Abstract: A baseboard management controller (BMC) installed in a server or other hardware device may perform operations to monitor and safeguard metering data for one or more hardware component of a server that includes the BMC. The BMC may periodically transmit a metering data message over a network to an event destination, where the metering data message includes the utilization levels of the hardware component during a period of operation. In response to detecting a loss of communication with the event destination, the BMC may perform lossy compression of the monitored utilization levels for the hardware component, wherein the lossy compression produces a utilization value that is representative of the monitored utilization levels, but uses less data storage capacity. The utilization value may be transmitted to the event destination instead of the monitored utilization levels in response to determining that communication with the event destination has been reestablished.

Abstract: Data center management over a power plane, including: coupling, via a plurality of power planes, a management hub to one or more servers; and transferring, via the plurality of power planes, data between the management hub and the one or more servers.

Abstract: Component access control includes: receiving, by an access control module, permissions specifying authorization of physical access to one or more secured components of a computing system by one or more requestors; receiving, by the access control module from a requestor, a request to physically access one of the secured components of the computing system; determining, by the access control module based on the permissions, whether the requestor is authorized to physically access the secured component; and responsive to determining that the requestor is authorized to physically access the secured component, granting the requestor physical access to the secured component while prohibiting the requestor from physically accessing other secured components of the computing system.

Abstract: Data exchange using fan unit signal lines is disclosed, including receiving a pulse width modulated (PWM) signal on a PWM signal line of a fan unit; detecting that a frequency of the PWM signal is outside a frequency range used to control a fan speed of a fan in the fan unit; selecting a data output based on the frequency of the PWM signal; and sending the data output on a tachometric signal line of the fan unit.

Abstract: data exchange using fan unit signal lines including receiving a pulse width modulated (PWM) signal on a PWM signal line of a fan unit; detecting that a frequency of the PWM signal is outside a frequency range used to control a fan speed of a fan in the fan unit; selecting a data output based on the frequency of the PWM signal; and sending the data output on a tachometric signal line of the fan unit.

Abstract: A baseboard management controller (BMC) installed in a server or other hardware device may perform operations to monitor and safeguard metering data for one or more hardware component of a server that includes the BMC. The BMC may periodically transmit a metering data message over a network to an event destination, where the metering data message includes the utilization levels of the hardware component during a period of operation. In response to detecting a loss of communication with the event destination, the BMC may perform lossy compression of the monitored utilization levels for the hardware component, wherein the lossy compression produces a utilization value that is representative of the monitored utilization levels, but uses less data storage capacity. The utilization value may be transmitted to the event destination instead of the monitored utilization levels in response to determining that communication with the event destination has been reestablished.

Abstract: Data center management over a power plane, including: coupling, via a plurality of power planes, a management hub to one or more servers; and transferring, via the plurality of power planes, data between the management hub and the one or more servers.

Abstract: A method, computer system, and/or computer program product controls access to a wireless local area network (WLAN) access point in a retail establishment. A predetermined retail activity threshold is established for a retail establishment, where the retail establishment has a patron service area with a WLAN access point, and where a determination has been made that exceeding the predetermined retail activity threshold without increasing patron traffic out of the retail establishment will cause an excessive wait time for occupying the patron service area. In response to determining that the predetermined retail activity threshold is being exceeded, a secondary criterion is examined in order to determine if the mobile device should be disconnected from the WLAN access point, in order to motivate a user of the mobile device to leave the patron service area. If so, then the mobile device is disconnected from the WLAN access point.

Abstract: A method includes sensing ambient conditions in a datacenter containing a server, and determining whether the ambient conditions exceed threshold conditions representing risk of electrostatic discharge. A lid to the server is locked in a closed position in response to the ambient conditions exceeding the threshold conditions. However, the lid to the server is unlocked in response to a grounding strap being connected to the server. Optionally, the grounding strap may be identified and the server lid will only unlock if the identified grounding strap is associated with authorization to unlock the server lid.

Abstract: Propagating pin corrections through physically mating devices including bending one of a plurality of connectors of a first mating device; and mating the first mating device having the bent connector with an unmodified second mating device; wherein the mating of the first mating device and the unmodified second mating device bends a connector corresponding to the bent connector of the first mating device.

Abstract: A method, system, and/or computer program product allocates network addresses to network devices. A network address providing server designates a particular network address as a designated network address for use with a specific non-network device, where the specific non-network device has a Unique Device Capability Identifier (UDCI), and where the non-network device is not connected to a network. The designated network address is stored in a lookup table containing the UDCI, such that the lookup table associates the designated network address with the UDCI. In response to a request from a network device for a network address including the UDCI, the network address providing server retrieves the designated network address from the lookup table based on the UDCI found in the request for a network address. The designated network address is then sent to the network device for use as a network address of the network device.

Abstract: A method includes sensing ambient conditions in a datacenter containing a server, and determining whether the ambient conditions exceed threshold conditions representing risk of electrostatic discharge. A lid to the server is locked in a closed position in response to the ambient conditions exceeding the threshold conditions. However, the lid to the server is unlocked in response to a grounding strap being connected to the server. Optionally, the grounding strap may be identified and the server lid will only unlock if the identified grounding strap is associated with authorization to unlock the server lid.

Abstract: A method includes sensing ambient conditions in a datacenter containing a server, and determining whether the ambient conditions exceed predetermined threshold conditions representing risk of electrostatic discharge. A lid to the server is locked in a closed position in response to the ambient conditions exceeding the predetermined threshold conditions. However, the lid to the server is unlocked in response to a grounding strap being connected to the server. Optionally, the grounding strap may be identified and the server lid will only unlock if the identified grounding strap is associated with authorization to unlock the server lid.

Abstract: A computer program product (CPP) for controlling a liquid crystal display (LCD) includes code for applying a test voltage to each liquid crystal element (LCE) disposed in an addressable array forming the LCD, and code for detecting an amount of light received by photosensors while applying the test voltage to the LCEs, wherein each photosensor is aligned behind and logically associated with one of the LCEs. The CPP further includes code for applying selected voltage levels to each LCE to display an image, and code for controlling an amount of backlight produced by backlighting elements in an addressable array while the image is displayed. Each backlighting element is aligned behind and logically associated with one LCE, and at least one backlighting element is controlled to compensate for a difference between the amount of light detected by the photosensor logically associated with at least one LCE and the other photosensors.

Abstract: Settings are provided by a chassis management controller to an expansion card in a multi-slot server chassis. The chassis management controller in a multi-slot server chassis provides an operating parameter to a server management controller in a server, and the server management controller writes the operating parameter to a port expander of an expansion card installed on the server. The operating parameter is written to the port expander prior to expansion card power up, and the expansion card uses the operating parameter after power up to derive one or more SERDES value. The SERDES value is used to program an ASIC chip comprising a SERDES converter on the expansion card. In one example, the operating parameter is determined by the capabilities of a chassis midplane at the slot where the compute node is installed.

Abstract: Thermally sensitive wear leveling for a flash memory device that includes a plurality of flash memory modules, the flash memory device included in a computing system that includes a plurality of additional computing components, including: identifying a thermal sensitivity coefficient for each flash memory module in dependence upon a physical topology of the flash memory device and one or more of the additional computing components; identifying wear leveling information for each flash memory module; receiving a request to write data to the flash memory device; selecting, in dependence upon the thermal sensitivity coefficient for each flash memory module and the wear leveling information for each flash memory module, a target flash memory module for servicing the request to write data to the flash memory device; and writing the data to the target flash memory module.

Abstract: Thermally sensitive wear leveling for a flash memory device that includes a plurality of flash memory modules, the flash memory device included in a computing system that includes a plurality of additional computing components, including: identifying a thermal sensitivity coefficient for each flash memory module in dependence upon a physical topology of the flash memory device and one or more of the additional computing components; identifying wear leveling information for each flash memory module; receiving a request to write data to the flash memory device; selecting, in dependence upon the thermal sensitivity coefficient for each flash memory module and the wear leveling information for each flash memory module, a target flash memory module for servicing the request to write data to the flash memory device; and writing the data to the target flash memory module.

Abstract: Methods, apparatuses, and computer program products for responding to moisture at one or more zones around an outer surface of a liquid-carrying pipe are provided. Embodiments include monitoring, by a moisture correction controller, a plurality of moisture sensors, each moisture sensor configured to detect moisture at a separate zone around the outer surface of the liquid-carrying pipe; based on the monitoring of the plurality of moisture sensors, calculating and tracking, for each zone, a level of moisture detected by a moisture sensor; based on the tracked levels of moisture detected at the zones, selecting, between condensation or a leak from within the liquid-carrying pipe as a source of the moisture detected at the zones around the liquid-carrying pipe; and administering a corrective action based on the selection of the source of the moisture detected at the zones around the liquid-carrying pipe.

Abstract: A method, system, and/or computer program product allocates network addresses to network devices. A network address providing server designates a particular network address as a designated network address for use with a specific non-network device, where the specific non-network device has a Unique Device Capability Identifier (UDCI), and where the non-network device is not connected to a network. The designated network address is stored in a lookup table containing the UDCI, such that the lookup table associates the designated network address with the UDCI. In response to a request from a network device for a network address including the UDCI, the network address providing server retrieves the designated network address from the lookup table based on the UDCI found in the request for a network address. The designated network address is then sent to the network device for use as a network address of the network device.

Abstract: Receiving, by a blade management module from a client blade, notification of a loss of communications between a remote desktop apparatus and the client blade; responsive to the notification, accepting, by the blade management module from the remote desktop apparatus, an instruction to alter a power setting of the client blade; and; responsive to the instruction, altering, by the blade management module, the power setting of the client blade.