Abstract: A data center includes computing devices, an air handling system, a heat engine, and a generator. Air moved by the air handling system flows across heat-producing components in the computing devices in the data center. Heat from air that has flowed over the heat-producing components heats a hot section of the heat engine. The heat engine generates mechanical work based on a temperature differential between a hot section of the heat engine and a cold section of the heat engine. The generator generates electricity from the mechanical work generated by the heat engine.

Abstract: A computer system includes a chassis, one or more hard disk drives coupled to the chassis, and one or more air passages under at least one of the hard disk drives. The air passages include one or more air inlets and one or more air outlets. The inlets direct at least a portion of the air downwardly into the passages. The passages allow air to move from the air inlets to the air outlets.

Abstract: An array of backup battery units that can be reconfigured to provide different currents and/or voltages depending upon load conditions. The backup battery units are attached to a bus and can be reconfigured, for example, between a configuration in which the battery backup units are wired in series to a configuration where the battery backup units are wired in parallel. Additional embodiments are directed to an array of backup battery units that can isolate a single battery backup unit so that the battery backup unit can be removed from the bus while the bus is under load. The removed battery backup unit can then be tested, maintained, and/or replaced.

Abstract: A backup battery unit that can be reconfigured to provide different currents and/or voltages depending upon load conditions. The backup battery unit can be reconfigured, for example, between a configuration in which battery cells for the battery unit are wired in series to a configuration where the battery cells are wired in parallel. Additional embodiments are directed to a backup battery unit that can isolate a battery cell and remove the cell from a circuit for the battery while the battery is under load or being charged. The isolated cell can then be serviced or tested.

Abstract: A data center may include a tape library rack module along with rack computer systems. The rack computer systems may be configured to provide computing capacity within a data center environment. In some embodiments, the tape library rack module may include an enclosure encompassing an interior of the tape library rack module, a rack within the interior, and a tape library unit mounted on the rack. The tape library rack unit may include tape cartridges configured to store data within a tape environment that is different than the data center environment. The tape library rack unit may be within a portion of the interior that is enclosed such that it is environmentally isolated from the data center environment. In some examples, the tape library rack module may include a cooling unit and/or a humidifier unit, which may provide the tape environment to the environmentally isolated portion of the interior of the tape library rack module.

Abstract: A data center row infrastructure module enables rapid deployment of a computing room enclosure for computer systems that provides intake air circulation to, and exhaust air removal from, the computer systems in the enclosure. The data center row infrastructure module includes free-standing exhaust plenum structures encompassing opposite sides of the enclosure and a plenum module spanning a top end of the enclosure between the free-standing exhaust plenum structures. Each free-standing exhaust plenum structure includes an internal exhaust air plenum that directs exhaust air received from the enclosure through an exhaust air outlet on a top end of the free-standing exhaust plenum structure. The plenum module establishes a bottom end of a cooling air plenum above and separate from the enclosure and between the free-standing exhaust plenum structures. Some plenum modules can direct cooling air directly to the enclosure as intake air.

Abstract: A system for storing data includes a rack, one or more data storage modules coupled to the rack, and one or more data control modules coupled to the rack. The data storage modules may include a chassis, two or more backplanes coupled to the chassis, and one or more mass storage devices (for example, hard disk drives) coupled to the backplanes. The data control modules may access the mass storage devices in the data storage modules.

Abstract: A system for performing computing operations includes a rack, one or more shelves coupled to the rack, and two or more computing modules. Each computing module may include a chassis, one or more circuit board assemblies in a primarily vertical orientation, and one or more hard disk drives in a primarily vertical orientation. The circuit board assemblies and the hard disk drives are coupled to the chassis of the computing module.

Abstract: A modular computing system for a data center includes one or more data center modules including rack computer systems. An electrical module is coupled to the data center modules and provides electrical power to computer systems in the data center modules. The data center modules do not include any internal active cooling systems and cannot be coupled with any external active cooling systems. A data center module directs ambient air to flow into intake air plenums extending along intake sides of the rows of racks, through the rows of racks into exhaust plenums extending along exhaust sides of the rows of racks, and out into the ambient environment to cool computer systems in the racks. Directed airflow can be lateral, vertical, at least partially driven by air buoyancy gradients, at least partially induced by air moving devices internal to computer systems in the rows of racks, thereof, etc.

Abstract: A mobile device test module enables a remote client to execute client-developed mobile device applications on a mobile device, via a communication network, to test application performance on the mobile device. The module includes a host compute board which establishes a device communication link, which can include a wireless link, with a mobile device mounted in the module and generates commands to the mobile device based on signals received at the board. The module restricts the host compute board and mobile device to device communication links between each other. The module housing can restrict device communication links with devices external to the module. The module can be installed in a slot of a chassis which can provide structural, power, and communication support to the module. The chassis includes interface clusters which each can support various modules installed in the slots and can support redundant links with an installed module.

Abstract: A power routing rack can be used to provide various power support redundancies to one or more computing racks in a data center. Power feeds are supplied to bus bars in a power bus bar array extending through the rack, and power routing assemblies positioned in the rack route power from one or more of the bus bars to a computing rack. Each assembly includes circuit breakers that couple to separate bus bars and a routing module that routes power from one or more of the circuit breakers to one or more computing racks. The routing module can include a transfer switch that selectively routes power. The routing module can include an electrical bridge that concurrently routes power. Each assembly can be positioned within the rack to couple the circuit breakers to various power bus bars to adjust the power support redundancy provided to one or more computing racks.

Abstract: A data center includes heat producing components and an air handling system that provides reduced relative humidity air to cool the heat producing components. The air handling system includes a thermal storage unit that removes thermal energy from incoming air under a given set of ambient air conditions and releases thermal energy into incoming air under another set of ambient air conditions. Under the given set of ambient air conditions, the thermal storage unit cools the incoming air and causes water vapor to condense out of the incoming air. Under the other set of ambient air conditions, the thermal storage unit releases thermal energy into the incoming air, thus heating the incoming air.

Abstract: A rack cooling system includes a plurality of electronic devices mounted in a rack and a plurality of shared rack-level fans arranged in an array and coupled to a rack. A fan controller receives one or more condition signals indicating thermal conditions in the electronic devices and generates a plurality of control signals for controlling the shared rack-level fans. The fan controller generates the plurality of control signals based on respective thermal conditions in respective electronic devices in respective positions in the rack and the plurality of control signals causes different respective groups of one or more shared rack-level fans in different locations in the array to induce air flow through the electronic devices, wherein separate ones of the two or more groups of one or more shared rack-level fans operate at different speeds or angles.

Abstract: A computer system includes a chassis, one or more hard disk drives coupled to the chassis, and one or more air passages under at least one of the hard disk drives. The air passages include one or more air inlets and one or more air outlets. The inlets direct at least a portion of the air downwardly into the passages. The passages allow air to move from the air inlets to the air outlets.

Abstract: A portable data center includes a cooling system comprising a cooling circuit, one or more air plenums, and one or more air moving devices. The cooling circuit circulates a heat transfer fluid through a portion of the cooling circuit that passes through the one or more air plenums. The heat transfer fluid that passes through the one or more air plenums cools air flowing through the one or more air plenums via the one or more air moving devices. The cooling circuit also circulates the heat transfer through a separate portion of the portable data center where heat is rejected from the heat transfer fluid into the separate portion of the portable data center. In some embodiments, the air plenums and at least a portion of the cooling circuit are mounted in a sub-floor space between a platform within the portable data center and an outer structure of the portable data center.

Abstract: A system for storing data includes a rack, one or more data storage modules coupled to the rack, and one or more data control modules coupled to the rack. The data storage modules may include a chassis, two or more backplanes coupled to the chassis, and one or more mass storage devices (for example, hard disk drives) coupled to the backplanes. The data control modules may access the mass storage devices in the data storage modules.

Abstract: A communicative building management system (BMS) can enable replication of data from computer systems that may potentially be affected by various external events. The BMS is coupled to environmental sensors and configured to receive sensor signals and communicate with one or more computer systems implementing a service. The BMS notifies a console system administrating a service that one or more computer systems implementing the service are affected by a data center event based on signals received from one or more sensor devices associated with a zone including the affected computer systems. A console system commands replication of data stored on the affected computer systems to separate computer systems based at least in part on the notification from the BMS indicating the computer systems are affected by the data center event.

Abstract: A system for performing computing operations includes a rack, one or more shelves coupled to the rack, and two or more computing modules. Each computing module may include a chassis, one or more circuit board assemblies in a primarily vertical orientation, and one or more hard disk drives in a primarily vertical orientation. The circuit board assemblies and the hard disk drives are coupled to the chassis of the computing module.

Abstract: A modular computing system for a data center includes one or more data center modules including rack computer systems. An electrical module is coupled to the data center modules and provides electrical power to computer systems in the data center modules. The data center modules do not include any internal active cooling systems and cannot be coupled with any external active cooling systems. A data center module directs ambient air to flow into intake air plenums extending along intake sides of the rows of racks, through the rows of racks into exhaust plenums extending along exhaust sides of the rows of racks, and out into the ambient environment to cool computer systems in the racks. Directed airflow can be lateral, vertical, at least partially driven by air buoyancy gradients, at least partially induced by air moving devices internal to computer systems in the rows of racks, thereof, etc.

Abstract: Deployable barriers are reversibly deployed in a data center hall to partition the data center. The hall is partitioned into an operational area, where rack computer systems are installed, a non-operational area, and a staging area where support infrastructure is at least partially installed. A barrier can be collapsed to incorporate the staging area into the operational area, thereby expanding the operational area, when rack computer systems are to be installed in the staging area. A barrier deployed in the non-operational area establishes another staging area. A barrier includes a deployment mechanism which extends through a space in the data center to enable a partition to be extended to partition the hall. The barrier can be mounted and deployed on support infrastructure, so that the deployed barrier and a side portion of the support infrastructure collectively partition the hall.