System and method for predicting maximum cooler and rack capacities in a data center

• US 8,355,890 B2
• Filed: 05/08/2009
• Issued: 01/15/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/08/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: American Power Conversion Corporation (Schneider Electric SE)
• Original Assignee: American Power Conversion Corporation (Schneider Electric SE)
• Inventors: VanGilder, James W., Shrivastava, Saurabh K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Schechter, Andrew
• Assistant Examiner(s): ANDERSON, LYNNE D
• Application Number:
  US12/437,728
• Publication Number:
  US 20100286955A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,348 Days
• Field of Search: 702/60, 702/130, 702/182, 703/2, 361/688
• US Class Current: 702/182
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2111/10 Numerical modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2119/08 Thermal analysis or thermal optimisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 30/20 Design optimisation, verification or simulation optimisation, verification or simulation of circuit designs G06F30/30
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 30/23 using finite element methods [FEM] or finite difference methods [FDM]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/04 Forecasting or optimisation specially adapted for administrative or management purposes, e.g. linear programming or "cutting stock problem" market predictions or forecasting for commercial activities G06Q30/0202
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/60 Business processes related to postal services shipping G06Q10/083; franking apparatus G07B17/00

Abstract

A system and method for evaluating equipment in a data center, the equipment including a plurality of equipment racks, and at least one cooling provider. In one aspect, a method includes receiving data regarding each of the plurality of equipment racks and the at least one cooling provider, the data including a layout of the equipment racks and the at least one cooling provider, a power draw value for each of the equipment racks, and a maximum cooler capacity value for the at least one cooling provider; storing the received data; determining cooling performance of at least one of the plurality of equipment racks based on the layout; determining a cooling load for the at least one cooler and a difference between the cooling load and the maximum cooler capacity value; for each equipment rack, determining a maximum rack capacity based on the layout and the difference between the cooling load and the maximum cooler capacity value; and displaying an indication of the maximum rack capacity for each equipment rack.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for evaluating equipment in a data center, the equipment including a plurality of equipment racks, and at least one cooling provider, the method comprising:

receiving, by a computer, data regarding each of the plurality of equipment racks and the at least one cooling provider, the data including a layout of the equipment racks and the at least one cooling provider, and a power draw value for each of the equipment racks;

storing, by the computer, the received data;

determining a cooling load for the at least one cooling provider;

determining, by the computer, maximum cooler capacity for the at least one cooling provider based on the layout, and the power draw;

for each equipment rack, determining, by the computer, a maximum rack capacity based on the layout and the maximum cooler capacity, by iteratively increasing a value of power for the equipment rack and determining an updated cooling load for the at least one cooling provider until the updated cooling load exceeds the maximum cooler capacity; and

displaying, by the computer, an indication of the maximum rack capacity for at least one equipment rack.

2. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the at least one cooling provider is one of a plurality of cooling providers, and wherein the method further includes determining a maximum cooler capacity value for each cooling provider based on a maximum air return temperature to the plurality of cooling providers.

3. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein determining the maximum rack capacity for each equipment rack includes determining the maximum rack capacity based on available space in each equipment rack and based on available power of each equipment rack.

4. The computer implemented method of claim 1, further comprising determining cooling performance of each equipment rack based on air flows in the data center.

5. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein determining the cooling load for the at least one cooling provider includes determining the cooling load based on an ambient temperature determined based on a difference between total cooling load in the data center and total power load in the data center.

6. The computer implemented method of claim 5, wherein determining the cooling load for the at least one cooling provider includes determining the cooling load based on a cooler return temperature determined based on the ambient temperature.

7. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein displaying an indication of the maximum rack capacity includes displaying a model of the data center with the indication of the maximum rack capacity for an equipment rack displayed along with a model of the equipment rack.

8. A system for evaluating equipment in a data center, the equipment including a plurality of equipment racks, and at least one cooling provider, the system comprising:

an interface; and

a controller coupled to the interface and configured to;

receive data regarding each of the plurality of equipment racks and the at least one cooling provider, the data including a layout of the equipment racks and the at least one cooling provider, and a power draw value for each of the equipment racks;

store the received data in a storage device associated with the system;

determine a cooling load for the at least one cooling provider;

determine a maximum cooler capacity value for the at least one cooling provider based on the layout and the power draw; and

for each equipment rack, determine a maximum rack capacity based on the layout and the maximum cooler capacity value, by iteratively increasing a value of power for the equipment rack and determining an updated cooling load for the at least one cooling provider until the updated cooling load exceeds the maximum cooler capacity value.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the at least one cooling provider is one of a plurality of cooling providers, and wherein the controller is further configured to determine a maximum cooler capacity value for each of the plurality of cooling providers.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein determine the maximum rack capacity for each equipment rack includes determine the maximum rack capacity based on available space in each equipment rack and based on available power of each equipment rack.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the controller is further configured to determine cooling performance of each equipment rack based on air flows in the data center.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein determine a cooling load for the at least one cooling provider includes determine the cooling load for the at least one cooling provider based on an ambient temperature determined based on a difference between total cooling load in the data center and total power load in the data center.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein determine the cooling load includes determine the cooling load based on a cooler return temperature determined based on the ambient temperature.

14. The system of claim 8, wherein the system includes a display coupled to the controller, and wherein the controller is configured to display an indication of the maximum rack capacity.

15. A computer readable non-transitory medium having stored thereon sequences of instructions including instructions that will cause a processor to:

receive data regarding each of a plurality of equipment racks and at least one cooling provider, the data including a layout of the equipment racks and the at least one cooling provider, and a power draw value for each of the equipment racks;

store the received data in a storage device;

determine a cooling load for the at least one cooling provider;

determine a maximum cooler capacity value for the at least one cooling provider based on the layout and the power draw; and

for each equipment rack, determine a maximum rack capacity based on the layout and the maximum cooler capacity value, by iteratively increasing a value of power for the equipment rack and determining an updated cooling load for the at least one cooling provider until the updated cooling load exceeds the maximum cooler capacity value.

16. The computer readable non-transitory medium of claim 15, wherein the at least one cooling provider is one of a plurality of cooling providers, and wherein the sequences of instructions include instructions that will cause the processor to determine a maximum cooler capacity value for each cooling provider.

17. The computer readable non-transitory medium of claim 15, wherein determine the maximum rack capacity for each equipment rack includes determine the maximum rack capacity based on available space in each equipment rack and based on available power of each equipment rack.

18. The computer readable non-transitory medium of claim 15, wherein the sequences of instructions include instructions that will cause the processor to determine cooling performance of each equipment rack based on air flows in the data center.

19. The computer readable non-transitory medium of claim 15, wherein determine the cooling load for the at least one cooling provider includes determine the cooling load based on an ambient temperature determined based on a difference between total cooling load in the data center and total power load in the data center.

20. The computer readable non-transitory medium of claim 19, wherein determine the cooling load for the at least one cooling provider includes determine the cooler load based on a cooler return temperature determined based on the ambient temperature.