Identification of equipment location in data center

• US 7,792,943 B2
• Filed: 07/11/2007
• Issued: 09/07/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/11/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Chainer, Timothy Joseph, Dang, Hien Phu
• Primary Examiner(s): Blount; Eric M
• Application Number:
  US11/776,262
• Publication Number:
  US 20090019201A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,154 Days
• Field of Search: 340/500, 340/524, 340/584, 709/223, 455/425
• US Class Current: 709/223
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/12 Discovery or management of network topologies

Abstract

Techniques are disclosed for identifying the locations of equipment in computing environments such as data centers. For example, a method of identifying a location of at least one computing device in a computing environment, including a plurality of computing devices, includes the following steps. A first representation of temperature conditions associated with the plurality of computing devices is obtained while the at least one computing device is in a first mode. The at least one computing device is placed into a second mode. A second representation of temperature conditions associated with the plurality of computing devices is obtained while the at least one computing device is in the second mode. The location of the at least one computing system is determined using the first representation and the second representation. The first mode may be one of a normal operating mode and an idle mode, and the second mode may be the other of the normal operating mode and the idle mode.

Claims

1. A method of identifying a location of at least one computing device in a computing environment comprising a plurality of computing devices, comprising the steps of:

obtaining a first representation of temperature conditions associated with the plurality of computing devices while the at least one computing device is in a first mode;

placing the at least one computing device into a second mode;

obtaining a second representation of temperature conditions associated with the plurality of computing devices while the at least one computing device is in the second mode; and

determining the location of the at least one computing system using the first representation and the second representation.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first mode is one of a normal operating mode and an idle mode, and the second mode is the other of the normal operating mode and the idle mode.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the respective steps of obtaining the first and second representations of temperature conditions associated with the plurality of computing devices further comprises using at least one thermal imaging device to capture the first and second representations.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the first and second representations comprise respective thermal images taken by the at least one thermal imaging device of temperature conditions of heat-conducting elements attached to exhaust fans of the plurality of computing devices.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the heat-conducting elements are plastic strips.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein, when a computing device comprises more than one exhaust fan, the corresponding plastic strips are distinguishable from one another based on at least one of unique shapes and unique sizes.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of iteratively cycling each of the computing devices from the first mode to the second mode such that first and second representations can be obtained from which locations of each of the computing devices can be determined.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the first representation of temperature conditions associated with the plurality of computing devices is obtained when each of the plurality of computing devices is in the first mode.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the respective steps of obtaining the first and second representations of temperature conditions associated with the plurality of computing devices further comprises using at least one optical imaging device to capture the first and second representations.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the first and second representations comprise respective optical images of positions of elements mounted near exhaust fans of the plurality of computing devices.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the respective steps of obtaining the first and second representations of temperature conditions associated with the plurality of computing devices further comprises using a wireless transmitter/receiver arrangement to capture the first and second representations.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the wireless transmitter/receiver arrangement comprises an infrared transmitter/receiver arrangement.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein, given the determined location of the at least one computing device, a power management operation is performed.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein, given the determined location of the at least one computing device, a troubleshooting operation is performed.

15. Apparatus for identifying a location of at least one computing device in a computing environment comprising a plurality of computing devices, comprising:

a memory; and

at least one processor coupled to the memory and operative to;

(i) obtain a first representation of temperature conditions associated with the plurality of computing devices while the at least one computing device is in a first mode;

(ii) place the at least one computing device into a second mode;

(iii) obtain a second representation of temperature conditions associated with the plurality of computing devices while the at least one computing device is in the second mode; and

(iv) determine the location of the at least one computing system using the first representation and the second representation.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the first mode is one of a normal operating mode and an idle mode, and the second mode is the other of the normal operating mode and the idle mode.

17. The apparatus of claim 15, further comprising the step of iteratively cycling each of the computing devices from the first mode to the second mode such that first and second representations can be obtained from which locations of each of the computing devices can be determined.

18. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the respective steps of obtaining the first and second representations of temperature conditions associated with the plurality of computing devices further comprises using at least one thermal imaging device to capture the first and second representations.

19. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein, given the determined location of the at least one computing device, at least one of a power management and a troubleshooting operation is performed.

20. An article of manufacture for identifying a location of at least one computing device in a computing environment comprising a plurality of computing devices, comprising a computer readable storage medium containing one or more programs which when executed by a computer implement the steps of:

obtaining a first representation of temperature conditions associated with the plurality of computing devices while the at least one computing device is in a first mode;

placing the at least one computing device into a second mode;

obtaining a second representation of temperature conditions associated with the plurality of computing devices while the at least one computing device is in the second mode; and

determining the location of the at least one computing system using the first representation and the second representation.