Abstract: Power is provided to one or more devices in a system that includes a hierarchical power smoothing environment having multiple tiers. In response to a peak in power usage by the one or more devices, power is provided from a first power smoothing component in a first tier of the multiple tiers. Additionally, power is provided to the one or more devices from power smoothing components in each of other tiers of the multiple tiers if the power smoothing component in a next lower tier of the multiple tiers is unable to provide sufficient power for the peak in power usage. If the power smoothing components in the multiple tiers are unable to provide sufficient power for the peak in power usage, then performance of at least one of the one or more devices is reduced in response to the peak in power usage.

Abstract: A rack power unit is configured to be inserted into a device rack of a data center. The rack power unit includes one or more power supplies and one or more battery packs. The one or more power supplies are each configured to receive power (e.g., AC power) when the apparatus is in the device rack, and convert the received power to a DC power. The one or more power supplies are further configured to output the DC power to a DC power bus of the device rack. The one or more battery packs are each configured to provide, in response to an interruption in the received power, DC power to the DC power bus of the device rack.

Abstract: Power is provided to one or more devices in a system that includes a hierarchical power smoothing environment having multiple tiers. In response to a peak in power usage by the one or more devices, power is provided from a first power smoothing component in a first tier of the multiple tiers. Additionally, power is provided to the one or more devices from power smoothing components in each of other tiers of the multiple tiers if the power smoothing component in a next lower tier of the multiple tiers is unable to provide sufficient power for the peak in power usage. If the power smoothing components in the multiple tiers are unable to provide sufficient power for the peak in power usage, then performance of at least one of the one or more devices is reduced in response to the peak in power usage.

Abstract: A rack power unit is configured to be inserted into a device rack of a data center. The rack power unit includes one or more power supplies and one or more battery packs. The one or more power supplies are each configured to receive power (e.g., AC power) when the apparatus is in the device rack, and convert the received power to a DC power. The one or more power supplies are further configured to output the DC power to a DC power bus of the device rack. The one or more battery packs are each configured to provide, in response to an interruption in the received power, DC power to the DC power bus of the device rack.