Abstract: Examples are disclosed that relate to computing systems having a common conductive pathway. One example provides a computing system comprising a power supply configured to output electrical power for delivery to one or more power nodes, and one or more power monitors configured to identify a power overload condition based on the power output by the power supply. The computing system further comprises a parent controller configured to, based at least on receiving an indication of the power overload condition, transmit an instruction to one or more child controllers that causes each child controller to effect a change in an operational state of a corresponding power node. The computing system also comprises a conductive pathway along which electrical power output from the power supply is transmitted for delivery to the one or more power nodes, and along which the instruction is transmitted to the one or more child controllers.

Abstract: A system for providing resources to customers includes racks, sub-rack level secure containment units in the racks, and a provisioning control system. The sub-rack level secure containment units each enclose system resources. The racks hold two or more of the sub-rack level secure containment units. For each customer, the provisioning control system may provision a set of sub-rack level secure containment units to the customer. The provisioning control system may monitor, and create a record of, events of physical access to the system resources in each customer's set of sub-rack level secure containment units.

Abstract: Examples are disclosed that relate to computing systems having a common conductive pathway. One example provides a computing system comprising a power supply configured to output electrical power for delivery to one or more power nodes, and one or more power monitors configured to identify a power overload condition based on the power output by the power supply. The computing system further comprises a parent controller configured to, based at least on receiving an indication of the power overload condition, transmit an instruction to one or more child controllers that causes each child controller to effect a change in an operational state of a corresponding power node. The computing system also comprises a conductive pathway along which electrical power output from the power supply is transmitted for delivery to the one or more power nodes, and along which the instruction is transmitted to the one or more child controllers.

Abstract: A data storage module includes one or more carrier circuit board assemblies mounted in a rack. An array of removable solid state data storage devices (such as USB thumb drives or SD cards) is coupled to the circuit board assemblies. A data storage controller is coupled to the solid state data storage devices in the array. The data storage controller stripes data across at least two of the solid state data storage devices.

Abstract: An apparatus for disposal of electronic devices includes a transport mechanism for transferring the storage devices through the apparatus. A scanner scans or reads the devices as the devices move through the apparatus, a sanitizer for degaussing or erasing the storage devices, and a destruction mechanism for physically deforming the devices. The apparatus is further configured to receive scanned information from the scanner, determine identification information for the devices based on the scanned information, and update status information of the devices during movement of the devices between the scanner, sanitizer, and destruction mechanism.

Abstract: An air containment structure includes walls and an aisle between the walls. Computing devices are mounted to the walls of the air containment structure and the air containment structure separates air within the aisle of the air containment structure from other air in a facility. The walls of the air containment structure are configured to support respective weights of the computing devices mounted to the air containment structure. In some embodiments, infrastructure systems, such as power bus bars, cable trays, and cooling ducts are mounted to and supported by the air containment structure.

Abstract: A data center includes a plurality of racks on a floor and one or more fire suppression systems coupled to at least some of the racks. The fire suppression systems include reservoirs mounted on the racks, a fire suppression material in the reservoir, and one or more material dispensing devices coupled to the reservoir. The material dispensing devices may dispense fire suppression material onto or into the racks in response to a fire condition.

Abstract: A power cable includes electrical connectors at a first end and a second end of the power cable. The electrical connectors individually or collectively include a built-in reserve power source, such as batteries or supercapacitors, and a control circuit configured to provide power to one or more downstream devices from the reserve power source when power received at one or more of the electrical connectors of the power cable is interrupted. In some embodiments, an electrical connector includes one or more indicators configured to indicate a state of the electrical connector and/or display one or more indications in response to receiving a signal from an external source, such as a management system of a facility.

Abstract: A monitoring system may receive data indicating work performed by a set of computing devices during a given period of time and may receive data indicating an amount of power consumed by the set of computing devices and support systems that support the set of computing devices during the given period of time. The monitoring system may normalize the amounts of work performed by different types of computing devices in the set and determine an aggregate amount of work performed by the set. The monitoring system may also determine an aggregate amount of electrical power consumed by the set of computing devices and support system that support the set of computing devices during the given period of time. A monitoring system may use the aggregate amount of work performed and aggregate amount of power consumed during the given period of time to determine a performance index efficiency for the set.

Abstract: A data center includes two or more rack computing systems and an air handling system. The rack computing systems may each include racks and computing devices mounted in the rack. The air handling system includes one or more air moving devices external to the one or more racks. The air moving devices create a negative pressure relative to ambient air at air inlets to the racks to draw air from the inlets and through computing devices in the racks.

Abstract: A data center includes an electrical load, a connection to a utility power source, a uninterruptible power supply (UPS), a switching device and a control system. The control system is configured to cause the switching device to discontinue routing electrical power to the electrical loads via the UPS for a given period of time while electrical power is still available to be fed to the electrical loads from the utility power source. Subsequent to the given period of time, the control system cause the switching device to resume routing electrical power to the electrical loads via the UPS.

Abstract: Techniques for detecting a cause or a location associated with a power disturbance affecting a power distribution system are described. For example, an indication of such a power disturbance may be received from a power meter of the power distribution system. Power-related data may also be received from another power meter of the power distribution system based on the indication of the power disturbance. A cause or a location associated with the power disturbance may be determined based on the power-related data received from the other power meter.

Abstract: A wall structure includes mounting brackets for server components to be mounted to the wall structure. Different server components are coupled together via one or more data communication coupling devices, such as cables, to form a functional server. The data communication coupling devices and the server components are configured to allow the server components to be coupled and decoupled from one another to form functional servers having various configurations. In some embodiments, the server components and data communication coupling devices are accessible via an aisle adjacent to the wall structure and the server components are hot-swappable so that server components can be added to or removed from a functional server while other server components included in the functional server remain in operation.

Abstract: A system includes one or more electrical systems, an electrical power distribution system, one or more power sensors, an air handling system, and one or more controllers. The electrical power distribution system includes power distribution lines. The power distribution lines supply electrical power to the electrical systems. The power sensors are coupled to the power distribution lines. The power sensors sense characteristics of electrical power supplied to at least one of the electrical systems (for example, current draw). The one or more controllers control the air handling system based on characteristics measured by the power sensors.

Abstract: Techniques are described for providing an automatic transfer switch (ATS), such as in a data center, to determine whether the power system coupled to a first power input on the ATS is the same power system or a different power system that is coupled to a second power input on the ATS. The ATS determines and compares the electrical characteristics (e.g., voltage, current harmonics, etc.) to determine if there is a difference between the determined characteristics. If the electrical characteristics are substantially similar, then a single power system is coupled to both power inputs on the ATS. But if the electrical characteristics are significantly different (e.g., the difference in the electrical characteristics is above a threshold), the power system coupled to one power input on the ATS is different from the power system coupled to the other power input on the ATS.

Abstract: A system for removing heat from components in a computer room of data center includes one or more air storage containers that hold compressed air, one or more compressors that supply compressed air to the air storage containers, and one or more plenums in fluid communication with at least one of the storage containers. At least one of the plenums can supply air to a computer room.

Abstract: A data center includes rack computing systems, electrical power system, and a circuit control device. The rack computing systems may include a rack and computing devices coupled to the rack. The electrical power system supplies power to computing devices in the racks. Each electrical power system may include overcurrent protection devices that protect computing devices in the rack computing systems from overcurrent conditions. The circuit control device is coupled to the overcurrent protection devices. The circuit control device can trigger the circuit protection devices to shed loads on the electrical power system from computing devices in the rack computing systems.

Abstract: A data center includes an air handling system and a thermal energy receptacle system. The air handling system moves air across heat producing components of electrical systems in the data center. The thermal energy receptacle system is coupled to the air handling system. The thermal energy receptacle system includes one or more heat exchangers that exchange heat between air moving through the air handling system and a fluid, one or more phase change material modules including phase change material, and a fluid transport system that transports fluid between the phase change material modules and the heat exchangers. The thermal energy receptacle system transfers heat from air passing over the one or more heat exchangers to at least one of the phase change material modules such that at least a portion of the phase change material changes phase.

Abstract: An air directing device includes a rack-coupling portion that couples the air directing device with a rack, and one or more air directing portions. The air directing portions include one or more openings and one or more scoops that direct air from outside the rack into at least one of the openings when the air directing device is coupled to the rack.

Abstract: A data center includes a plurality of racks on a floor and one or more fire suppression systems coupled to at least some of the racks. The fire suppression systems include reservoirs mounted on the racks, a fire suppression material in the reservoir, and one or more material dispensing devices coupled to the reservoir. The material dispensing devices may dispense fire suppression material onto or into the racks in response to a fire condition.