System and method for managing task performance at a data center

• US 9,098,818 B2
• Filed: 04/02/2012
• Issued: 08/04/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/02/2012
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Facility Gateway Corp.
• Original Assignee: Facility Gateway Corp.
• Inventors: Marks, Tyler M., Perry, Jason J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Koneru, Sujay
• Application Number:
  US13/437,240
• Publication Number:
  US 20130262170A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,219 Days
• Field of Search: 705 711- 742
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/063114 Status monitoring or status determination for a person or group
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06316 Sequencing of tasks or work

Abstract

An apparatus for managing a data center. The apparatus for managing a data center can include a memory configured to store asset information, personnel information, and task information, wherein the store asset information, the personnel information, and the task information are linked. The apparatus for managing a data center can also include a processor configured to record a first task information of the task information based on associated asset information of the asset information and associated personnel information of the personnel information. The processor can be further configured to determine a completion of a task associated with the first task information based on the first task information, the associated asset information and the associated personnel information.

Claims

1. An apparatus for managing a data center, comprising:

one or more databases configured to store asset information, personnel information, and task information, wherein the stored asset information, the stored personnel information, and the stored task information are linked within the one or more databases such that the stored asset information, the stored personnel information, and the stored task information point to each other within the one or more databases; and

a processor configured to;

receive, from a security system of the data center, recorded personnel information associated with a task on an asset in the data center and recorded personnel activities associated with the task, wherein the security system is configured to record the personnel information associated with die task in security logs and to record the personnel activities associated with the task with security cameras;

store the recorded personnel information and the recorded personnel activities into the one or more databases;

determine a completion of the task based on the recorded personnel information and the recorded personnel activities;

determine an amount of time spent by a technician at a location of the task;

compare the amount of time spent by the technician at the location of the task to a predetermined threshold amount of time; and

in response to a determination that the time spent by the technician at the location of the task exceeds the predetermined threshold amount of time;

generate a flag indicating that the task may not have been performed properly; and

send an alert message to an administrator requesting the administrator review the recorded personnel information associated and the recorded personnel activities associated with the task to determine if the task was performed properly.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the task comprises preventive maintenance on equipment.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the recorded personnel information comprises a location of the technician assigned to complete the task during a task period.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein determining the completion of the task comprises matching the location of the technician with a location of equipment associated with the task during the task period.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the recorded personnel activities comprise a video of the technician assigned to complete the task at a location of associated equipment during a task period.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein determining the completion of the task comprises detecting activity in the video at the location of the associated equipment during the task period.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the one or more databases comprise an asset database, a personnel database, and a task database, and wherein the stored asset information, the stored personnel information, and the stored task information are linked within the one or more databases such that the stored asset information, the stored personnel information, and the stored task information point to each other within the respective asset database, personnel database, and task database.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the personnel information recorded in the security logs comprises a name of a technician assigned to the task, the associated task, time of entry of the technician to the data center, and time of exit of the technician from the data center, wherein the personnel information recorded in the security logs further comprises the technician'"'"'s movement in the data center, wherein the security system is configured to track and record the technician'"'"'s movement by a location-based identification network utilizing identification badges, and wherein the personnel activities recorded in the security cameras comprise a first path the technician takes to the piece of asset and a second path the technician takes to exit the data center.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to parse a field service report and information from fields of the parsed field service report into the one or more databases, wherein the field service report indicates the task performed, the piece of asset associated with the task, and personnel assigned to the task.

10. A method of managing a data center, comprising:

recording within one or more databases, by a processor, task information associated with a task and asset information associated with the task;

receiving, by a processor, from a security system of the data center, personnel information associated with a task on an asset in the data center and personnel activities associated with the task, wherein the security system is configured to record the personnel information associated with the task in security logs and to record the personnel activities associated with the task by security cameras; and

storing, by the processor, the personnel information and the personnel activities into the one or more databases, wherein the task information, the asset information, and the personnel information are linked within the one or more databases such that the task information, the asset information, and the personnel information point to each other within the one or more databases;

determining, by the processor, a completion of the task based on the personnel first task information and the personnel activities;

determining, by the processor, an amount of time spent by a technician at a location of the task;

comparing, by the processor, the amount of time spent by the technician at the location of the task to a predetermined threshold amount of time; and

in response to a determination that the time spent by the technician at the location of the task exceeds the predetermined threshold amount of time;

generating, by the processor, a flag indicating that the task may not have been performed property; and

sending an alert message from the processor to an administrator requesting the administrator review the recorded personnel information associated and the recorded personnel activities associated with the task to determine if the task was performed properly.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the personnel information comprises a location of the technician assigned to complete the task during a task period.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein determining the completion of the task comprises matching the location of the technician with a location of equipment associated with the task during the task period.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the personnel activities comprise a video of the technician assigned to complete the task at a location of associated equipment during a task period.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein determining the completion of the task comprises detecting activity in the video at the location of the associated equipment during the task period.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having instructions stored thereon that, if executed by a computing device, cause the computing device to perform operations comprising:

recording within one or more databases task information associated with a task and asset information associated with the task;

receiving, from a security system of the data center, personnel information associated with a task on an asset in the data center and personnel activities associated with the task, wherein the security system is configured to record the personnel information associated with the task in security logs and to record the personnel activities associated with the task by security cameras; and

storing the personnel information and the personnel activities into the one or more databases, wherein the task information, the asset information, and the personnel information are linked within the one or more databases such that the task information, the asset information, and the personnel information point to each other within the one or more databases;

determining a completion of the task based on the personnel first task information and the personnel activities;

determining an amount of time spent by a technician at a location of the task;

comparing the amount of time spent by the technician at the location of the task to a predetermined threshold amount of time; and

in response to a determination that the time spent by the technician at the location of the task exceeds the predetermined threshold amount of time;

generating a flag indicating that the task may not have been performed properly; and

sending an alert message to an administrator requesting the administrator review the recorded personnel information associated and the recorded personnel activities associated with the task to determine if the task was performed properly.

16. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the personnel information comprises a location of the technician assigned to complete the task during a task period, and wherein determining the completion of the task comprises matching the location of the technician with a location of equipment associated with the task during the task period.

17. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the personnel activities comprise a video of the technician assigned to complete the task at a location of associated equipment during a task period.

18. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein determining the completion of the task comprises detecting activity in the video at the location of the associated equipment during the task period.

19. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the processor is further configured to compare the amount of time spent by the technician at the location of the task to a previously determined average amount of time to complete a similar task.