Rack server system and control method thereof

• US 9,360,911 B2
• Filed: 03/01/2012
• Issued: 06/07/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 07/28/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Quanta Computer
• Original Assignee: Quanta Computer
• Inventors: Jau, Maw-Zan, Wang, Tzu-Hung, Chan, Chin-Hsiang
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, Toan
• Assistant Examiner(s): Aiello, Jeffrey
• Application Number:
  US13/409,256
• Publication Number:
  US 20130030735A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,559 Days
• Field of Search: 702/13, 702/108, 702/63, 307/11, 307/66, 307/43, 307/65
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/385 Arrangements for measuring battery or accumulator variables for monitoring G01R31/382
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/30 Means for acting in the event of power-supply failure or interruption, e.g. power-supply fluctuations for resetting only G06F1/24
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/006 Identification G06F11/2289 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2015 Redundant power supplies power supply failure G06F1/30
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/24 Marginal checking or other specified testing methods not covered by G06F11/26, e.g. race tests

Abstract

A rack server system and a control method thereof are provided. The rack server system establishes a communication link for communicating with a battery backup unit. The battery backup unit is connected to a power input port of the rack server system, and includes a number of battery modules connected with each other in parallel. The rack server system controls the battery backup unit to perform validity test on a first battery module during a first period and to perform validity test on a second battery module during a second period, wherein the first period and the second period are not overlapped with each other.

Claims

1. A control method applicable to a rack server system, comprising:

establishing a communication link between the rack server system and a battery backup unit, wherein the battery backup unit is connected to a power input port of the rack server system, and comprises a plurality of battery modules connected with each other in parallel;

controlling the battery backup unit by the rack server system to perform a validity test on a first battery module of the battery modules during a first period, wherein the validity test further comprises increasing the output voltage of the battery backup unit supplied to the rack server system while the rack server system is supplied with a main power to the rack server system;

controlling the battery backup unit by the rack server system to perform the validity test on a second battery module of the battery modules during a second period, wherein the first period and the second period are not overlapped with each other; and

determining a default loading by the rack server system based at least upon the results of the validity tests on the first battery module and the second battery module, wherein the default loading is adjusted based at least upon a number of battery modules that failed the validity test.

2. The control method according to claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a return data from the battery backup unit to the rack server system; and

determining a result of the validity test on the first battery module by the rack server system according to the return data.

3. The control method according to claim 1, wherein the validity test on the first battery module or the second battery module includes a discharge test.

4. The control method according to claim 1, further comprising:

determining a default loading by the rack server system according to results of validity test on the battery modules, wherein the default loading determines efficiency of the rack server system when abnormality occurs to a main power supplied to the rack server system.

5. The control method according to claim 4, wherein when the validity test on one of the battery modules shows failed, the rack server system reduces the default loading.

6. The control method according to claim 5, wherein the rack server system reduces the default loading according to a number of failed battery modules.

7. The control method according to claim 4, wherein the default loading determines a loading of the rack server system when abnormality occurs to the main power.

8. The control method of claim 1, wherein the validity test further comprises:

measuring the usage time and voltage output of the first battery module;

recording the usage time and voltage output of the first battery module;

comparing the usage time and voltage output of the first battery module to previous usage time and voltage output of the first battery module to determine performance data of the battery module; and

communicating the performance data to the rack server system.

9. The control method according to claim 1, wherein the validity test on the first battery module or the second battery module is performed on a time-sharing basis.

10. A rack server system, comprising:

a power input port connected to a battery backup unit, wherein the battery backup unit comprises a plurality of battery modules connected with each other in parallel;

a communication interface establishing a communication link for communicating with the battery backup unit;

a control unit connected to the communication interface for controlling the battery backup unit to perform a validity test on a first battery module of the battery modules during a first period by increasing the output voltage of the battery backup unit supplied to the rack server system and controlling the battery backup unit to perform a validity test on a second battery module of the battery backup unit during a second period by increasing the output voltage of the battery backup unit supplied to the rack server system, wherein the first period and the second period are not overlapped with each other; and

wherein the rack server system further determines a default loading based at least upon results of the validity tests on the first battery module and the second battery module; and

wherein the default loading is adjusted based at least upon a number of battery modules that failed the validity test.

11. The rack server system according to claim 10, wherein each battery module comprises:

a power supply port connected to the power input port of the rack server system;

a battery; and

a DC-to-DC converter connected between the battery and the power supply port.

12. The rack server system according to claim 11, wherein the battery is a secondary battery.

13. The rack server system according to claim 10, further comprising:

a communication bus connecting the communication interface to the battery backup unit.

14. The rack server system according to claim 10, wherein the rack server system further receives a return data from the battery backup unit, and determines a result of the validity test on the first battery module according to the return data.

15. The rack server system according to claim 10, wherein the validity test on the first battery module or the second battery module includes a discharge test.

16. The rack server system according to claim 10, wherein the rack server system further determines a default loading according to results of validity tests on the battery modules, and the default loading determines efficiency of the rack server system when abnormality occurs to a main power supplied to the rack server system.

17. The rack server system according to claim 16, wherein the first battery module is failed in the validity test, the rack server system reduces the default loading.

18. The rack server system according to claim 17, wherein the rack server system includes the default loading according to a number of failed battery modules.

19. The rack server system according to claim 16, wherein the default loading determines a loading of the rack server when abnormality occurs to the main power.

20. The rack server system according to claim 10, wherein the battery backup unit further comprises:

another communication interface connected to the battery modules; and

another control unit connected to the another communication interface and controlled by the rack system for controlling the battery modules to perform the validity test.

21. The rack server system according to claim 16, wherein the default loading determines operation frequency of a processor of each server of the rack system server when abnormality occurs to main power.

22. The rack server system of claim 10, wherein the validity test further determines the usage time and voltage output of the first battery module, records the usage time and voltage output of the first battery module, compares and records the usage time and voltage output of the first battery module to determine performance data, and communicates the performance data to the rack server system.