querying, by the power supply communications device of the first power supply, for a maximum current threshold for the circuit breaker; sending the circuit breaker identification and the maximum current threshold for the circuit breaker to a management module; and determining, by the management module in dependence upon the circuit breaker identification and the maximum current threshold for the circuit breaker, whether to power on a computing device powered by the first power supply including determining whether the circuit breaker is shared by another power supply.

Claims

1. A method of administering power supplies in a data center, the power supplies providing power to one or more computing devices, each of the power supplies connected through a power line to one of a plurality of circuit breakers, each of the circuit breakers comprising a circuit breaker communications device, each of the powers supplies comprising a power supply communications device, each of the power supplies connected through an out-of-band communications link to a management module, the management module managing the power supplies and the computing devices in the data center, the method comprising:

upon connection of a first power supply of the power supplies through a power line to a circuit breaker of the circuit breakers in the data center, querying, by a power supply communications device of the first power supply through the power line, a circuit breaker communications device of the circuit breaker of the circuit breakers for a circuit breaker identification, the circuit breaker identification uniquely identifying the circuit breaker;

querying, by the power supply communications device of the first power supply, for a maximum current threshold for the circuit breaker;

sending, by the power supply communications device through the out-of-band communications link, the circuit breaker identification and the maximum current threshold for the circuit breaker to the management module;

determining, by the management module in dependence upon the circuit breaker identification and the maximum current threshold for the circuit breaker, whether to power on a computing device of the computing devices powered by the first power supply including determining whether the circuit breaker is shared by another power supply of the power supplies; and

administering power of the computing device powered by the first power supply in accordance with the determination whether to power on the computing device.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein, if the circuit breaker is not shared by the another power supply, determining whether to power on the computing device powered by the first power supply further comprises determining whether a current requirement of the computing device powered by the first power supply exceeds the maximum current threshold of the circuit breaker, the method further comprising:

if the current requirement of the computing device powered by the first power supply exceeds the maximum current threshold of the circuit breaker;

powering on, by the management module, the computing device powered by the first power supply in a low power state;

sending, by the management module to the computing device powered by the first power supply, a notification of insufficient current supply at the circuit breaker; and

if the current requirement of the computing device powered by the first power supply does not exceed the maximum current threshold of the circuit breaker, powering on, by the management module, the computing device powered by the first power supply.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein, if the circuit breaker is shared by the another power supply, determining whether to power on the computing device powered by the first power supply further comprises determining whether a sum of current requirements of the computing devices powered by all of the power supplies sharing the circuit breaker exceeds the maximum current threshold of the circuit breaker, the method further comprising:

if the sum of the current requirements of the computing devices powered by all of the power supplies sharing the circuit breaker exceeds the maximum current threshold of the circuit breaker;

powering on, by the management module, the computing device powered by the first power supply in a low power state;

sending, by the management module to the computing device powered by the first power supply, a notification of insufficient current supply at the circuit breaker; and

if the sum of the current requirements of the computing devices powered by all of the power supplies sharing the circuit breaker does not exceed the maximum current threshold of the circuit breaker, powering on, by the management module, the computing device powered by the first power supply.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein determining whether the circuit breaker is shared by the another power supply further comprises:

determining from a data structure associating circuit breaker identifications and power supply identifications whether the circuit breaker identification of the circuit breaker connected to the first power supply is associated with the another power supply'"'"'s identification.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein querying, by the power supply communications device of the first power supply, the circuit breaker communications device for the maximum current threshold for the circuit breaker further comprises:

querying the circuit breaker communications device for the maximum current threshold over radio frequencies (‘

RF’

).

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the circuit breaker communications device of the circuit breaker connected to the first power supply and the power supply communications device of the first power supply are data communications peers in a peer-to-peer data communications network topology.

7. An apparatus for administering power supplies in a data center, the power supplies providing power to one or more computing devices, each of the power supplies connected through a power line to one of a plurality of circuit breakers, each of the circuit breakers comprising a circuit breaker communications device, each of the power supplies each power supply comprising a power supply communications device, each of the power supplies each power supply connected through an out-of-band communications link to a management module, the management module managing the power supplies and the computing devices in the data center, the apparatus comprising a computer processor, a computer memory operatively coupled to the computer processor, the computer memory having disposed within it computer program instructions capable of:

upon connection of a first power supply of the power supplies through a power line to a circuit breaker of the circuit breakers in the data center, querying, by a power supply communications device of the first power supply through the power line, a circuit breaker communications device of the circuit breaker for a circuit breaker identification, the circuit breaker identification uniquely identifying the circuit breaker;

querying, by the power supply communications device of the first power supply, for a maximum current threshold for the circuit breaker;

sending, by the power supply communications device through the out-of-band communications link, the circuit breaker identification and the maximum current threshold for the circuit breaker to the management module; and

determining, by the management module in dependence upon the circuit breaker identification and the maximum current threshold for the circuit breaker, whether to power on a computing device of the computing devices powered by the first power supply including determining whether the circuit breaker is shared by another power supply of the power supplies; and

administering power of the computing device powered by the first power supply in accordance with the determination whether to power on the computing device.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein, if the circuit breaker is not shared by the another power supply, determining whether to power on the computing device powered by the first power supply further comprises determining whether a current requirement of the computing device powered by the first power supply exceeds the maximum current threshold of the circuit breaker, the apparatus further comprising computer program instructions capable of:

if the current requirement of the computing device powered by the first power supply exceeds the maximum current threshold of the circuit breaker;

powering on, by the management module, the computing device powered by the first power supply in a low power state;

sending, by the management module to the computing device powered by the first power supply, a notification of insufficient current supply at the circuit breaker; and

if the current requirement of the computing device powered by the first power supply does not exceed the maximum current threshold of the circuit breaker, powering on, by the management module, the computing device powered by the first power supply.

9. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein, if the circuit breaker is shared by the another power supply, determining whether to power on the computing device powered by the first power supply further comprises determining whether a sum of current requirements of the computing devices powered by all of the power supplies sharing the circuit breaker exceeds the maximum current threshold of the circuit breaker, the apparatus further comprising computer program instructions capable of:

if the sum of the current requirements of the computing devices powered by all of the power supplies sharing the circuit breaker exceeds the maximum current threshold of the circuit breaker;

powering on, by the management module, the computing device powered by the first power supply in a low power state;

sending, by the management module to the computing device powered by the first power supply, a notification of insufficient current supply at the circuit breaker; and

if the sum of the current requirements of the computing devices powered by all of the power supplies sharing the circuit breaker does not exceed the maximum current threshold of the circuit breaker, powering on, by the management module, the computing device powered by the first power supply.

10. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein determining whether the circuit breaker is shared by the another power supply further comprises:

determining from a data structure associating circuit breaker identifications and power supply identifications whether the circuit breaker identification of the circuit breaker connected to the first power supply is associated with the another power supply'"'"'s identification.

11. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein querying, by the power supply communications device of the first power supply, the circuit breaker communications device for the current threshold for the circuit breaker further comprises:

querying the circuit breaker communications device for the maximum current threshold over radio frequencies (‘

RF’

).

12. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the circuit breaker communications device of the circuit breaker connected to the first power supply and the power supply communications device of the first power supply are data communications peers in a peer-to-peer data communications network topology.

13. A computer program product for administering power supplies in a data center, the power supplies providing power to one or more computing devices, each of the power supplies connected through a power line to one of a plurality of circuit breakers, each of the circuit breakers comprising a circuit breaker communications device, each of the power supplies comprising a power supply communications device, each of the power supplies connected through an out-of-band communications link to a management module, the management module managing the power supplies and the computing devices in the data center, the computer program product stored in a computer readable non-transmitting recordable medium, the computer program product comprising computer program instructions capable of:

upon connection of a first power supply of the power supplies through a power line to a circuit breaker of the circuit breakers in the data center, querying, by a power supply communications device of the first power supply through the power line, a circuit breaker communications device of the circuit breaker for a circuit breaker identification, the circuit breaker identification uniquely identifying the circuit breaker;

querying, by the power supply communications device of the first power supply of the power supplies, for a maximum current threshold for the circuit breaker;

sending, by the power supply communications device through the out-of-band communications link, the circuit breaker identification and the maximum current threshold for the circuit breaker to the management module; and

determining, by the management module in dependence upon the circuit breaker identification and the maximum current threshold for the circuit breaker, whether to power on a computing device of the computing devices powered by the first power supply including determining whether the circuit breaker is shared by another power supply of the power supplies; and

administering power of the computing device powered by the first power supply in accordance with the determination whether to power on the computing device.

14. The computer program product of claim 13 wherein, if the circuit breaker is not shared by the another power supply, determining whether to power on the computing device powered by the first power supply further comprises determining whether a current requirement of the computing device powered by the first power supply exceeds the maximum current threshold of the circuit breaker, the computer program product further comprising computer program instructions capable of:

if the current requirement of the computing device powered by the first power supply exceeds the maximum current threshold of the circuit breaker;

powering on, by the management module, the computing device powered by the first power supply in a low power state;

sending, by the management module to the computing device powered by the first power supply, a notification of insufficient current supply at the circuit breaker; and

if the current requirement of the computing device powered by the first power supply does not exceed the maximum current threshold of the circuit breaker, powering on, by the management module, the computing device powered by the first power supply.

15. The computer program product of claim 13 wherein, if the circuit breaker is shared by the another power supply, determining whether to power on the computing device powered by the first power supply further comprises determining whether a sum of current requirements of the computing devices powered by all of the power supplies sharing the circuit breaker exceeds the maximum current threshold of the circuit breaker, the computer program product further comprising computer program instructions capable of:

if the sum of the current requirements of the computing devices powered by all of the power supplies sharing the circuit breaker exceeds the maximum current threshold of the circuit breaker;

powering on, by the management module, the computing device powered by the first power supply in a low power state;

sending, by the management module to the computing device powered by the first power supply, a notification of insufficient current supply at the circuit breaker; and

if the sum of the current requirements of the computing devices powered by all power supplies sharing the circuit breaker does not exceed the maximum current threshold of the circuit breaker, powering on, by the management module, the computing device powered by the first power supply.

16. The computer program product of claim 13 wherein determining whether the circuit breaker is shared by the another power supply further comprises:

determining from a data structure associating circuit breaker identifications and power supply identifications whether the circuit breaker identification of the circuit breaker connected to the first power supply is associated with the another power supply'"'"'s identification.

17. The computer program product of claim 13 wherein querying, by the power supply communications device of the first power supply, the circuit breaker communications device for the maximum current threshold for the circuit breaker further comprises:

querying the circuit breaker communications device for the maximum current threshold over radio frequencies (‘

RF’

).

18. The computer program product of claim 13 wherein the circuit breaker communications device of the circuit breaker connected to the first power supply and the power supply communications device of the first power supply are data communications peers in a peer-to-peer data communications network topology.

19. A method of administering power supplies in a data center, the power supplies providing power to one or more computing devices, each of the power supplies connected through a power line to one of a plurality of circuit breakers, each of the power supplies comprising a power supply communications device, each of the power supplies connected through an out-of-band communications link to a management module, the management module managing the power supplies and the computing devices in the data center, the method comprising:

upon connection of a first power supply of the power supplies through a power line to a circuit breaker of the circuit breakers in the data center, identifying, by a power supply communications device of the first power supply through the power line, power supply communications devices of other power supplies connected to the circuit breaker including retrieving a unique power supply identification for each of the power supplies;

sending, by the power supply communications device of the first power supply to the management module through the out-of-band communications link, the unique power supply identification of the identified power supplies; and

determining in dependence upon the unique power supply identifications and a data structure associating the unique power supply identifications and current requirements of computing devices whether to power on one or more computing devices powered by the first power supply.