Shared power domain dynamic load based power loss detection and notification

• US 8,301,920 B2
• Filed: 04/13/2012
• Issued: 10/30/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/02/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Benhase, Linda V., Elliott, John C., Kubo, Robert A., Lucas, Gregg S.
• Primary Examiner(s): KNOLL, CLIFFORD H
• Application Number:
  US13/446,717
• Publication Number:
  US 20120198249A1
• Time in Patent Office: 200 Days
• Field of Search: 713/300, 713/340, 714/22
• US Class Current: 713/300
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/28 Supervision thereof, e.g. detecting power-supply failure by out of limits supervision

Abstract

The advanced management module services in a data processing system are configured to determine the system load and provide an input to the early power off warning detection logic that evaluates the power system state to detect a condition when power resources are insufficient to maintain the write caching storage system power within defined acceptable limits. The early power off warning detection logic generates a notification based on the system load and the available power supply resources to maintain maximum availability and reliability characteristics.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory coupled to the processor, wherein the memory comprises;

first instructions to identify a power configuration for a data processing system;

second instructions to determine a load condition for the identified power configuration;

third instructions to determine whether the load condition and power configuration is likely to result in an unreliable power system configuration for a write caching storage system; and

fourth instructions to send a notification, in response to the load condition and power configuration being likely to result in an unreliable power system configuration for the write caching storage system, to the write caching storage system indicating the unreliable power system configuration.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus is configured to receive, from one or more power supply units of the data processing system, a power supply good state input, wherein a given power supply good state input indicates that a corresponding power supply unit is present and is providing an acceptable amount of power.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the apparatus is configured to receive, from the one or more power supply units of the data processing system, a warning signal input in response to a potential power failure event of a corresponding power supply unit, wherein the first instructions to identify the power configuration for the data processing system comprises:

instructions to receive and process a warning signal input from one or more of the one or more power supply units.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the second instructions to determine the load condition for the identified power configuration comprises:

instructions to determine the load condition for the identified power configuration based on the warning signal input from the one or more of the one or more power supply units and the power supply good state input from one or more of the one or more power supply units.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second instructions to determine the load condition for the identified power configuration comprises:

instructions to determine a maximum acceptable load for the identified power configuration.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the third instructions to determine whether the load condition and power configuration are likely to result in an unreliable power system configuration for the write caching storage system comprises:

instructions to identify an actual shared load of the data processing system;

instructions to compare the actual shared load of the data processing system to the maximum acceptable load for the identified power configuration; and

instructions to determine, responsive to the actual shared load exceeding the maximum acceptable load for the identified power configuration, that the load condition and the power configuration are likely to result in an unreliable power system configuration for the write caching storage system.

7. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the instructions to determine the maximum acceptable load for the identified power configuration comprises performing a lookup operation in a table of maximum acceptable loads based on the load condition.

8. A computer program product comprising:

a computer readable storage medium;

first program instructions to identify a power configuration for a data processing system;

second program instructions to determine a load condition for the identified power configuration;

third program instructions to determine whether the load condition and power configuration is likely to result in an unreliable power system configuration for a write caching storage system; and

fourth program instructions to send a notification, in response to the load condition and power configuration being likely to result in an unreliable power system configuration for the write caching storage system, to the write caching storage system indicating the unreliable power system configuration; and

wherein the first, second, third, and fourth program instructions are stored on the computer readable storage medium.

9. The computer program product of claim 8, further comprising:

fifth program instructions to receive, from one or more power supply units of the data processing system, a power supply good state input, wherein a given power supply good state input indicates that a corresponding power supply unit is present and is providing an acceptable amount of power, wherein the fifth program instructions are stored on the computer readable storage medium.

10. The computer program product of claim 9, further comprising:

sixth program instructions to receive, from the one or more power supply units of the data processing system, a warning signal input in response to a potential power failure event of a corresponding power supply unit, wherein the first program instructions to identify the power configuration for the data processing system comprises;

program instructions to receive and process a warning signal input from one or more of the one or more power supply units, wherein the sixth program instructions are stored on the computer readable storage medium.

11. The computer program product of claim 10, wherein the second program instructions to determine the load condition for the identified power configuration comprises:

program instructions to determine the load condition for the identified power configuration based on the warning signal input from the one or more of the one or more power supply units and the power supply good state input from one or more of the one or more power supply units.

12. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein the second program instructions to determine the load condition for the identified power configuration comprises:

program instructions to determine a maximum acceptable load for the identified power configuration.

13. The computer program product of claim 12, wherein the third program instructions to determine whether the load condition and power configuration are likely to result in an unreliable power system configuration for the write caching storage system comprises:

program instructions to identify an actual shared load of the data processing system;

program instructions to compare the actual shared load of the data processing system to the maximum acceptable load for the identified power configuration; and

program instructions to determine, responsive to the actual shared load exceeding the maximum acceptable load for the identified power configuration, that the load condition and the power configuration are likely to result in an unreliable power system configuration for the write caching storage system.

14. The computer program product of claim 12, wherein the program instructions to determine the maximum acceptable load for the identified power configuration comprises performing a lookup operation in a table of maximum acceptable loads based on the load condition.

15. A method, implemented in a hardware module, comprising:

identifying, by the hardware module, by the a power configuration for a data processing system;

determining, by the hardware module, a load condition for the identified power configuration;

determining, by the hardware module, whether the load condition and power configuration is likely to result in an unreliable power system configuration for a write caching storage system; and

sending, by the hardware module, a notification, in response to the load condition and power configuration being likely to result in an unreliable power system configuration for the write caching storage system, to the write caching storage system indicating the unreliable power system configuration.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

receiving, by the hardware module, from one or more power supply units of the data processing system, a power supply good state input, wherein a given power supply good state input indicates that a corresponding power supply unit is present and is providing an acceptable amount of power.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

receiving, by the hardware module, from the one or more power supply units of the data processing system, a warning signal input in response to a potential power failure event of a corresponding power supply unit, wherein identifying the power configuration for the data processing system comprises receiving and processing a warning signal input from one or more of the one or more power supply units.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein determining the load condition for the identified power configuration comprises:

determining the load condition for the identified power configuration based on the warning signal input from the one or more of the one or more power supply units and the power supply good state input from one or more of the one or more power supply units.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein determining the load condition for the identified power configuration comprises:

determining a maximum acceptable load for the identified power configuration.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein determining whether the load condition and power configuration are likely to result in an unreliable power system configuration for the write caching storage system comprises:

identifying an actual shared load of the data processing system;

comparing the actual shared load of the data processing system to the maximum acceptable load for the identified power configuration; and

determining, responsive to the actual shared load exceeding the maximum acceptable load for the identified power configuration, that the load condition and the power configuration are likely to result in an unreliable power system configuration for the write caching storage system.