Abstract: A method of powering on a plurality of devices includes identifying a plurality of power distribution units (PDUs) disposed in a rack, wherein each PDU receives power from a main power source and includes a circuit breaker. A plurality of devices disposed in the rack are identified, wherein each device receives power from one of the PDUs, and wherein the plurality of devices are server nodes, network switches or external data storage devices. Vital product data (VPD) is obtained from a service processor in each device, wherein the VPD identifies the device by a model identification code. For each PDU, the plurality of devices connected to the PDU are powered on in a sequence to prevent an inrush current from tripping the circuit breaker within the PDU, wherein the sequence powers on devices in order of ascending commonality of the model identification code.

Abstract: To maintain proper cooling within a computing device enclosure, a computer processor receives input indicating a rotation position of a fan blade of a cooling fan. The computer processor receives input indicating a rotation position of a fan motor magnetic field of the cooling fan. The computer processor calculates a slip of the cooling fan, based on the rotation position of the fan blade relative to the rotation position of the fan motor magnetic field. The computer processor determines an air flow impedance based on the slip of the cooling fan, and in response to a deviation of the air flow impedance from an operational range of air flow impedance, the computer processor increases a rotation speed of the cooling fan, wherein the operational range of the air flow impedance is maintained.

Abstract: A rack mountable network switch, the rack mountable network switch comprising: a faceplate; a switch chassis coupled to the faceplate, the switch chassis including a plurality of connector openings on a surface of the switch chassis that is perpendicular to the faceplate; a plurality of moveable plug receptacles coupled to a printed circuit board (‘PCB’) mounted inside the switch chassis; and a mechanical positioning component coupled to the moveable plug receptacles, the mechanical positioning component configured to position the moveable plug receptacles to extrude from the switch chassis via the connector openings when the mechanical positioning component is in a first position, the mechanical positioning component further configured to position the moveable plug receptacles inside the switch chassis when the mechanical positioning component is in a second position.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide an apparatus allowing for an adjustable face plate. The apparatus comprises a face plate, an adjustment device affixed to the face plate, wherein the adjustment device includes a plurality of ridges formed thereon to define a plurality of gaps, and wherein the adjustment device is capable of rotating about an axis, and a clamp affixed to an electronic device chassis, having a first arm contacting the adjustment device in a first gap of the plurality of gaps and allowing for rotation of the adjustment device about the axis from the first gap to a second gap of the plurality of gaps.

Abstract: In one embodiment of the present invention, a system selectively cools a set of at least one rack-mounted server in a chassis. The system comprises: a chassis; a chassis manager; a set of at least one thermal sensor coupled to each rack-mounted server in a chassis; a trolley track oriented functionally proximate to the multiple rack-mounted servers; and a cold air trolley movably mounted to the trolley track. The cold air trolley moves along the trolley track in order to be selectively oriented next to a particular overheating rack-mounted server in the chassis, thus providing a fluid conduit from a cold air source to the particular overheating rack-mounted server in response to the chassis manager detecting that the particular overheating rack-mounted server is exceeding a predetermined temperature.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method obtains a correlation between percent utilization and noise level for a plurality of compute node types, and obtains an inventory of a plurality of compute nodes in a cluster, wherein the inventory identifies each compute node by a compute node type, and wherein the plurality of compute nodes includes two or more compute node types. The method further includes determining a percent utilization of each compute node, and, for each compute node of an identified compute node type, determining a noise level using the determined percent utilization for the compute node as input into the correlation between percent utilization and noise level for the identified compute node type. An overall noise level in the cluster is calculated using the noise level determined for each compute node, and workload is distributed among the plurality of compute nodes to reduce the calculated overall noise level in the cluster.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide an apparatus allowing for an adjustable face plate. The apparatus comprises a face plate, an adjustment device affixed to the face plate, wherein the adjustment device includes a plurality of ridges formed thereon to define a plurality of gaps, and wherein the adjustment device is capable of rotating about an axis, and a clamp affixed to an electronic device chassis, having a first arm contacting the adjustment device in a first gap of the plurality of gaps and allowing for rotation of the adjustment device about the axis from the first gap to a second gap of the plurality of gaps.

Abstract: A rear door heat exchanger is used to cool exhaust air as it exits a rack containing a plurality of computing devices. An air flow rate is determined for each of the plurality of computing devices within the rack, wherein each of the plurality of computing devices includes a fan drawing air through the computing device. The position of a baffle or louver is controlled to allow exhaust air to bypass the rear door heat exchanger in response to determining that the total air flow rate through the plurality of computing devices exceeds a predetermined air flow capacity threshold of the rear door heat exchanger.

Abstract: A method includes storing a first password and a second password in memory of the electronic device, wherein the first password and the second password are used to allow a user to gain access to a resource of the electronic device, and wherein the second password has greater password strength than the first password. The method further includes, during a first time period passing since the user last accessed the resource, granting the user access to the resource in response to receiving the first password, and, during a second time period following the first time period, granting the user access to the resource only in response to receiving the second password. An alternative method increases the number of required security measures as a function of time since the user last accessed the resource.

Abstract: A computer program product for controlling access to a resource of an electronic device includes program instructions for executing a method. The method stores a first password and a second password in memory of the electronic device, wherein the first password and the second password are used to allow a user to gain access to a resource of the electronic device, and wherein the second password has greater password strength than the first password. The method further includes, during a first time period passing since the user last accessed the resource, granting the user access to the resource in response to receiving the first password, and, during a second time period following the first time period, granting the user access to the resource only in response to receiving the second password. An alternative method increases the number of required security measures as a function of time since the last access.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention disclose a method, computer program product, and system for port assignment based on device orientation. In one embodiment, in accordance with the present invention, the computer implemented method includes the steps of determining a physical orientation of a computing device utilizing an orientation measurement device, wherein the computing device includes a plurality of ports on at least one face of the computing device, identifying a set of port numbering assignments that corresponds to the determined physical orientation of the computing device, modifying port numbering firmware of the computing device based on the identified set of port numbering assignments, and electronically displaying labeling corresponding to the plurality of ports on the face of the computing device based on the modified port numbering firmware and the identified set of port numbering assignments.

Abstract: A method controls vehicular traffic on a one-way roadway. A hardware sensor detects vehicular traffic on a roadway. A hardware traffic control device determines whether the vehicular traffic on the roadway has been moving exclusively in a first direction during a preceding period of time, such that the roadway is a one-way roadway on which current vehicular traffic is authorized to travel only in the first direction. The hardware sensor detects an errant vehicle that is traveling on the one-way roadway in a second direction that is opposite the first direction. In response to determining that the errant vehicle is traveling in the second direction on the one-way roadway, a warning signal is transmitted to vehicles, other than the errant vehicle, on the one-way roadway.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method identifies the path of a first power circuit to a first power supply that is connected to supply power to an electronic device, and identifies the path of a second power circuit to a second power supply that is connected to supply power to the electronic device. The method then compares the path of the first power distribution circuit with the path of the second power distribution circuit to determine a measure of redundancy in the first and second distribution paths. A measure of redundancy may then be output to a user.

Abstract: A method and a computer program product for implementing the method are provided for wear leveling the physical servers or other components within a cluster. The method includes identifying uptime for each of a plurality of physical servers within a cluster and scheduling jobs on the physical servers within the cluster giving priority to the use of physical servers in order of increasing uptime. The physical servers within the cluster that have no assigned jobs are then powered off. As a result, physical servers having low uptime relative to other physical servers within the cluster will operate more so that their uptime increases, and physical servers having high uptime relative to other physical servers within the cluster will operate less so that their uptime does not increase. Over time, the method will narrow the range of uptime, which may be referred to as “wear leveling.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method obtains a correlation between percent utilization and noise level for a plurality of compute node types, and obtains an inventory of a plurality of compute nodes in a cluster, wherein the inventory identifies each compute node by a compute node type, and wherein the plurality of compute nodes includes two or more compute node types. The method further includes determining a percent utilization of each compute node, and, for each compute node of an identified compute node type, determining a noise level using the determined percent utilization for the compute node as input into the correlation between percent utilization and noise level for the identified compute node type. An overall noise level in the cluster is calculated using the noise level determined for each compute node, and workload is distributed among the plurality of compute nodes to reduce the calculated overall noise level in the cluster.

Abstract: Preventing changes to computing devices in a computing system servicing a critical job, including: identifying, by a job protection module, a critical job executing in the computing system; identifying, by the job protection module, one or more computing devices in the computing system utilized during execution of the critical job; and locking, by the job protection module, each of the one or more computing devices in the computing system utilized during execution of the critical job from undergoing a configuration change during execution of the critical job.

Abstract: A hardware traffic control device controls vehicular traffic on a one-way roadway. A hardware sensor detects vehicular traffic on a roadway in order to enable a hardware traffic control device to determine that the vehicular traffic on the roadway has been moving exclusively in a first direction during a preceding period of time, thus identifying the roadway as a one-way roadway in which current vehicular traffic is authorized to travel only in the first direction. The hardware sensor then detects an errant vehicle that is traveling in the opposite direction on the one-way roadway. A disabling electronic signal is then transmitted from the hardware traffic control device to disable a distracting electronic device within the errant vehicle.

Abstract: Method of cooperative reduced power mode suspension for high input/output (‘I/O’) workloads, including: determining, by a transfer monitoring module, a size of a file to be transferred to a recipient, wherein the recipient includes a central processing unit (CPU) operating in a reduced power mode; determining, by the transfer monitoring module, a desired transfer rate for transferring the file to the recipient; calculating, by the transfer monitoring module, an expected transfer completion time in dependence upon the size of the file and the desired transfer rate; and sending, by the transfer monitoring module, a message to the recipient requesting that the CPU suspend the reduced power mode in dependence upon the expected transfer completion time.

Abstract: Method of cooperative reduced power mode suspension for high input/output (‘I/O’) workloads, including: determining, by a transfer monitoring module, a size of a file to be transferred to a recipient, wherein the recipient includes a central processing unit (‘CPU’) operating in a reduced power mode; determining, by the transfer monitoring module, a desired transfer rate for transferring the file to the recipient; calculating, by the transfer monitoring module, an expected transfer completion time in dependence upon the size of the file and the desired transfer rate; and sending, by the transfer monitoring module, a message to the recipient requesting that the CPU suspend the reduced power mode in dependence upon the expected transfer completion time.

Abstract: A method and computer program product are provided for controlling the airflow direction through a device enclosure. A first device enclosure is positioned adjacent a second device enclosure, wherein both enclosures have an airflow pathway extending from the front to the back, and a fan for moving air through the airflow pathway, wherein the fan of the first device enclosure is a reversible rotary fan. The method automatically determines whether the first device enclosure is in a first orientation with its front facing in the same direction as the front of the adjacent second device enclosure or in a second orientation with the front facing in the same direction as the back of the adjacent second device enclosure. The airflow direction imparted by a reversible rotary fan is then controlled according to the determined orientation of the first device enclosure relative to the second device enclosure.