Aggregate power display for multiple data processing systems

• US 8,055,926 B2
• Filed: 02/28/2008
• Issued: 11/08/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lenovo International Limited (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Piper, Scott Alan, Taylor, Karen April
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee; Thomas
• Assistant Examiner(s): YANCHUS III, PAUL B
• Application Number:
  US12/039,433
• Publication Number:
  US 20090222682A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,349 Days
• Field of Search: 713/300, 713/310, 713/340, 702/60, 702/61
• US Class Current: 713/340
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/00 Administration; Management

Abstract

The present invention provides a method for providing aggregate power consumption information for hundreds or thousands of data processing systems interconnected in a network. In one embodiment, a method is provided that receives power consumption information for each of the data processing systems along with time intervals associated with this information. The power consumption information is analyzed to provide the power consumption of the total number of data processing systems. This is accomplished by selectively computing total power consumption for selected time values.

Claims

1. A method for providing aggregate power consumption information for a plurality of data processing systems interconnected in a network to form an assemblage of data processing systems, said method comprising the steps of:

A) receiving a plurality of recorded power consumption files from each of the data processing systems, each file including a system identifier, a time interval consisting of an interval begin time and an interval end time, and an average power consumption value for that data processing system during that time interval, the recorded power files time intervals for each data processing system being unique in relation to time intervals for recorded power files of other data processing systems and wherein the number of time units in a recorded power consumption file time interval varies in relation to other time intervals for that data processing system and varies in relation to the number of time units in time intervals of other recorded power files for other data processing system; and

B) summing the power consumption for each data processing system for selected time units to provide an aggregate assemblage power consumption.

2. A method according to claim 1 further including the steps of receiving a request to display the aggregate assemblage power consumption during a reporting time period;

displaying the aggregate assemblage power consumption for each time unit over the reporting time period;

determining if, during the reporting time period, that a data processing system has a missing power consumption file and, upon such occurrence, displaying an event.

3. A method according to claim 1 further including the step of storing the plurality of recorded power consumption files for each data processing system in a central database.

4. A method according to claim 2 wherein step B further includes the steps of:

B1) ordering in time sequence, the data processing system'"'"'s recorded power consumption files for a data processing system forming a file sequence set for each data processing system in the assemblage that includes the reporting time period,

B2) ordering by time the file sequence sets of the assemblage and performing the steps of;

B2a) determining the earliest interval begin time unit in the assemblage file sequence sets and setting the interval begin time to a start of the reporting time period if the earliest interval begin time is before the start of the reporting time, and setting a current time variable specifying a current time equal to such earliest time and initializing an aggregate assemblage power consumption value;

B2b) determining for each sequence set if a power consumption value has been provided for the current time from all data processing systems, and,

B2b1) if so, adding its value to the aggregate assemblage power consumption value and determining the next earliest occurring recorded power interval time, incrementing the current time variable to such next earliest occurring recorded power interval time and recording the aggregate assemblage power consumption value for that current time until the current time variable exceeds that next earliest occurring recorded power interval time and proceeding to step (B2c),

B2b2) if not, declaring an event for the current time unit and determining the next earliest occurring recorded power interval time when power consumption values have been provided for all data processing systems, setting the current time variable to such next earliest occurring recorded power interval time and proceeding to step (B2c), and

B2c) determining if the new current time is less than that last of the power consumption record interval end times, and if so returning to step (B2b), or, if not, proceeding to the step of displaying the aggregate assemblage power consumption for each time unit over the reporting time period.

5. A computer program product stored in a non-transitory computer operable media, the non-transitory computer operable media containing instructions for execution by a computer, which, when executed by the computer, causes the computer to implement a method for determining aggregate power consumption information for a plurality of data processing systems interconnected in a network to form an assemblage of data processing systems, the method comprising the steps of:

A) receiving a plurality of recorded power consumption files from each of the data processing systems, each file including a system identifier, a time interval consisting of an interval begin time and an interval end time, and an average power consumption value for that data processing system during that time interval, the recorded power files time intervals for each data processing system being unique in relation to time intervals for recorded power files of other data processing systems and wherein the number of time units in a recorded power consumption file time interval varies in relation to other time intervals for that data processing system and varies in relation to the number of time units in time intervals of other recorded power files for other data processing system; and

B) summing the power consumption for each data processing system for selected time units to provide an aggregate assemblage power consumption.

6. The computer program product of claim 5 wherein step A includes storing the plurality of recorded power consumption files for each data processing system in a central database.

7. The computer program product of claim 5 further including the steps of receiving a request to display the aggregate assemblage power consumption during a reporting time period;

displaying the aggregate assemblage power consumption for each time unit over the reporting time period;

determining for each time unit in the reporting period when the recorded power consumption files do not provide power consumption information for one or more data processing systems and, if so, displaying such missing power consumption information as an event for that time unit.

8. The computer program product of claim 7 wherein step B further includes the steps of:

B1) ordering in time sequence, the data processing system'"'"'s recorded power consumption files for a data processing system forming a file sequence set for each data processing system in the assemblage that includes the reporting time period,

B2) ordering by time the file sequence sets of the assemblage and performing the steps of;

B2a) determining the earliest interval begin time unit in the assemblage file sequence sets and setting the interval begin time to a start of the reporting time period if the earliest interval begin time is before the start of the reporting time, and setting a current time variable specifying a current time equal to such earliest time and initializing an aggregate assemblage power consumption value;

B2b) determining for each sequence set if a power consumption value has been provided for the current time from all data processing systems, and,

B2b1) if so, adding its value to the aggregate assemblage power consumption value and determining the next earliest occurring recorded power interval time, incrementing the current time variable to such next earliest occurring recorded power interval time and recording the aggregate assemblage power consumption value for that current time until the current time variable exceeds that next earliest occurring recorded power interval time and proceeding to step (B2c),

B2b2) if not, declaring an event for the current time unit and determining the next earliest occurring recorded power interval time when power consumption values have been provided for all data processing systems, setting the current time variable to such next earliest occurring recorded power interval time and proceeding to step (B2c), and

B2c) determining if the new current time is less than that last of the power consumption record interval end times, and if so returning to step (B2b), or, if not, proceeding to the step of displaying the aggregate assemblage power consumption for each time unit over the reporting time period.

9. A power management system comprising:

a plurality of data processing systems, each data processing system including power monitor circuitry;

a network connected to each power monitor circuitry of each data processing system;

a power management processor including a display, and execution unit, and a program memory containing a program method for providing aggregate power consumption information for the plurality of data processing systems, the program method including the steps of;

A) receiving a plurality of recorded power consumption files from each of the data processing systems, each file including a system identifier, a time interval consisting of an interval begin time and an interval end time, and an average power consumption value for that data processing system during that time interval, the recorded power files time intervals for each data processing system being unique in relation to time intervals for recorded power files of other data processing systems and wherein the number of time units in a recorded power consumption file time interval varies in relation to other time intervals for that data processing system and varies in relation to the number of time units in time intervals of other recorded power files for other data processing system; and

B) summing the power consumption for each data processing system for selected time units to provide an aggregate assemblage power consumption.

10. A power management system according to claim 9 further including at least one service processor connected to a second plurality of data processing systems.

11. A power management system according to claim 10 where at least one of said power monitor circuitry is contained internally within its data processing system.

12. A power management system according to claim 10 wherein the power management processor further includes a database storage memory.

13. A method for providing aggregate power consumption information for a plurality of data processing systems interconnected in a network to form an assemblage of data processing systems, said method comprising the steps of:

A) receiving a plurality of recorded power consumption files from each of the data processing systems, each file including a system identifier, a time interval consisting of an interval begin time and an interval end time, and an average power consumption value for that data processing system during that time interval, the recorded power files time intervals for each data processing system being unique in relation to time intervals for recorded power files of other data processing systems and wherein the number of time units in a recorded power consumption file time interval varies in relation to the number of time units in time intervals of other recorded power files for other data processing system; and

B) summing the power consumption for each data processing system for selected time units to provide an aggregate assemblage power consumption.