System, architecture, and method for logical server and other network devices in a dynamically configurable multi-server network environment

• US 8,074,092 B2
• Filed: 05/27/2009
• Issued: 12/06/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Huron IP LLC
• Original Assignee: Huron IP LLC
• Inventors: Fung, Henry T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Butler, Dennis M
• Application Number:
  US12/473,095
• Publication Number:
  US 20090235104A1
• Time in Patent Office: 923 Days
• Field of Search: 713/300, 713/320, 713/322, 713/323, 713/324, 711/161, 711/162
• US Class Current: 713/320
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3203 Power management, i.e. event-based initiation of a power-saving mode
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3209 Monitoring remote activity, e.g. over telephone lines or network connections
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3221 of disk drive devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0625 Power saving in storage systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0634 by changing the state or mode of one or more devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0689 Disk arrays, e.g. RAID, JBOD
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management

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.

Claims

1. A method of reducing power consumption in a computer system having a mirroring data storage subsystem, said method comprising steps of:

selecting a first set of disc drives from among a plurality of sets of disc drives as a currently active set;

selecting a second set of disc drives as a currently inactive set and placing said selected inactive set in a power conserving mode;

using said first set of disc drives to retrieve data in response to read data requests;

activating said second set of disc drives in response to a write data request;

performing said write operation to both said first and second set of disc drives; and

selecting one of said first set and second set as the inactive set and deactivating said selected inactive set after performing said write operation.

2. The method in claim 1, wherein said disc drives are configured as a RAID Level 1.

3. The method in claim 1, wherein said disc drives are configured as a RAID Level 0+1.

4. The method in claim 1, wherein said disc drives are configured as mirrored storage each set duplicating the data of the other set.

5. The method in claim 1, wherein:

said disc drives are disposed on separate server modules that have been grouped as a single logical device; and

said disk drives are configured as either a RAID Level 1 or a RAID Level 0+1 and include data mirroring.

6. The method in claim 1, wherein said step of placing said selected inactive set in a power conserving mode comprises placing said selected inactive set in one of a plurality of power conserving modes.

7. The method in claim 1, wherein said step of placing said selected inactive set in a power conserving mode comprises transitioning said selected inactive set to a powered off operating mode such that operating power is completely removed from said selected inactive set.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of placing said selected inactive set in a power conserving mode comprises transitioning said selected inactive set into a power operating mode that is between a powered on mode and a powered off mode such that operating power applied to said selected inactive set is reduced.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of selecting one of said first set and second set as the inactive set comprises selecting the one of said first and second sets that was previously the active set to be the inactive set.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of selecting one of said first set and second set as the inactive set comprises selecting the one of said first and second sets that was previously the inactive set to be the inactive set.

11. The method in claim 1, wherein said deactivating step comprises transitioning said selected inactive set into a power operating mode that is between a powered on mode and a powered off mode such that operating power applied to said selected inactive set is reduced.

12. The method in claim 1, wherein said deactivating step comprises transitioning said selected inactive set to a powered off operating mode such that operating power is completely removed from said selected inactive set.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of selecting one of said first set and second set as the inactive set comprises selecting one of said first set and second set based on a predetermined set of procedures.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein said step of selecting one of said first set and second set as the inactive set based on a predetermined set of procedures includes determining a number of write operations for each of said first and second sets of disc drives and selecting one of said first and second sets as the inactive set based on said number of write operations.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein said step of selecting one of said first set and second set as the inactive set based on a predetermined set of procedures includes determining a total amount of time each of said first and second sets of disc drives has been active, and selecting one of said first and second sets as the inactive set based on said respective amounts of time.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein said step of selecting one of said first set and second set as the inactive set based on a predetermined set of procedures includes determining an amount of time said first or second set of disc drives has been continuously active, and selecting one of said first and second sets as the inactive set based on said amount of time.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of activating said second set of disc drives in response to a write data request is performed prior to performing said write operations.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of activating said second set of disc drives comprises activating said second set of disc drives both in response to a write data request and after performing said write operation to said first set of disc drives.

19. An article of manufacture, comprising:

a computer storage medium having a computer program encoded thereon for reducing power consumption in a computer system having a mirroring data storage subsystem, said computer program including code for;

selecting a first set of disc drives from among a plurality of sets of disc drives as a currently active set;

selecting a second set of disc drives as a currently inactive set and placing said selected inactive set in a power conserving mode;

using said first set of disc drives to retrieve data in response to read data requests;

activating said second set of disc drives in response to a write data request;

performing said write operation to both said first and second set of disc drives; and

selecting one of said first set and second set as the inactive set and deactivating said selected inactive set after performing said write operation.

20. The article of manufacture of claim 19, wherein the computer program includes code for placing said selected inactive set in one of a plurality of power conserving modes.

21. The article of manufacture of claim 19, wherein the computer program includes code for transitioning said selected inactive set to a powered off operating mode such that operating power is completely removed from said selected inactive set.

22. The article of manufacture of claim 19, wherein the computer program includes code for transitioning said selected inactive set into a power operating mode that is between a powered on mode and a powered off mode such that operating power applied to said selected inactive set is reduced.

23. The article of manufacture of claim 19, wherein the computer program includes code for selecting as the inactive set after said write operation the one of said first and second sets that was previously the active set.

24. The article of manufacture of claim 19, wherein the computer program includes code for selecting as the inactive set after said write operation the one of said first and second sets that was previously the inactive set.

25. The article of manufacture of claim 19, wherein the computer program includes code for selecting one of said first set and second set as the inactive set after the write operation based on a predetermined set of procedures.

26. The article of manufacture of claim 25, wherein the computer program includes code for determining a number of write operations for each of said first and second sets of disc drives and selecting one of said first and second sets as the inactive set based on said number of write operations.

27. The article of manufacture of claim 25, wherein the computer program includes code for determining a total amount of time each of said first and second sets of disc drives has been active, and selecting one of said first and second sets as the inactive set based on said respective amounts of time.

28. The article of manufacture of claim 25, wherein the computer program includes code for determining an amount of time said first or second set of disc drives has been continuously active, and selecting one of said first and second sets as the inactive set based on said amount of time.

29. The article of manufacture of claim 19, wherein the computer program includes code for activating said second set of disc drives in response to a write data request prior to performing said write operations.

30. The article of manufacture of claim 19, wherein said code for activating said second set of disc drives comprises code for activating said second set of disc drives both in response to a write data request and after said write operation to said first set of disc drives is performed.