Data center equipment cabinet information center

• US 8,917,512 B2
• Filed: 07/30/2013
• Issued: 12/23/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Methode Electronics Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Methode Electronics Incorporated
• Inventors: Lozon, Larry, Hazzard, Tim
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Hoa C
• Assistant Examiner(s): TRAN, BINH BACH THANH
• Application Number:
  US13/954,473
• Publication Number:
  US 20140029198A1
• Time in Patent Office: 511 Days
• Field of Search: 361/724, 361/725, 361/726, 361/727, 361/826, 361/827, 361/828, 174/17.05, 174/72.C, 211/153, 312/223.1, 312/223.2, 340/12.51, 340/13.26
• US Class Current: 361/724
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/16 Constructional details or arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/1498 Resource management, Optimisation arrangements, e.g. configuration, identification, tracking, physical location thermal management H05K7/20836

Abstract

The cabinet information center integrates an array of electronic sensors and controls to both standard and purpose built data center equipment cabinets to improve operational efficiencies, reduce costs and protect assets typically installed within standard equipment cabinets utilized in data centers by providing a common point of information display and cabinet interaction without the need to physically access assets and vital sensory components internal to the equipment cabinet itself. Equipment can include any standard rack mount devices such as servers, storage arrays and networking devices.

Claims

1. An integrated data center infrastructure management electronic equipment rack, the integrated rack comprising:

a rack enclosure defining an interior space for accommodating a plurality of pieces of electronic equipment, the rack having a mounting location for each piece of electronic equipment and the frame having an inside surface and a door extending generally from a top to a bottom of the rack, the door for enclosing each piece of electronic equipment within the interior space;

a plurality of functional modules selected from a group consisting, of;

asset tracking modules for automatically detecting the presence or absence of the electronic equipment from the interior space of the cabinet frame enclosure, each module mounted at a mounting location adjacent each piece of electronic equipment, the modules mounted vertically to the inside surface of the frame;

an access control module for providing electronic locking and access control to the interior space of the cabinet frame enclosure;

an environmental management module for monitoring and controlling environmental conditions within the interior space of the cabinet frame enclosure; and

a power management module for monitoring and controlling power distribution to electronic equipment located in the interior space of the cabinet frame enclosure; and

a cabinet control module (CCM) for providing consolidated connectivity to the plurality of functional modules, wherein the CCM presents a single network connection for managing the electronic equipment located in the cabinet frame enclosure.

2. The integrated appliance of claim 1, wherein the asset tracking module is configured to detect the electronic equipment wirelessly.

3. The integrated appliance of claim 2, wherein the asset tracking module is configured to detect one or more RFD tags attached to the electronic equipment.

4. The integrated appliance of claim 3, wherein the asset tracking module comprises one or more RFID readers located within the interior space of the cabinet frame enclosure.

5. The integrated appliance of claim 4, wherein the asset tracking module further comprises a plurality of individual asset tracking modules connected in series vertically along the inside surface of the frame.

6. The integrated appliance of claim 1, wherein the access control module comprises one of a touch-sensor-based key keypad, a proximity card reader, an on-screen touch-screen control, a remote network control, and biometric access.

7. The integrated appliance of claim 1, wherein the access control module is configured to use visual data including at least one of still images and video.

8. The integrated appliance of claim 1, wherein the environmental management module includes one of a fan and a dehumidifier for controlling one of airflow and humidity within the interior space of the cabinet frame enclosure.

9. The integrated appliance of claim 1, wherein the power management module comprises one or more of:

a power distribution unit (PDU), a power strip having multiple receptacles and each receptacle being monitored to provide power performance data, and an intelligent power battery backup device.

10. The integrated appliance of claim 1, wherein the power management module is configured to selectively control at least one of power delivery and power storage to the electronic equipment.

11. The integrated appliance of claim 1, wherein the cabinet control module is wirelessly connect to the plurality of functional modules.

12. The integrated appliance of claim 1, wherein the cabinet control module is wired to the plurality of functional modules and provides a single IP address for remote communication via the cabinet control module to all functional modules.

13. The integrated appliance of claim 1, wherein the cabinet control module comprises a touch-screen display for providing external user interaction between a user and the integrated appliance.

14. The integrated appliance of claim 1, wherein the cabinet control module is configured to manage a correlated automation scenario where information received from at least a first functional module is used to manage at least a second functional module.

15. The integrated appliance of claim 1, wherein the single network connection has a single IP address.

16. A method for managing an integrated data center infrastructure electronic equipment rack comprising the steps of:

providing a rack enclosure defining an interior space for accommodating a plurality of pieces of electronic equipment, the rack having a mounting location for each piece of electronic equipment and the frame having an inside surface and a door extending generally from a top to a bottom of the rack, the door for enclosing each piece of electronic equipment within the interior space;

automatically testing, by an asset tracking module, for the presence or absence of the electronic equipment located within the interior space of the cabinet frame enclosure, each module mounted at a mounting location adjacent each piece of electronic equipment, the modules mounted vertically to the inside surface of the frame;

controlling locking and access by an access control module for the interior space of the cabinet frame enclosure;

monitoring and controlling, by an environmental management module, for environmental conditions within the interior space of the cabinet frame enclosure; and

monitoring and controlling, by a power management module, for a power distribution unit to electronic equipment located in the interior space of the cabinet frame enclosure; and

consolidating connectivity by a cabinet control module (CCM) for the plurality of functional modules, wherein the CCM presents a single network connection for managing the electronic equipment located within the cabinet frame enclosure.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising the step of detecting the electronic equipment wirelessly.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising the step of detecting one or more RFID tags attached to the electronic equipment.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising the step of mounting one or more RFD readers within the interior space of the cabinet frame mounting enclosure.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising the steps of connecting in series a plurality of individual asset tracking modules and mounting the asset tracking modules vertically along the inside surface of the frame.