Dynamic power capping of multi-server nodes in a chassis based on real-time resource utilization

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10423217-B1
Application number	US-201715650644-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Jul 14, 2017
Priority date	Jul 14, 2017
Publication date	Sep 24, 2019
Grant date	Sep 24, 2019

Abstract

A power management application running in a Chassis Management Controller reads utilization values of each server node dynamically in real time and assigns a respective priority to each server node based on its utilization value. The range of the utilization values is divided into terciles and the corresponding priorities assigned to the terciles are as HIGH, MEDIUM and LOW. The priorities are uses as guidelines for allocating power from a manageable power budget to each server node. A chassis power budget specified by an administrator includes the manageable power and unmanageable power used, for example, to power utilities, such as fans. Care is taken that a HIGH priority server node always receives its maximum power consumption rate, with the LOW priority server node receiving no less than its maximum power consumption rate. The MEDIUM priority server node receives at least the mean between its maximum and minimum power consumption rate.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A computer system comprising:
a plurality of server nodes, each server node having an activity monitor identifying a server node utilization value, wherein a maximum power consumption rate and a minimum power consumption rate is associated with each server node; and
a chassis management controller coupled to the server nodes and configured to
(i) first determine a current unmanageable power consumption of the computer system;
(ii) second determine a current manageable residual power useable for operating the plurality of server nodes;
(iii) assign to each server node a priority in accordance with its utilization value, the priority including at least first, second and third tiers, each tier having a maximum and minimum power requirement; and
(iv) allocate, from the current manageable residual power, to the server nodes a power portion commensurate with the priority assigned to each server node, comprising:
first allocate to the first tier the maximum power requirement of the first tier;
third determine based on at least remaining available power after the first allocate and the minimum power requirement of the third tier, whether to provide the second tier with either the maximum power requirement of the second tier or only a portion of the maximum power requirement of the second tier;
second allocate power to the second and third tiers, the allocated power for the third tier being at least the minimum power requirement of the third tier, and the allocated power for the second tier being based on the third determine.

2. The computer system of claim 1 , wherein a chassis power budget is assigned to the computer system, with the chassis power budget capable of providing power to the chassis between the current unmanageable power consumption and a total of a maximum manageable power to the server nodes and the unmanageable power consumption and a total of a minimum manageable power to the server nodes.

3. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
the second allocate comprises, in response to the third determine making a determination that the remaining available power exceeds a combination of the maximum power requirement of the second tier and the minimum power requirement of the third tier, allocating to the second tier the maximum power requirement of the second tier and allocating any remaining power to the third tier.

4. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
the second allocate comprises, in response to the third determine making a determination that the remaining available power exceeds a combination of the minimum power requirement of the third tier and a predetermined value based on the maximum power requirement and minimum power requirement of the second tier, allocating partial power to the second tier and allocating any remaining power to the third tier.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein the predetermined value is a mean of the maximum power requirement and minimum power requirement of the second tier, and the partial power is the predetermined value.

6. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
the second allocate comprises, in response to the third determine making a determination that the remaining available power is below a combination of the minimum power requirement of the third tier and a predetermined value based on the maximum power requirement and minimum power requirement of the second tier, allocating to the third tier the minimum power requirement of the third tier and allocating any remaining power to the second tier.

7. A method for allocating power to a plurality of server nodes of a computer system, each server node having a server node utilization value, wherein a maximum power consumption rate and a minimum power consumption rate is associated with each server node, the method comprising:
first determining a current unmanageable power consumption of the computer system;
second determining a current manageable residual power useable for operating the plurality of server nodes;
assigning to each server node a priority in accordance with its utilization value, the priority including at least first, second and third tiers, each tier having a maximum and minimum power requirement; and
allocating, from the current manageable residual power, to the server nodes a power portion commensurate with the priority assigned to each server node, comprising:
first allocating to the first tier the maximum power requirement of the first tier;
third determining based on at least remaining available power after the first allocate and the minimum power requirement of the third tier, whether to provide the second tier with either the maximum power requirement of the second tier or only a portion of the maximum power requirement of the second tier;
second allocating power to the second and third tiers, the allocated power for the third tier being at least the minimum power requirement of the third tier, and the allocated power for the second tier being based on the third determining.

8. The method of claim 7 , further comprising assigning a chassis power budget capable of providing power to the chassis between the current unmanageable power consumption and a total of a maximum manageable power to the server nodes and the unmanageable power consumption and a total of a minimum manageable power to the server nodes.

9. The method of claim 7 , further comprising:
the second allocating comprises, in response to the third determining making a determination that the remaining available power exceeds a combination of the maximum power requirement of the second tier and the minimum power requirement of the third tier, allocating to the second tier the maximum power requirement of the second tier and allocating any remaining power to the third tier.

10. The method of claim 7 , further comprising:
the second allocating comprises, in response to the third determining making a determination that the remaining available power exceeds a combination of the minimum power requirement of the third tier and a predetermined value based on the maximum power requirement and minimum power requirement of the second tier, allocating partial power to the second tier and allocating any remaining power to the third tier.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the predetermined value is a mean of the maximum power requirement and minimum power requirement of the second tier, and the partial power is the predetermined value.

12. The method of claim 7 , further comprising:
the second allocating comprises, in response to the third determining making a determination that the remaining available power is below a combination of the minimum power requirement of the third tier and a predetermined value based on the maximum power requirement and minimum power requirement of the second tier, allocating to the third tier the minimum power requirement of the third tier and allocating any remaining power to the second tier.

13. A non-transitory computer readable media containing instructions for allocating power to a plurality of server nodes of a computer system, each server node having a server node utilization value, wherein a maximum power consumption rate and a minimum power consumption rate is associated with each server node, the instructions when executed by a system causing the system to perform operations comprising:
first determining a current unmanageable power consumption of the computer system;
second determining a current manageable residual power useable for operating the plurality of server nodes;
assigning to each server node a priority in accordance with its utilization value, the priority including at least first, secon

Assignees

• Cisco Tech Inc

Inventors

• Bodireddy Vikram
• Bose Sriranjan

Classifications

• G06F1/3287 Primary

  by switching off individual functional units in the computer system · CPC title

• G06F1/3206

  Monitoring of events, devices or parameters that trigger a change in power modality · CPC title

• G06F1/3234

  Power saving characterised by the action undertaken · CPC title

• G06F1/32

  Means for saving power · CPC title

• G06F1/3296 Primary

  by lowering the supply or operating voltage · CPC title