System and method for server rack power mapping

• US 9,430,010 B2
• Filed: 03/06/2014
• Issued: 08/30/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/06/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Inventors: Palmer, John R., Ahmed, Syed S., Masuyama, Jinsaku
• Primary Examiner(s): BUTLER, DENNIS
• Application Number:
  US14/199,701
• Publication Number:
  US 20150253829A1
• Time in Patent Office: 908 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/28 Supervision thereof, e.g. detecting power-supply failure by out of limits supervision
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/1498 Resource management, Optimisation arrangements, e.g. configuration, identification, tracking, physical location thermal management H05K7/20836

Abstract

A server rack includes a rack space having a plurality of rack units for receiving equipment, a power mapping module, and a plurality of power receptacles. Each power receptacle is coupled to the power mapping module to provide an indication to the power mapping module when equipment is plugged in to the power receptacles, uniquely associated with one of the plurality of rack units, and collocated with the associated rack unit. The power mapping module is operable to determine which rack unit of the plurality of rack units that first equipment is installed into, based upon a first power receptacle of the first equipment being coupled to a first power receptacle of the plurality of power receptacles.

Claims

1. A server rack comprising:

a rack space including a plurality of rack units for receiving equipment;

a management controller; and

a plurality of power receptacles, wherein each power receptacle is;

coupled to the management controller;

provides an indication to the management controller when equipment is plugged in to the power receptacles;

uniquely associated with one of the rack units; and

collocated with the associated rack unit;

wherein;

the management controller determines into which rack unit of the plurality of rack units that first equipment is installed, based upon a first power receptacle of the first equipment being coupled to a first power receptacle of the power receptacles;

each power receptacle broadcasts a respective unique identifier to the equipment that is coupled to the respective power receptacle; and

the management controller maps the power connections in the server rack based upon which unique identifier is received by which piece of equipment.

2. The server rack of claim 1, wherein the management controller further

forms a management network with the equipment installed in the rack units via the power receptacles.

3. The server rack of claim 2, wherein the management controller further

manages the equipment installed in the rack units via the power receptacles.

4. The server rack of claim 1, wherein:

the management controller is further;

directs each piece of equipment installed in the server rack to broadcast, a unique identifier associated with each piece of equipment to the particular power receptacle that each piece of equipment is coupled to; and

maps the power connections in the server rack based upon which unique identifier is received by which power receptacle.

5. A method comprising:

coupling a management controller of a server rack to a plurality of power receptacles;

uniquely associating each power receptacle with one of the rack units of the server rack;

collocating each power receptacle with the associated rack unit;

installing first equipment into a first rack unit of the server rack;

coupling a power receptacle of the first equipment to a power receptacle of the first rack unit;

determining, via the management controller, that the first equipment is installed into the first rack unit based upon the power receptacle of the first equipment being coupled to the power receptacle of the first rack unit;

broadcasting, by each power receptacle, a respective unique identifier to the equipment that is coupled to the respective power receptacle; and

mapping, by the management controller, the power connections in the server rack based upon which unique identifier is received by which piece of equipment.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

forming, by the management controller, a management network with the equipment installed in the rack units via the power receptacles.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising

managing, by the management controller, the equipment installed in the rack units via the power receptacles.

8. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

directing, by the management controller, each piece of equipment installed in the server rack to broadcast, a unique identifier associated with each piece of equipment to the particular power receptacle that each piece of equipment is coupled to; and

mapping, by the management controller, the power connections in the server rack based upon which unique identifier is received by which power receptacle.

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

coupling a management controller of a server rack to a plurality of power receptacles;

uniquely associating each power receptacle with one of the rack units of the server rack;

collocating each power receptacle with the associated rack unit;

installing first equipment into a first rack unit of the server rack;

coupling a power receptacle of the first equipment to a power receptacle of the first rack unit; and

determining, via the management controller, that the first equipment is installed into the first rack unit based upon the power receptacle of the first equipment being coupled to the power receptacle of the first rack unit;

broadcasting, by each power receptacle, a respective unique identifier to the equipment that is coupled to the respective power receptacle; and

mapping, by the management controller, the power connections in the server rack based upon which unique identifier is received by which piece of equipment.

10. The computer-readable medium of claim 9, the method further comprising:

forming, by the management controller, a management network with the equipment installed in the rack units via the power receptacles.

11. The computer-readable medium of claim 10, the method further comprising

managing, by the management controller, the equipment installed in the rack units via the power receptacles.