Abstract: To avoid the need to operate in-chassis fans to cool rack-mounted servers in a data center, the data center is arranged into a hot aisle and a cold aisle. The cold aisle is adjacent to a first side of the rack mounted servers and receives cold air from a cold air supply unit. The hot aisle is adjacent to a second side of the rack-mounted servers and has a lower pressure than the cold aisle. Because of the pressure difference between the cold aisle and the hot aisle, cold air flows through the rack-mounted servers, cooling electronic equipment therein, into the hot aisle. Control systems are used to obtain sufficient cooling.

Abstract: In a data center, components of a server are located on a different circuit board than the processor. For example, components such as a network interface controller, storage devices, power supply, and memory are located on one or more circuit boards different than the circuit board on which the processor is located. Having server components on different circuit boards allows the components to be updated on different schedules, reducing resource consumption caused from tying component updates to processor updates. Locating server components on separate server boards also allows virtualization of server components included in a server rack.

Abstract: A file storage system may be implemented by coordinating non-exhaustible and exhaustible storage devices. The exhaustible storage devices may be lower grade flash based storage devices. The non-exhaustible storage devices may be storage devices based on magnetic recording mechanisms or higher grade flash storage. The file storage system may store received content items on the exhaustible storage devices. The file storage system may additionally store metadata for the content items and/or the file storage system on the non-exhaustible storage devices. During operation, the file storage system may globally optimize the content items on the exhaustible storage devices such that more heavily accessed items are moved to exhaustible storage devices that have experienced relatively few data operations. The file storage system can move less frequently accessed content items to exhaustible storage devices that have experienced a relatively large number of data operations.

Abstract: A file storage system may be implemented by coordinating non-exhaustible and exhaustible storage devices. The exhaustible storage devices may be lower grade flash based storage devices. The non-exhaustible storage devices may be storage devices based on magnetic recording mechanisms or higher grade flash storage. The file storage system may store received content items on the exhaustible storage devices. The file storage system may additionally store metadata for the content items and/or the file storage system on the non-exhaustible storage devices. During operation, the file storage system may globally optimize the content items on the exhaustible storage devices such that more heavily accessed items are moved to exhaustible storage devices that have experienced relatively few data operations. The file storage system can move less frequently accessed content items to exhaustible storage devices that have experienced a relatively large number of data operations.

Abstract: A file storage system is implemented by coordinating non-exhaustible and exhaustible storage devices. The exhaustible storage devices include lower grade flash based storage devices. The non-exhaustible storage devices are based on magnetic recording mechanisms or higher grade flash storage. The file storage system stores received content items on the exhaustible storage devices, and stores metadata for the content items and/or the file storage system on the non-exhaustible storage devices. During operation, the file storage system globally optimizes the content items on the exhaustible storage devices such that more heavily accessed items are moved to exhaustible storage devices that have experienced relatively few data operations. The file storage system moves less frequently accessed content items to exhaustible storage devices that have experienced a relatively large number of data operations. As such, the operation lifetime of the exhaustible storage devices as a whole can be prolonged.

Abstract: A quick lock and release mechanism is provided for securing and releasing a server or other computing asset, including a server tray, from a server rack. The server is equipped with a quick release tab that is biased to fit into an opening in the server rack. To install the server in the rack, the server is secured to the rack by aligning and inserting the quick release tab into the opening. The server can then be removed from the rack by retracting the quick release tab from the opening. The server rack may include a plurality of shelves cut out from the rack to hold multiple servers in the rack.

Abstract: An efficient and quick mechanism provides for retention and removal of hard drives on a computer chassis. A hard drive is placed in a hard drive housing, which includes one or more pins on the outside of the housing and a opening on a side of the housing. The pins on the hard drive housing align with and fit inside slots located on the chassis. The chassis also includes a spring plunger that inserts into the opening of the hard drive housing. The insertion of the spring plunger into the opening of the hard drive housing secures the housing to the chassis. The pins can be uncoupled from the slots and the spring plunger can be released from the opening to quickly remove the hard drive housing from the chassis.

Abstract: The need for an uninterrupted power supply (UPS) in a data center is obviated by tying a DC voltage from a backup power source directly to the motherboards of multiple servers in the data center. AC power received from a power utility service is converted into a lower voltage by a site transformer and then provided to one or more power distribution units at a site. The power distribution units supply power to a plurality of servers, which include power supplies that convert the AC electrical power to DC electrical power for use by the servers' motherboards. In the event of a failure of power from the utility service, the backup power source provides DC electrical power to the motherboards, e.g., for sufficient time to start up a generator to provide power in place of the utility service.

Abstract: A file storage system may be implemented by coordinating non-exhaustible and exhaustible storage devices. The exhaustible storage devices may be lower grade flash based storage devices. The non-exhaustible storage devices may be storage devices based on magnetic recording mechanisms or higher grade flash storage. The file storage system may store received content items on the exhaustible storage devices. The file storage system may additionally store metadata for the content items and/or the file storage system on the non-exhaustible storage devices. During operation, the file storage system may globally optimize the content items on the exhaustible storage devices such that more heavily accessed items are moved to exhaustible storage devices that have experienced relatively few data operations. The file storage system can move less frequently accessed content items to exhaustible storage devices that have experienced a relatively large number of data operations.

Abstract: In a data center that cools servers using an airflow from a central fan, rather than individual server fans, the cooling needs for each server are met by creating a sufficient pressure differential across each server. Because the pressure differential is the same for all of the servers, it is desirable to operate the data center such that each server needs the same pressure differential for proper cooling. Accordingly, a load balancer assigns tasks to the servers based on the known cooling needs of each server in order to balance the pressure differential needed to cool the server. This information may also be sent to the central fan to ensure that a sufficient pressure is created by the fan. Determining the cooling needs beforehand avoids spikes in server temperature, thereby enabling the servers to operate safely at a temperature closer to their maximum rated temperatures.

Abstract: An efficient and quick mechanism provides for retention and removal of hard drives on a computer chassis. A hard drive is placed in a hard drive housing, which includes one or more pins on the outside of the housing and a opening on a side of the housing. The pins on the hard drive housing align with and fit inside slots located on the chassis. The chassis also includes a spring plunger that inserts into the opening of the hard drive housing. The insertion of the spring plunger into the opening of the hard drive housing secures the housing to the chassis. The pins can be uncoupled from the slots and the spring plunger can be released from the opening to quickly remove the hard drive housing from the chassis.

Abstract: A server or other computing system contains a plurality of heat-generating electrical components and one or more cooling fans to dissipate heat from those components during operation. The fans are controlled by one or more fan controllers, which are programmed with an adaptive control algorithm to change the speed of each system cooling fan based on the needs of the components. The adaptive control algorithm is selected based on a detected configuration of the system's components, which may be detected upon startup of the system. During operation, a fan controller receives the component temperatures from one or more sensor and uses the algorithm to determine the fan speed. Thus, the system variably controls the speed of the fans based on the configuration of components housed in the server unit and on the current temperature of the components.

Abstract: A quick lock and release mechanism is provided for securing and releasing a server or other computing asset, including a server tray, from a server rack. The server is equipped with a quick release tab that is biased to fit into an opening in the server rack. To install the server in the rack, the server is secured to the rack by aligning and inserting the quick release tab into the opening. The server can then be removed from the rack by retracting the quick release tab from the opening. The server rack may include a plurality of shelves cut out from the rack to hold multiple servers in the rack.

Abstract: In a data center that cools servers using an airflow from a central fan, rather than individual server fans, the cooling needs for each server are met by creating a sufficient pressure differential across each server. Because the pressure differential is the same for all of the servers, it is desirable to operate the data center such that each server needs the same pressure differential for proper cooling. Accordingly, a load balancer assigns tasks to the servers based on the known cooling needs of each server in order to balance the pressure differential needed to cool the server. This information may also be sent to the central fan to ensure that a sufficient pressure is created by the fan. Determining the cooling needs beforehand avoids spikes in server temperature, thereby enabling the servers to operate safely at a temperature closer to their maximum rated temperatures.

Abstract: To avoid the need to operate in-chassis fans to cool rack-mounted servers in a data center, the data center is arranged into a hot aisle and a cold aisle. The cold aisle is adjacent to a first side of the rack mounted servers and receives cold air from a cold air supply unit. The hot aisle is adjacent to a second side of the rack-mounted servers and has a lower pressure than the cold aisle. Because of the pressure difference between the cold aisle and the hot aisle, cold air flows through the rack-mounted servers, cooling electronic equipment therein, into the hot aisle. Control systems are used to obtain sufficient cooling.

Abstract: The need for an uninterrupted power supply (UPS) in a data center is obviated by tying a DC voltage from a backup power source directly to the motherboards of multiple servers in the data center. AC power received from a power utility service is converted into a lower voltage by a site transformer and then provided to one or more power distribution units at a site. The power distribution units supply power to a plurality of servers, which include power supplies that convert the AC electrical power to DC electrical power for use by the servers' motherboards. In the event of a failure of power from the utility service, the backup power source provides DC electrical power to the motherboards, e.g., for sufficient time to start up a generator to provide power in place of the utility service.