System and method for quality of service based server cluster power management

• US 20030037150A1
• Filed: 07/31/2001
• Published: 02/20/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hewlett Packard Enterprise Development LP (Hewlett-Packard Enterprise Company)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Nakagawa, O. Sam
• Granted Patent: US 6,990,593 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/229
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/28 Supervision thereof, e.g. detecting power-supply failure by out of limits supervision
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3203 Power management, i.e. event-based initiation of a power-saving mode

Abstract

A system and method for Quality of Service (QoS) based server cluster power management is disclosed. The method of the present invention includes: grouping activities within a server cluster into predefined sets; assigning a priority level to each set; identifying a server hosting a set of lower-priority activities within the cluster; receiving a power interruption signal; and diverting power reserves of the server to another server in the cluster, in response to the power interruption signal. The system of the present invention includes: servers, hosting a plurality of activity sets each having an associated QoS level; power reserves coupled to the servers; a switch matrix coupled to direct the power reserves between the servers; and a power manager, coupled to the switch matrix, for commanding the switch matrix to divert power from servers hosting low QoS activity sets to servers hosting high-priority activity sets, in response to a power interruption.

Claims

1. A method for server cluster power management, comprising the steps of:

grouping activities within a server cluster into predefined sets;

assigning a priority level to each set;

identifying a first server hosting a first set of lower-priority activities within the cluster;

receiving a power interruption signal; and

diverting power reserves of the first server to another server in the cluster, in response to the power interruption signal.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the grouping step includes the step of:

grouping activities by data type.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the grouping step includes the step of:

grouping activities by process.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the grouping step includes the step of:

defining activity sets based on Quality of Service according to a Common Open Policy Service Protocol (COPS).

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the assigning step includes the step of:

assigning the priority level based on the Quality of Service associated with the activity set.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the receiving step includes the step of:

receiving the power interruption signal, in response to a server cluster power failure.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the receiving step includes the step of:

receiving the power interruption signal, in response to a network administrator command.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

diverting the first set of lower-priority activities to another server in the cluster.

9. The method of claim 1:

wherein the identifying step includes the step of,

identifying a second server hosting a second set of lower-priority activities within the cluster; and

wherein the diverting step includes the step of,

diverting power reserves of the second server to another server in the cluster, in response to the power interruption signal.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the diverting step includes the step of:

diverting battery power reserves of the first server to another server in the cluster.

11. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of:

shifting a set of high-priority activities to operational servers in the cluster, in response to the power interruption signal.

12. The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of:

identifying a second server hosting an activity which is highest on the priority list;

diverting power reserves from all servers to the second server.

13. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of:

incrementally shutting down lower-priority activities on the second server as power reserves dwindle.

14. A method for server cluster power management, comprising the steps of:

grouping activities within a server cluster into predefined sets;

assigning a priority level to each set;

identifying a first server hosting a first set of lower-priority activities within the cluster;

receiving a power interruption signal;

diverting power reserves of the first server to another server in the cluster, in response to the power interruption signal;

identifying a second server hosting an activity which is highest on the priority list;

diverting power reserves from all servers to the second server, in response to the power interruption signal; and

incrementally shutting down lower-priority activities on the second server as power reserves dwindle.

15. A computer-usable medium embodying computer program code for commanding a computer to perform server cluster power management comprising the steps of:

grouping activities within a server cluster into predefined sets;

assigning a priority level to each set;

identifying a first server hosting a first set of lower-priority activities within the cluster;

receiving a power interruption signal; and

diverting power reserves of the first server to another server in the cluster, in response to the power interruption signal.

16. The medium of claim 15 wherein the assigning step includes the step of:

assigning the priority level based on the Quality of Service associated with the activity set.

17. The medium of claim 15 wherein the receiving step includes the step of:

receiving the power interruption signal, in response to a server cluster power failure.

18. The medium of claim 15 wherein the receiving step includes the step of:

receiving the power interruption signal, in response to a network administrator command.

19. The medium of claim 15, further comprising the step of:

diverting the first set of lower-priority activities to another server in the cluster.

20. The medium of claim 15 further comprising the steps of:

identifying a second server hosting an activity which is highest on the priority list;

diverting power reserves from all servers to the second server.

21. The medium of claim 15 further comprising the step of:

incrementally shutting down lower-priority activities on the second server as power reserves dwindle.

22. A system for server cluster power management comprising a:

means for grouping activities within a server cluster into predefined sets;

means for assigning a priority level to each set;

means for identifying a first server hosting a first set of lower-priority activities within the cluster;

means for receiving a power interruption signal; and

means for diverting power reserves of the first server to another server in the cluster, in response to the power interruption signal.

23. A system for server cluster power management comprising:

servers, hosting a plurality of activity sets each having an associated Quality of Service (QoS) level;

power reserves coupled to the servers;

a switch matrix coupled to direct the power reserves between the servers; and

a power manager, coupled to the switch matrix, for commanding the switch matrix to divert power from servers hosting low QoS activity sets to servers hosting high-priority activity sets, in response to a power interruption.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the power reserves include:

uninterruptible power supplies with battery backup.

25. The system of claim 23, further comprising:

a QoS line coupling the servers to the power manager for transmitting the QoS level of the activity sets.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein the QoS line transmits QoS information according to a Common Open Policy Service Protocol (COPS).

27. The system of claim 23,,.further comprising:

a power divert line coupling the power reserves to the switch matrix for carrying the diverted power.