Abstract: A method for automated design of an IT infrastructure, includes a) identifying IT equipment to support services to be provided to meet one or more user requirements; b) identifying one or more auxiliary infrastructures to meet requirements of the identified computer equipment; c) synthesizing the IT equipment and the one or more auxiliary infrastructures to generate a candidate design; d) analyzing one or more operating characteristics of the candidate design; e) repeating steps a)-d) on at least one additional candidate design that differs from the candidate design generated at step c); and f) storing at least one of the candidate design and the at least one additional candidate design.

Abstract: In a method of managing a structure having an infrastructure system, a plurality of candidate components configured to provide redundancy to the infrastructure system are identified. Reliability levels of the structure are evaluated with a plurality of different combinations of candidate components. In addition, the structure is managed based upon the evaluated reliability levels.

Abstract: A system for cooling an electronic device having a heat-generating component includes a passive cooling device having a cooling ability designed to expire after a predetermined amount of heat is absorbed from the heat-generating component and an active cooling device configured to at least one of dissipate heat generated by the heat-generating component and cool the passive cooling device, when the active cooling device is activated. The system also includes a controller configured to activate the active cooling device after a determination that a predetermined threshold condition has occurred, wherein the predetermined threshold condition is selected to occur after the passive cooling device cooling ability has substantially expired, to thereby substantially minimize power consumption of the active cooling device in cooling the heat-generating component.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a data center comprises a first data center section comprising one or more equipment element elements. Each computer element has one or more heat generating sources. A second data center section comprises a heat exchanger, the second data center section being substantially segregated from the first section. A heat transfer element is thermally coupled to at least some of the heat generating sources and is further thermally coupled to the heat exchanger.

Abstract: In a method of estimating a replacement cost associated with an existing technology performed by a processor, one or more costs associated with implementing the existing technology are obtained, in which the one or more costs include an environmental cost and a utility cost associated with implementing the existing technology. In addition, an existing net benefit of continuing implementation of the existing technology based upon the obtained one or more costs are calculated.

Abstract: A system for managing a structure having cooling fluid configured to flow around and absorb heat from components contained in the structure includes a plurality of separate cooling mechanisms configured to absorb heat from the cooling fluid. At least two of the plurality of separate cooling mechanisms have at least one different level of a metric with respect to each other. The system also includes a controller configured to implement the plurality of separate cooling mechanisms in a staged manner to remove heat from the cooling fluid. The staged manner includes implementing the cooling mechanism having a relatively lower at least one metric level first and implementing a cooling mechanism having a relatively higher at least one metric level last, to cool the structure.

Abstract: In a method for managing at least one three-dimensional package and a cooling system having at least one active cooling mechanism configured to cool the at least one three-dimensional package, at least one of workload on and an environmental condition on or around the at least one three-dimensional package is identified. In addition, at least one of an active cooling mechanism and a three-dimensional package is controlled based upon at least one of the identified workload and environmental condition.

Abstract: In a method for managing cooling provisioning in a three-dimensional package containing a plurality of stacked die with a cooling system having at least one active cooling mechanism, at least one of workload on and an environmental condition at or around one of the plurality of stacked die is identified. In addition, at least one of the active cooling mechanism and the one of the plurality of stacked die is controlled based upon at least one of the identified workload and environmental condition.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a processor and a storage medium. The processor is operable to collect device data associated with the apparatus and transmit at least some of the device data to a tag.

Abstract: An electronic system includes a first circuit board having a first optical element and a second circuit board having a second optical element positioned to electronically communicate with the first optical element over free space. The system also includes a cold plate having openings positioned to enable the optical communications over free space is positioned between the first circuit board and the second circuit board. The system further includes a condenser and a fluid conduit containing a cooling fluid configured to absorb heat through the cold plate and to convey the heat to the condenser, where the fluid conduit connects the cold plate and the condenser.

Abstract: To provide collaborative business intelligence in an enterprise, an analytics platform is provided to receive an event associated with the enterprise and to perform analysis in response to the event. A virtual collaboration platform is provided to enable plural users to interact with each other and to use resources of the analytics platform.

Abstract: In a method of synthesizing components to design a system meeting an exergy loss target value, one or more candidate sets of components are synthesized and an exergy loss value for each of the one or more candidate sets of components are calculated. A determination as to whether at least one of the candidate set of components meets the exergy loss target value is made and at least one candidate set of components determined to meet the exergy loss target value is identified as the set of components for use in the design of the system.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, an equipment enclosure includes a plurality of equipment elements, each element having one or more heat generating sources. A heat exchanger is mounted towards the top of the equipment enclosure. The heat exchanger is thermally coupled to at least some of the heat generating sources. The enclosure includes an exhaust vent through which air heated by the heat exchanger may be evacuated, and an inlet vent through which air from outside the equipment enclosure may be drawn into the equipment enclosure to cool the heat exchanger by stack effect ventilation.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a data center comprises a first data center section comprising one or more equipment element elements. Each computer element has one or more heat generating sources. A second data center section comprises a heat exchanger, the second data center section being substantially segregated from the first section. A heat transfer element is thermally coupled to at least some of the heat generating sources and is further thermally coupled to the heat exchanger.

Abstract: In an embodiment, an integrated heat sink for a microchip includes a substrate having a plurality of interconnected electronic devices formed in a plurality of layers. At least one heat sink element is interposed within the layers and includes a microchannel to provide a fluid flow path for heat transfer. Other embodiments include a method of making an integrated heat sink for a microchip.

Abstract: Electronic components, systems and apparatus including one or more air flow devices, such as an aerodynamic element and/or an air diverter.

Abstract: A digital media drive failure prediction system comprises a prediction module configured to analyze a current draw associated with a digital media drive measured at least two different operating times of the digital media drive to automatically determine whether a different between the measured current draws indicates an impending failure of the digital media drive.

Abstract: In a method of determining cooling resource capacity allocations for resource units in a shared environment for optimized operations, cost parameters associated with operating the resource units in at least one of delivering and receiving cooling resources are identified, one or more constraints associated with operating the resource units are identified, in which at least one of the one or more constraints comprises meeting at least a total cooling demand of components in the shared environment, a cost function that correlates the plurality of identified cost parameters is developed, a minimized cost function is solved for through application of a Lagrange multiplier subject to the identified one or more constraints, and cooling resource capacity allocations for the resource units that result in optimized operations in the shared environment based upon the minimized cost function solution are determined.

Abstract: Embodiments include methods, apparatus, and systems with integrated circuits having phase change devices. One embodiment includes an integrated circuit die and a phase change die having a phase change material that changes phases when a temperature at the integrated circuit die exceeds a threshold for a predetermined amount of time.

Abstract: Embodiments include methods, apparatus, and systems for analyzing data in an infrastructure. One embodiment includes a method that senses environmental data at equipment racks in an infrastructure, identifies patterns in the environmental data, and uses the patterns to modify the infrastructure to improve thermal management in the infrastructure.