System and method for one-line power mapping of information handling systems in a datacenter

• US 9,329,654 B2
• Filed: 10/19/2012
• Issued: 05/03/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/19/2012
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Inventors: Hutten, James M., Richards, George G. III
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Phil
• Application Number:
  US13/656,146
• Publication Number:
  US 20140115353A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,292 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/263 Arrangements for using multiple switchable power supplies, e.g. battery and AC G06F1/30 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/266 Arrangements to supply power to external peripherals either directly from the computer or under computer control, e.g. supply of power through the communication port, computer controlled power-strips
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/32 Means for saving power
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/261 PC controlled powerstrip
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/1492 having electrical distribution arrangements, e.g. power supply or data communications

Abstract

A method of one-line power mapping in a datacenter includes providing from a management system a pre-defined pattern to a rack system, in response to providing the pre-defined pattern, directing the rack system to enable a power supply unit of the rack system and to modulate a power usage of the rack system to encode the pre-defined pattern onto a power cable, wherein the power supply unit receives operating power from a power distribution unit via the power cable, receiving at the management system a power level signal from the power distribution unit, decoding at the management system the pre-defined pattern from the power level signal, and determining that the rack system is connected to the power distribution unit in response to decoding the pre-defined pattern.

Claims

1. A method of one-line power mapping in a datacenter, the method comprising:

providing, from a management system, a first pre-defined pattern to a first rack system wherein the first pre-defined pattern comprises a first sequence of bits;

in response to providing the first pre-defined pattern, directing the first rack system to enable a first power supply unit of the first rack system and to modulate a first power usage of the first rack system to encode the first pre-defined pattern onto a first power cable, wherein the first power supply unit receives operating power from a first power distribution unit via the first power cable;

receiving, at the management system, a first power level signal from the first power distribution unit;

decoding, at the management system, the first pre-defined pattern from the first power level signal; and

determining that the first rack system is connected to the first power distribution unit in response to decoding the first pre-defined pattern; and

providing, from the management system, the first pre-defined pattern to a second rack system;

in response to providing the first pre-defined pattern to the second rack system, directing the second rack system to enable a second power supply unit of the second rack system and to modulate a second power usage of the second rack system to encode the first pre-defined pattern onto a second power cable, wherein the second power supply unit receives operating power from a second power distribution unit via the second power cable;

receiving, at the management system, a second power level signal from the second power distribution unit;

decoding, at the management system, the first pre-defined pattern from the second power level signal; and

determining that the second rack system is connected to the second power distribution unit in response to decoding the first pre-defined pattern.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

in further response to providing the first pre-defined pattern, directing the first rack system to enable a second power supply unit of the first rack system and to modulate a second power usage of the first rack system to encode the first pre-defined pattern onto a second power cable, wherein the second power supply unit receives operating power from a second power distribution unit via the second power cable;

receiving, at the management system, a second power level signal from the second power distribution unit;

decoding, at the management system, the first pre-defined pattern from the second power level signal; and

determining that the first rack system is connected to the second power distribution unit in response to decoding the first pre-defined pattern.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the first power distribution unit is the same as the second power distribution unit, the method further comprising:

directing, from the management system, the first power distribution unit to provide a second indication at a first receptacle, wherein the second indication indicates that the first rack system is connected to the first power distribution unit via both the first power supply unit and the second power supply unit, and wherein the first power cable is connected to the first receptacle; and

directing from the management system, a third power distribution unit to provide a third indication at a second receptacle, wherein the third indication indicates that the first power supply unit should be connected via the first cable to the third power distribution unit, and wherein the third power distribution unit is different from the first power distribution unit.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the first rack system and the second rack system are included in a rack of the datacenter;

the method further comprising;

providing, from the management system, a second pre-defined pattern to the first rack system and the second rack system, wherein the second pre-defined pattern comprises a second sequence of bits;

in response to providing the second pre-defined pattern;

directing the first rack system to enable the first power supply unit;

directing the second rack system to enable the second power supply unit; and

directing the first rack system and the second rack system to modulate a third power usage to encode the second pre-defined pattern onto the first power cable and on the second power cable;

receiving, at the management system, a third power level signal from a bus distribution unit;

decoding, at the management system, the second pre-defined pattern from the third power level signal; and

determining that the rack is connected to the bus distribution unit in response to decoding the second pre-defined pattern.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein in directing the first rack system to modulate the first power usage of the first rack system the method further comprises:

directing the first rack system to enter an operating mode that draws an inrush current on the first power supply unit.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the operating mode comprises running a program that alternately increases and decreases a power load on a portion of the first rack system.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the portion of the first rack system includes at least one of a processor of the first rack system, a storage device of the first rack system, and a cooling fan of the first rack system.

8. A datacenter management system for one-line power mapping in a datacenter, the datacenter management system comprising:

a memory; and

a processor operable to;

provide a first pre-defined pattern to a first rack system, wherein the first pre-defined pattern comprises a first sequence of bits that includes a unique identification of a first power supply unit of the first rack system;

direct the first rack system to enable the first power supply unit and to modulate a first power usage of the first rack system to encode the first pre-defined pattern;

receive a first power level signal from a first power distribution unit, wherein the first power distribution unit is connected to the first power supply unit;

decode the first pre-defined pattern from the first power level signal; and

determine that the first rack system is connected to the first power distribution unit in response to decoding the first pre-defined pattern from the first power level signal; and

direct the first rack system to enable a second power supply unit of the first rack system and to modulate a second power usage of the first rack system to encode the first pre-defined pattern;

receive a second power level signal from a second power distribution unit, wherein the second power distribution unit is connected to the second power supply unit;

decode the first pre-defined pattern from the second power level signal; and

determine that the first rack system is connected to the second power distribution unit in response to decoding the first pre-defined pattern from the second power level signal.

9. The datacenter management system of claim 8, wherein:

the first power distribution unit is the same as the second power distribution unit;

the processor is further operable to;

direct the first power distribution unit to provide a first indication at a first receptacle, wherein the first indication indicates that the first rack system is connected to the first power distribution unit via both the first power supply unit and the second power supply unit; and

direct a third power distribution unit to provide a second indication at a second receptacle, wherein the second indication indicates that the first power supply unit should be connected to the third power distribution unit.

10. The datacenter management system of claim 9, wherein the processor is further operable to:

provide the first pre-defined pattern to a second rack system;

direct the second rack system to enable a second power supply unit of the second rack system and to modulate a second power usage of the second rack system to encode the first pre-defined pattern;

receive a second power level signal from the second power distribution unit;

decode the first pre-defined pattern from the second power level signal; and

determine that the second rack system is connected to the second power distribution unit in response to decoding the first pre-defined pattern.

11. The datacenter management system of claim 10, wherein:

the first rack system and the second rack system are included in a rack of the datacenter; and

the processor is further operable to;

provide a second pre-defined pattern to the first rack system and the second rack system wherein the second pre-defined pattern comprises a second sequence of bits;

in response to providing the second pre-defined pattern;

direct the first rack system to enable the first power supply unit;

to enable the second power supply unit; and

direct the first rack system and the second rack system to modulate a third power usage to encode the second pre-defined pattern;

receive a third power level signal from a bus distribution unit;

decode the second pre-defined pattern from the third power level signal; and

determine that the rack is connected to the bus distribution unit in response to decoding the second pre-defined pattern.

12. The datacenter management system of claim 8, wherein the processor is further operable to:

direct the first rack system to enter an operating mode that draws an inrush current on the first power supply unit, wherein the operating mode comprises running a program that alternately increases and decreases a power load on a portion of the first rack system.

13. The datacenter management system of claim 12, wherein the portion of the first rack system includes at least one of a processor of the first rack system, a storage device of the first rack system, and a cooling fan of the first rack system.

14. A non-transitory computer-readable medium including code for performing a method, the method comprising:

providing, from a management system, a first pre-defined pattern to a first rack system,

wherein the first pre-defined pattern comprises a first sequence of bits;

in response to providing the first pre-defined pattern, directing the first rack system to enable a first power supply unit of the first rack system and to modulate a first power usage of the first rack system to encode the first pre-defined pattern onto a first power cable, wherein the first power supply unit receives operating power from a first power distribution unit via the first power cable;

receiving, at the management system, a first power level signal from the first power distribution unit;

decoding, at the management system, the first pre-defined pattern from the first power level signal; and

determining that the first rack system is connected to the first power distribution unit in response to decoding the first pre-defined pattern; and

providing, from the management system, the first pre-defined pattern to a second rack system;

in response to providing the first pre-defined pattern to the second rack system, directing the second rack system to enable a second power supply unit of the second rack system and to modulate a second power usage of the second rack system to encode the first pre-defined pattern onto a second power cable, wherein the second power supply unit receives operating power from a second power distribution unit via the second power cable;

receiving, at the management system, a second power level signal from the second power distribution unit;

decoding, at the management system, the first pre-defined pattern from the second power level signal; and

determining that the second rack system is connected to the second power distribution unit in response to decoding the first pre-defined pattern.

15. The computer-readable medium of claim 14, the method further comprising:

in further response to providing the first pre-defined pattern, directing the first rack system to enable a second power supply unit of the first rack system and to modulate a second power usage of the first rack system to encode the first pre-defined pattern onto a second power cable, wherein the second power supply unit receives operating power from a second power distribution unit via the second power cable;

receiving, at the management system, a second power level signal from the second power distribution unit;

decoding, at the management system, the first pre-defined pattern from the second power level signal; and

determining that the first rack system is connected to the second power distribution unit in response to decoding the first pre-defined pattern.

16. The computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the first power distribution unit is the same as the second power distribution unit, the method further comprising:

directing, from the management system, the first power distribution unit to provide a second indication at a first receptacle, wherein the second indication indicates that the first rack system is connected to the first power distribution unit via both the first power supply unit and the second power supply unit, and wherein the first power cable is connected to the first receptacle; and

directing from the management system, a third power distribution unit to provide a third indication at a second receptacle, wherein the third indication indicates that the first power supply unit should be connected via the first power cable to the third power distribution unit, and wherein the third power distribution unit is different from the first power distribution unit.

17. The computer-readable medium of claim 14, wherein:

the first rack system and the second rack system are included in a rack of the datacenter;

the method further comprising;

providing, from the management system, a second pre-defined pattern to the first rack system and the second rack system, wherein the second pre-defined pattern comprises a second sequence of bits;

in response to providing the second pre-defined pattern;

directing the first rack system to enable the first power supply unit;

directing the second rack system to enable the second power supply; and

directing the first rack system and the second rack system to modulate a third power usage to encode the second pre-defined pattern onto the first power cable and on the second power cable;

receiving, at the management system, a third power level signal from a bus distribution unit;

decoding, at the management system, the second pre-defined pattern from the third power level signal; and

determining that the rack is connected to the bus distribution unit in response to decoding the second pre-defined pattern.