Power profiling application for managing power allocation in an information handling system

• US 8,402,296 B2
• Filed: 06/16/2009
• Issued: 03/19/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/04/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Inventors: Brundridge, Michael A., Brumley, Alan
• Primary Examiner(s): Abbaszadeh, Jaweed A
• Application Number:
  US12/485,186
• Publication Number:
  US 20090254769A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,372 Days
• Field of Search: 713/300, 713/310, 713/320, 713/340, 702/57
• US Class Current: 713/340
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/32 Means for saving power
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3203 Power management, i.e. event-based initiation of a power-saving mode

Abstract

A method, system, and software instructions for allocating power in a information handling system are operable to respond to a power profiling request by transitioning a processing resource to a first power consumption state and obtaining and storing a first power consumption value. The first power consumption value is then retrieved and used to allocate power to the first processing resource in response to a power on request. The first power consumption state may be a state in which power consumption approximates a maximum power consumption. The processing resource may be further transitioned to a second power consumption state and a second power consumption value obtained. The second power consumption state may be a reduced performance state. Thereafter, responsive to determining that the system lacks sufficient power budget to fulfill a pending request for power, the processing resource is throttled and power is allocated using the second power consumption value.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a management resource coupled to multiple information handling resources and configured to;

receive a power profiling request from a particular one of the multiple information handling resources; and

responsive to the power profiling request, substantially isolate a particular information handling resource by powering off the multiple information handling resources except for the particular information handling resource;

a power profiling module configured to transition the particular information handling resource to a first power consumption state;

a power monitoring module configured to record a level of power supplied by a power supply coupled to the multiple information handling resources while the isolated particular information handling resource is in the first power consumption state; and

an allocation resource configured to allocate power in response to a request from the particular information handling resource, wherein allocation is based at least on maintaining substantially equivalent power loads on a plurality of power supply modules, the plurality of power supply modules comprising the power supply.

2. A system according to claim 1, wherein the particular information handling resource is a processing resource including at least one processor and system memory accessible to the processor.

3. A system according to claim 1, wherein the power profiling module is further operable to transition the particular information handling resource to a second power consumption state and the power monitoring module is further operable to record a second level of power supplied by the power supply resource while the particular information handling resource is in the second power consumption state.

4. A system according to claim 3, wherein the first power consumption state comprises a high power consumption state and the second power consumption state comprises a reduced power consumption state.

5. A system according to claim 4, further comprising the management resource operable to allocate power to the particular information handling resource in response to a request for power from the particular information handling resource, wherein the request indicates at least a level of power and the management resource determines a power allocation based at least in part on the indicated level of power.

6. A management resource configured to:

couple to multiple information handling resources;

receive a power profiling request from a particular one of the multiple information handling resources; and

responsive to the power profiling request, substantially isolate a particular information handling resource by powering off the multiple information handling resources except for the particular information handling resource;

transition the particular information handling resource to a first power consumption state;

record a level of power supplied by a power supply coupled to the multiple information handling resources while the isolated particular information handling resource is in the first power consumption state; and

allocate power in response to a request from the particular information handling resource, wherein allocation is based at least on maintaining substantially equivalent power loads on a plurality of power supply modules, the plurality of power supply modules comprising the power supply.

7. A management resource according to claim 6, wherein the particular information handling resource is a processing resource including at least one processor and system memory accessible to the processor.

8. A management resource according to claim 6, wherein the power profiling module is further operable to transition the particular information handling resource to a second power consumption state and the power monitoring module is further operable to record a second level of power supplied by the power supply resource while the particular information handling resource is in the second power consumption state.

9. A management resource according to claim 8, wherein the first power consumption state comprises a high power consumption state and the second power consumption state comprises a reduced power consumption state.

10. A management resource according to claim 9, further configured to allocate power to the particular information handling resource in response to a request for power from the particular information handling resource, wherein the request indicates at least a level of power and the management resource determines a power allocation based at least in part on the indicated level of power.