High availability small foot-print server

• US 20030161101A1
• Filed: 03/05/2003
• Published: 08/28/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Bill N. Gallas, David R. Hillyard, Mark D. Summers
• Original Assignee: Bill N. Gallas, David R. Hillyard, Mark D. Summers
• Inventors: Hillyard, David R., Summers, Mark D., Gallas, Bill N.
• Application Number:
  US10/382,402
• Publication Number:
  US 20030161101A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 361/687
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/16 Constructional details or arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/181 Enclosures for portable computers G06F1/1613
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/20 Cooling means
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20727 within server blades for removing heat from heat source

Abstract

A novel high availability small foot-print server is described in which four or more separate computer modules and associated power supply and communication connections or other units are clustered together in a single server chassis to occupy a limited amount of space while providing maximum accessibility for administrative, maintenance, installation, or other purposes. Each separate computer module is equipped with its own fan or blower box to provide redundancy in the case of fan or blower box failure. The server chassis is contoured to provide for natural interconnection such that more than one high availability small foot-print server may be stacked together to take up the same amount of floor, shelf, or desk space as a single server.

Claims

1. A small foot-print server comprising:

a server chassis having a small foot-print;

a first computer module housed in the server chassis, the first computer module having a first fan;

a second computer module housed in the server chassis, the second computer module having a second fan operating independently of the first fan; and

a communication module housed in the server chassis having an integrated network interface coupled to the first and second computer modules.

2. The small foot-print server of claim 1, further comprising:

a power supply module housed in the server chassis coupled to the first and second computer modules.

3. The small foot-print server of claim 1, wherein the small foot-print is not more than 12 inches wide by 9 inches deep.

4. The small foot-print server of claim 1, wherein the second computer module is a backup to the first computer module when the first fan fails.

5. The small foot-print server of claim 1, wherein the first and second computer modules share access to the integrated network interface.

6. The small foot-print server of claim 2, wherein the first and second computer modules derive power from the power supply module.

7. The small foot-print server of claim 1, wherein the first computer module is housed in the server chassis in a first slot.

8. The small foot-print server of claim 7, wherein the second computer module is housed in the server chassis in a second slot.

9. The small foot-print server of claim 8, wherein the first computer module is capable of insertion into the first slot without disturbing the second computer module.

10. The small foot-print server of claim 8, wherein the first computer module is capable of insertion into the first slot without disturbing the second computer module in the second slot.

11. The small foot-print server of claim 8, wherein the first computer module is capable of removal from the first slot without disturbing the second computer module in the second slot.

12. The small foot-print server of claim 1, wherein the integrated network interface is an Ethernet hub.

13. The small foot-print server of claim 1, wherein the integrated network interface is an Ethernet switch.

14. The small foot-print server of claim 1, wherein the integrated network interface is an Infiniband hub.

15. The small foot-print server of claim 1, wherein a contour of a top surface of the server chassis is shaped to permit stacking a second server chassis atop the server chassis in a natural interconnecting fashion.

16. The small foot-print server of claim 14, wherein the contour of the top surface of the server chassis is a first sinusoidal wave, and a contour of a bottom surface of the server chassis is a second sinusoidal wave, the second sinusoidal wave contour being aligned to oppose the first sinusoidal wave contour to achieve a natural interconnect between the stacked chassis.

17. A server chassis comprising:

a receptacle having five sides perpendicularly disposed to form an opening on the sixth side to receive a first computer module having a first fan, and second computer module having a second fan independent of the first fan, the first computer module operating to automatically fail over to the second computer module when the first fan of the first computer module fails, the receptacle having a small foot-print on a horizontal surface.

18. The server chassis of claim 17, wherein the opening receives a communication module that is capable of coupling to the first and second computer module to provide a common integrated network interface.

19. The server chassis of claim 17, wherein the opening receives a power module that is capable of coupling to the first and second computer module to provide a common power supply.

20. The server chassis of claim 17, wherein a top side and a bottom side of the server chassis is shaped to permit stacking a second server chassis atop the server chassis in a natural interconnecting fashion.

21. The server chassis of claim 20, wherein the top side of the server chassis is shaped as a first sinusoidal wave, and the bottom side is shaped as a second sinusoidal wave, wherein the second sinusoidal wave shape is aligned to oppose the first sinusoidal wave shape to achieve a natural interconnect between the stacked chassis.

22. The server chassis of claim 17, wherein the small foot-print is not more than 12 inches wide by 9 inches deep on the horizontal surface.

23. A method for a high availability small foot-print server comprising:

inserting a first computer module into a server chassis having a small footprint, the first computer module having a first fan;

inserting a second computer module into the server chassis without disturbing the first computer module, the second computer module having a second fan operating independently of the first fan; and

controlling the first computer module to automatically fail over to the second computer when the first fan fails.

24. The method of claim 23, further comprising:

inserting a communication module into the server chassis, the communication module providing an integrated network interface to the first and second computer modules.

25. The method of claim 23, further comprising:

inserting a power module into the server chassis, the power supply module providing a common power supply to the first and second computer modules.

26. The method of claim 23, wherein the small foot-print is not more than 12 inches wide by 9 inches deep, enabling the server chassis to occupy a limited space on a horizontal work surface.

27. The method of claim 23, further comprising:

stacking the server chassis atop a second server chassis, wherein a contour of a bottom surface of the server chassis and a contour of a top surface of the second server chassis are compatibly shaped to permit the server chassis to interconnect to the second server chassis in a natural manner.

28. The method of claim 23, wherein the contour of the bottom surface of the server chassis is a first sinusoidal wave, and a contour of the top surface of the second server chassis is a second sinusoidal wave, the second sinusoidal wave contour being aligned to oppose the first sinusoidal wave contour to achieve a natural interconnect between the stacked chassis.