Abstract: An adaptable power supply for a computer system is provided, including: a power supply case, a power adapter, an input power connector, and a plurality of output connectors fixably mounted to the power supply case, and clustered into at least two clusters for connection to computer system components or subsystems via individual power cables. A method of manufacturing a computer system is also described, including: providing an adaptable power supply having output connectors, and connecting a plurality of computer system components to the power supply output connectors using individual cables. A computer system containing an adaptable power supply is also described.

Abstract: A power supply for use in a negative pressure computer system is provided, including: an enclosure; an air exhaust port provided on a first side of the enclosure; an air intake port provided on a second side of the enclosure, said second side being adjacent to the first side having the exhaust port; and an air mover configured to draw cooling air into the intake port and exhaust cooling air out of the exhaust port. A computer system is provided, including: a chassis; a printed circuit board (PCB) mounted in the chassis; one or more computer components coupled to the printed circuit board; a power supply for supplying power to the one or more computer components.

Abstract: A rack mounted computer system. In one variation the computer rack is configured for side-by-side placement of computers. In another variation, the computer rack includes flanges for supporting the placement of computer units within the rack. In another variation the computer rack is configured with retaining clips. In yet another variation, the computer rack is configured to receive computers with chassis that are adapted for side-by-side placement.

Abstract: A method for executing a write request in a clustered computing environment, comprising a plurality of computers connected in a network, including at least one client computer accessing data blocks stored on a first storage device of a shared aggregated pool of storage devices. Data blocks stored on the first storage device are linked to data blocks stored on at least one second storage device of the pool by error recovery data stored on a third storage device of the pool. When a client computer sends a write request to the first storage device for a new data block to be stored at an address on the first storage device, the new data block is written at the address on the first storage device. New error recovery data is calculated for the data block and is written to the third storage device.

Abstract: This relates to the manner in which computers are configured in a given area in order to conserve space and to deal with cooling issues associated with the close housing of a large number of computers. Efficient arrangements for efficiently increasing the density of computer configurations are shown, particularly when used in a network server or host environment.

Abstract: A computer system comprising an interface assembly configured to support one or more I/O connections. In one variations the computer system comprises a main board housed within a chassis, a chassis connector coupled to the chassis, and one or more I/O cables coupled to the chassis connector. In another variation, the computer assembly comprises a computer rack with a plurality of connector interfaces, each of which is adapted for engaging a computer through a chassis connector with a plurality of I/O ports.

Abstract: A computer system includes a computer rack configured to support a plurality of computer chassis in a computer stack region of the computer rack; a cooling plenum configured to draw air from a back side of a computer chassis supported in the computer rack and exhaust the air through an outlet port; and an airflow control member positioned between the cooling plenum and the computer stack region and providing an impedance to airflow between the computer stack region and the cooling plenum, said airflow control member providing a greater airflow impedance to a first portion of the computer stack region than to a second portion of the computer stack region.

Abstract: One or more air deflection assemblies are used to redirect air emitted by computers in a rack-based computer system. These air deflection assemblies may be used to redirect air emerging horizontally out of the back sides of computers into a vertically-oriented exhaust plenum. This can eliminate the need for exhaust fans to draw heated air through the exhaust plenums and out of the rack.

Abstract: A computer system comprising an interface assembly configured to support one or more I/O connections. In one variation, the computer system comprises a main board housed within a chassis, a chassis connector coupled to the chassis, and one or more I/O cables coupled to the chassis connector. In another variation, the computer assembly comprises a computer rack with a plurality of connector interfaces, each of which is adapted for engaging a computer through a chassis connector with a plurality of I/O ports.

Abstract: A computer system is provided, including: a computer chassis configured to retain a motherboard having a plurality of I/O (input/output) connectors mounted thereon; and an electrically conductive door movable from an open position to a closed position, wherein when said door is in the open position, the I/O connectors are exposed, and when said door is in the closed position, the I/O connectors are covered. A method of operating a computer including a motherboard having a plurality of I/O (input/output) connectors mounted thereon is provided. The method includes operating the computer to generate electromagnetic signals, and blocking the electromagnetic signals with an electrically conductive door movable from an open position to a closed position, wherein when said door is in the open position, the I/O connectors are exposed, and when said door is in the closed position, the I/O connectors are covered.

Abstract: A computer system having a fan assembly is provided. In one example, the computer system includes a computer chassis for mounting with a computer rack, the computer chassis comprising a front portion and a rear portion and including a main board. The computer system further includes a fan assembly positioned adjacent to a rear portion of the computer chassis, the fan assembly configured to draw air through the computer toward the rear portion of the computer chassis along a first direction and to expel the air in a second airflow direction non-parallel with the first direction.

Abstract: This relates to the manner in which computers are configured in a given area in order to conserve space and to deal with cooling issues associated with the close housing of a large number of computers. Efficient arrangements for efficiently increasing the density of computer configurations are shown, particularly when used in a network server or host environment.

Abstract: A method for retrieving and modifying data elements on a shared medium following request from multiple client computers, such that data retrieval transactions on a data element, originating from one or more clients, are not compromised by data update transactions on the same data element originating from other clients. The shared medium controller receives from multiple clients transaction requests for reading or writing a data element stored on the shared medium. The transactions requests are added to an execution queue in order. All read transaction requests are then retrieved and executed in parallel, up to a write transaction request on the data element. The write transaction request is then executed while all incoming read transaction requests for the same data element are queued until the write transaction request is completed.

Abstract: One or more air deflection assemblies are used to redirect air emitted by computers in a rack-based computer system. These air deflection assemblies may be used to redirect air emerging horizontally out of the back sides of computers into a vertically-oriented exhaust plenum. This can eliminate the need for exhaust fans to draw heated air through the exhaust plenums and out of the rack.

Abstract: A cluster module for holding multiple computers. In one variation, a computer rack is configured to receive a plurality of cluster modules, and each of the cluster modules holds a plurality of computers. In one implementation, the computers are secured within the each of the cluster modules in a vertical orientation. In another implementation, the computers are secured within each of the cluster modules in a horizontal orientation.

Abstract: The invention relates to a computer rack, frame or system having a direct current power supply positioned at the upper portion of the rack. In one variation, the DC power supply is placed in the highest shelf in the computer rack. In another variation, the DC power supply is placed on top of the computer rack. In yet another variation, a dual column computer rack with a back-to-back configuration is implemented with DC power supplies placed in a top shelf of the one of the computer columns. The DC power supply may comprise of one or more direct current power supply modules configured to provide fail over protection. In another aspect of the invention, the power supply modules are placed in a separate rack and provide direct current to support computers in one or more computer racks.

Abstract: Computer systems and methods of operating a computer system are described. The computer system can include a computer rack; a first stack and a second stack provided in the computer rack, each stack comprising one or more computers; a first cooling plenum configured such that cooling air can flow between the computers in the first stack and the first cooling plenum; and a second cooling plenum configured such that cooling air can flow between the computers in the second stack and the second cooling plenum.

Abstract: An adaptable power supply for a computer system is provided, including: a power supply case, a power adapter, an input power connector, and a plurality of output connectors fixably mounted to the power supply case, and clustered into at least two clusters for connection to computer system components or subsystems via individual power cables. A method of manufacturing a computer system is also described, including: providing an adaptable power supply having output connectors, and connecting a plurality of computer system components to the power supply output connectors using individual cables. A computer system containing an adaptable power supply is also described.

Abstract: A computer is provided having a main board with I/O connectors mounted thereon, and a chassis including a front panel providing access to the I/O connectors and to all components requiring intermittent access provided for the computer.

Abstract: A system including a computer rack and a plurality of computers provided in the computer rack is provided. Each computer includes a computer chassis containing at least a processor and a data storage device and a plenum extending from the computer rack for channeling cooling air from the plurality of computers provided in the computer rack to a location exterior to a site where the computer rack is located. The computer rack and the plurality of computers are configured to channel cooling air through each of the plurality of the computers and out of the computer rack through the plenum.