Abstract: A mechanism is provided for minimizing aggregate power from HVAC cooling and IT equipment in a data center. The mechanism selects a high HVAC set point for low-utilization and selects a low HVAC set point for high utilization. For each cooling zone in a data center, the mechanism monitors the average utilization of equipment in the cooling zone and selects the appropriate HVAC set point based on utilization. The mechanism may determine efficiency to determine whether to adjust universal HVAC set points or the HVAC set points for each given cooling zone. That is, the mechanism may dynamically adjust HVAC set points for optimal efficiency. Alternatively, the mechanism may go beyond binary control and compute actual data center efficiency metrics to decide on intermediate set points.

Abstract: A mechanism is provided for oversubscribing branch circuits. An active energy management mechanism determines a cumulative wattage rating using power consumption information for a powered element, the power consumption information is for a primary and a redundant portion of the powered element. The active energy management mechanism determines a power reduction power cap to be used by the powered element in the event of a loss of either a primary or a redundant power source supplied to the powered element using the cumulative wattage rating, a branch circuit rating, and a circuit breaker rating for the powered element. The active energy management mechanism sends the power reduction power cap to the powered element in order that the powered element reduces power to the power reduction power cap in the event of the loss of either the primary power source or the redundant power source supplied to the powered element.

Abstract: A mechanism is provided for customized power rating for computer equipment. A power monitor determines actual power consumption by computer equipment in a facility. After equipment has been stressed, an operator sends the actual power consumption information to the manufacturer. The manufacturer receives the actual power consumption information and issues a certificate that acknowledges the equipment will not consume more power than what was measured. The manufacturer may provide digital media that instructs power management hardware in the computer equipment to adhere to an actual case power limit. The power management hardware treats the actual case power limit as a hard power limit. That is, the power management hardware will not specify a power cap higher than the actual case power limit. The power management hardware prevents the equipment from crossing the actual case power limit.

Abstract: A wire management method using a wire manager including current sensing features provides input for power measurement and management systems. The wire manager may be a single wire or single bundle retaining device with a current sensor such as a hall effect sensor integrated therein, or may be a multi-wire management housing with multiple current sensing devices disposed inside for measuring the current through multiple wires. The wires may be multiple branch circuits in a power distribution panel or raceway, and the wire manager may be adapted for mounting in such a panel or raceway. Voltage sensing may also be incorporated within the sensors by providing an electrically conductive plate, wire or other element that capacitively couples to the corresponding wire.

Abstract: A wire manager including current sensing features provides input for power measurement and management systems. The wire manager may be a single wire or single bundle retaining device with a current sensor such as a hall effect sensor integrated therein, or may be a multi-wire management housing with multiple current sensing devices disposed inside for measuring the current through multiple wires. The wires may be multiple branch circuits in a power distribution panel or raceway, and the wire manager may be adapted for mounting in such a panel or raceway. Voltage sensing may also be incorporated within the sensors by providing an electrically conductive plate, wire or other element that capacitively couples to the corresponding wire.

Abstract: A detachable current and voltage sensor provides an isolated and convenient device to measure current passing through a conductor such as an AC branch circuit wire, as well as providing an indication of an electrostatic potential on the wire, which can be used to indicate the phase of the voltage on the wire, and optionally a magnitude of the voltage. The device includes a housing that contains the current and voltage sensors, which may be a ferrite cylinder with a hall effect sensor disposed in a gap along the circumference to measure current, or alternative a winding provided through the cylinder along its axis and a capacitive plate or wire disposed adjacent to, or within, the ferrite cylinder to provide the indication of the voltage.

Abstract: A method of measurement using a detachable current and voltage sensor provides an isolated and convenient technique for to measuring current passing through a conductor such as an AC branch circuit wire, as well as providing an indication of an electrostatic potential on the wire, which can be used to indicate the phase of the voltage on the wire, and optionally a magnitude of the voltage. The device includes a housing that contains the current and voltage sensors, which may be a ferrite cylinder with a hall effect sensor disposed in a gap along the circumference to measure current, or alternative a winding provided through the cylinder along its axis and a capacitive plate or wire disposed adjacent to, or within, the ferrite cylinder to provide the indication of the voltage.

Abstract: A communications system is provided for direct communications between powered elements. A controller hub injects a first message via a modulated communication signal onto a branch circuit using a hub-side power line communication (PLC) coupler. An element-side PLC coupler associated with a powered element in a set of powered elements detects the first message and sends an interrupt to a mini-controller in the powered element. The mini-controller receives the interrupt from the element-side PLC coupler, extracts the first message using the element-side PLC coupler; reads a destination identifier in the first message; compares the destination identifier in the first message to a mini-controller identifier in the mini-controller; sends an acknowledgement message back to the controller hub in response to the destination identifier in the first message matching the mini-controller identifier, and forwards the first message to the powered element.

Abstract: A computing system is provided. In the computing system, a plurality of modules physically arranged in a three dimensional hexadron configuration. In the computing system, the at least one module is either a liquid-tight module filled with a non-conductive liquid coolant or a module cooled with a liquid coolant circulating through cold plates mounted on electronic components. In the computing system, the liquid coolant is circulated in a closed loop by at least one pump through a plurality of hoses through at least one of a plurality of heat exchangers. In the computing system, the plurality of heat exchangers is coupled to an exterior portion of the surface of the computing system. In the computing system, the plurality of heat exchangers cool the liquid coolant through tinned tubes exposed to the surrounding air.

Abstract: A processing module is provided that comprises a set of processing module sides, each comprising a circuit board, a plurality of connectors coupled to the circuit board, and a plurality of processing nodes coupled to the circuit board. Each processing module side couples to another processing module side to form a modular processing module. The modular processing module comprises an exterior connection to a power source and a communication system and a plurality of cold plates coupled to the plurality of processing nodes. Liquid coolant is circulated through the plurality of cold plates via a closed loop by at least one pump through a plurality of tubes and through at least one heat exchanger. The at least one heat exchanger is coupled to an exterior portion of the processing module. The at least one heat exchanger cools the liquid coolant using air surrounding the processing module.

Abstract: A scalable space-optimized and energy-efficient computing system is provided. The computing system comprises a plurality of modular compartments in at least one level of a frame configured in a hexadron configuration. The computing system also comprises an air inlet, an air mixing plenum, and at least one fan. In the computing system the plurality of modular compartments are affixed above the air inlet, the air mixing plenum is affixed above the plurality of modular compartments, and the at least one fan is affixed above the air mixing plenum. When at least one module is inserted into one of the plurality of modular compartments, the module couples to a backplane within the frame.

Abstract: A computing system is provided. In the computing system, a plurality of modules physically arranged in a three dimensional hexadron configuration. In the computing system, the at least one module is either a liquid-tight module filled with a non-conductive liquid coolant or a module cooled with a liquid coolant circulating through cold plates mounted on electronic components. In the computing system, the liquid coolant is circulated in a closed loop by at least one pump through a plurality of hoses through at least one of a plurality of heat exchangers. In the computing system, the plurality of heat exchangers is coupled to an exterior portion of the surface of the computing system. In the computing system, the plurality of heat exchangers cool the liquid coolant through finned tubes exposed to the surrounding air.

Abstract: Disclosed are systems, methods, and computer program products for managing power states in processors of a data processing system. In one embodiment, the invention is directed to a data processing system having dynamically configurable power-performance states (“pstates”). The data processing system includes a processor configured to operate at multiple states of frequency and voltage. The data processing system also has a power manager module configured to monitor operation of the data processing system. The data processing system further includes a pstates table having a plurality of pstate definitions, wherein each pstate definition includes a voltage value, a frequency value, and at least one unique pointer that indicates a transition from a given pstate to a different pstate.

Abstract: A data center energy management (DCEM) server configures a power supply in the data center. The DCEM server sums input alternating current (AC) power of the power supply to a total AC power of the data center, wherein the total AC power of the data center is a sum of AC power of a plurality of power supplies. The DCEM server sums output direct current (DC) power of the power supply to a total DC power of the data center and reports a ratio of total AC power to total DC power as data center power conversion efficiency. The DCEM server sets a preset power supply efficiency threshold. The DCEM server determines that a real-time power efficiency level is below the power supply efficiency threshold. The DCEM server, responsive to a determination that real-time power efficiency level is below the power supply efficiency threshold, may remedy the power supply.

Abstract: A scalable space-optimized and energy-efficient computing system is provided. The computing system comprises a plurality of modular compartments in at least one level of a frame configured in a hexadron configuration. The computing system also comprises an air inlet, an air mixing plenum, and at least one fan. In the computing system the plurality of modular compartments are affixed above the air inlet, the air mixing plenum is affixed above the plurality of modular compartments, and the at least one fan is affixed above the air mixing plenum. When at least one module is inserted into one of the plurality of modular compartments, the module couples to a backplane within the frame.

Abstract: A modular processing module is provided. The modular processing module comprises a set of processing module sides. Each processing module side comprises a circuit board, a plurality of connectors coupled to the circuit board, and a plurality of processing nodes coupled to the circuit board. Each processing module side in the set of processing module sides couples to another processing module side using at least one connector in the plurality of connectors such that, when all of the set of processing module sides are coupled together, the modular processing module is formed. The modular processing module comprises an exterior connection to a power source and a communication system.

Abstract: A modular processing module allowing in-situ maintenance is provided. The modular processing module comprises a set of processing module sides. Each processing module side comprises a circuit board, a plurality of connectors, and a plurality of processing nodes. Each processing module side couples to another processing module side using at least one connector in the plurality of connectors such that, when all of the set of processing module sides are coupled together, the modular processing module is formed. The modular processing module comprises an exterior connection to a power source and a communication system and at least one heatsink that couples to at least a portion of the plurality of processing nodes on one of the processing module sides and is designed such that, when a set of heatsinks in the modular processing module are installed, an empty space is left in a center of the modular processing module.

Abstract: A computing system is provided. In the computing system, a plurality of modules physically arranged in a three dimensional hexadron configuration. In the computing system, the at least one module is either a liquid-tight module filled with a non-conductive liquid coolant or a module cooled with a liquid coolant circulating through cold plates mounted on electronic components. In the computing system, the liquid coolant is circulated in a closed loop by at least one pump through a plurality of hoses through at least one of a plurality of heat exchangers. In the computing system, the plurality of heat exchangers is coupled to an exterior portion of the surface of the computing system. In the computing system, the plurality of heat exchangers cool the liquid coolant through finned tubes exposed to the surrounding air.

Abstract: A mechanism is provided for customized power rating for computer equipment. A power monitor determines actual power consumption by computer equipment in a facility. After equipment has been stressed, an operator sends the actual power consumption information to the manufacturer. The manufacturer receives the actual power consumption information and issues a certificate that acknowledges the equipment will not consume more power than what was measured. The manufacturer may provide digital media that instructs power management hardware in the computer equipment to adhere to an actual case power limit. The power management hardware treats the actual case power limit as a hard power limit. That is, the power management hardware will not specify a power cap higher than the actual case power limit. The power management hardware prevents the equipment from crossing the actual case power limit.

Abstract: A mechanism is provided for oversubscribing branch circuits. An active energy management mechanism determines a cumulative wattage rating using power consumption information for a powered element, the power consumption information is for a primary and a redundant portion of the powered element. The active energy management mechanism determines a power reduction power cap to be used by the powered element in the event of a loss of either a primary or a redundant power source supplied to the powered element using the cumulative wattage rating, a branch circuit rating, and a circuit breaker rating for the powered element. The active energy management mechanism sends the power reduction power cap to the powered element in order that the powered element reduces power to the power reduction power cap in the event of the loss of either the primary power source or the redundant power source supplied to the powered element.