System and method for using virtual reality or augmented reality in data center operation or cloud infrastructure

Abstract

To provide a system and method that improve efficiency of management and operation of a data center and use virtual reality or augmented reality in a data center operation or a cloud infrastructure.SOLUTION: A system works with a VR / AR device provided as a VR / AR headset or another device that includes a sensor that measures a position, orientation and movement of a data center operator within a cloud infrastructure or a data center environment, and, if necessary, displays visualizations associated with physical devices of the data center environment, including information from other sources that are useful in performing the data center operation.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 7

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] Copyright Notice A portion of the disclosure of this patent document contains material that is subject to copyright protection. The copyright owner has no objection to anyone being able to reproduce the patent document or the patent disclosure as it appears in the Patent and Trademark Office file or records, but otherwise reserves all copyright rights whatsoever.

[0002] Priority claim: This application was filed on October 15, 2019 and is related to a "SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR USE OF VIRTUAL OR AUGMENTED REALITY WITH CLOUD INFRASTRUCTURE SERVICES AND DATA CENTER OPERATIONS" U.S. provisional patent application entitled "System and Infrastructure Services and Data Center Operations" This application claims the benefit of priority to US Pat. No. 62 / 915,422, which is incorporated herein by reference.

[0003] Technical fields: The embodiments described herein relate generally to management of computer data centers supporting cloud computing environments, and more particularly to the use of virtual reality and / or augmented reality to support data center operations or management of cloud infrastructure services. [Background technology]

[0004] background: Modern computer data centers range in size from smaller data halls or cages with racks of power in the hundreds of kW range to larger data centers that may span the size of several football fields requiring power in the tens of MW range.

[0005] As data centers grow in size, complexity and scale, operating, monitoring, maintaining and updating such data centers requires a significant amount of manual operator intervention 24 hours a day (24×7).

[0006] When data center (human) operators are notified by an alarm, they often work with limited knowledge of the underlying problem to identify the problem area, isolate the incident, or perform complex tasks including repairs and maintenance. Resolving the problem can require those operators to make lengthy, multiple trips from their home base to the affected area, including intervening communications with an operations command center or with subject matter experts who can assist in triage and resolution of the problem.

[0007] As a result, extended data center outages and lengthy repair times are fairly common, often requiring the involvement of several teams across geographic boundaries that work through cumbersome runbooks or written process documentation.

[0008] Better insight into underlying issues and on-site change or repair protocols The ability to function in response to a call would be useful in increasing the operating efficiency of such data centers or cloud computing environments. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0009] overview: According to one embodiment, a system and method for using virtual and / or augmented reality in data center operations and cloud infrastructure services is described herein. The approach leverages virtual and / or augmented reality and insights from various sources of data describing data center operations, including data center analytics, to facilitate on-site diagnostics, operations, monitoring, maintenance, repair, health prognosis, and remote collaboration for the purpose of increasing efficiency in managing and running the data center. According to one embodiment, the system can operate with a VR / AR device, which can be provided as a VR / AR headset or other device that includes sensors that measure the position, orientation, and movement of a data center operator within the cloud infrastructure or data center environment, and can display visualizations associated with physical devices of the data center environment, including information from other sources that are useful in performing the data center operations, as needed. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary physical layout of a data center, according to one embodiment. [Diagram 2] FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary ticket tracking system for use in data center operations, according to one embodiment. [Diagram 3] FIG. 1 illustrates an example of a typical data center operation lifecycle according to one embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary system for using virtual reality and / or augmented reality in data center operations and cloud infrastructure services, according to one embodiment. [Diagram 5] FIG. 1 further illustrates an exemplary system for using virtual reality and / or augmented reality in data center operations and cloud infrastructure services, according to one embodiment. [Figure 6]FIG. 1 further illustrates an exemplary system for using virtual reality and / or augmented reality in data center operations and cloud infrastructure services, according to one embodiment. [Figure 7] FIG. 1 further illustrates an exemplary system for using virtual reality and / or augmented reality in data center operations and cloud infrastructure services, according to one embodiment. [Figure 8] FIG. 1 further illustrates an exemplary system for using virtual reality and / or augmented reality in data center operations and cloud infrastructure services, according to one embodiment. [Figure 9] FIG. 1 further illustrates an exemplary system for using virtual reality and / or augmented reality in data center operations and cloud infrastructure services, according to one embodiment. [Figure 10] FIG. 1 illustrates example visualizations provided by using virtual reality and / or augmented reality in data center operations and cloud infrastructure services, according to one embodiment. [Figure 11] FIG. 13 illustrates another exemplary visualization according to one embodiment. [Figure 12] FIG. 13 illustrates another exemplary visualization according to one embodiment. [Figure 13] FIG. 13 illustrates another exemplary visualization according to one embodiment. [Figure 14] FIG. 1 illustrates an example of a device, such as a VR / AR (computer) device, which may be provided as a VR / AR headset, tablet, mobile, phone, or other type of device, according to one embodiment. [Figure 15] FIG. 1 further illustrates an exemplary system for using virtual reality and / or augmented reality in data center operations and cloud infrastructure services, according to one embodiment. [Figure 16]FIG. 1 further illustrates an exemplary system for using virtual reality and / or augmented reality in data center operations and cloud infrastructure services, according to one embodiment. [Figure 17] FIG. 1 further illustrates an exemplary system for using virtual reality and / or augmented reality in data center operations and cloud infrastructure services, according to one embodiment. [Figure 18] FIG. 1 further illustrates an exemplary system for using virtual reality and / or augmented reality in data center operations and cloud infrastructure services, according to one embodiment. [Figure 19] FIG. 1 further illustrates an exemplary system for using virtual reality and / or augmented reality in data center operations and cloud infrastructure services, according to one embodiment. [Figure 20] FIG. 1 illustrates a process for using virtual reality and / or augmented reality in data center operations and cloud infrastructure services according to one embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0011] Detailed Description: As mentioned above, as data centers increase in size, complexity, and scale, operating, monitoring, maintaining, and updating such data centers requires a significant amount of manual operator intervention 24 hours a day (24×7). When notified by an alarm, data center (human) operators work to identify problem areas, isolate incidents, or perform complex tasks including repairs and maintenance, often with limited knowledge of the underlying problem. Resolving the problem can require those operators to make lengthy, multiple trips from their home base to the affected area, which can involve intervention in communicating with an operations command center or with subject matter experts who can assist in triage and resolving the problem.

[0012] According to one embodiment, a system and method for using virtual reality and / or augmented reality in data center operations and cloud infrastructure services is described herein.

[0013] The technique leverages virtual and / or augmented reality and insights from various sources of data describing data center operations, including data center analytics, to facilitate on-site diagnosis, operations, monitoring, maintenance, repair, health prognosis, and remote collaboration for the purpose of increasing efficiency in managing and operating the data center.

[0014] According to one embodiment, the system can operate in conjunction with a VR / AR device, which may be provided as a VR / AR headset or other device that includes sensors that measure the location, orientation and movement of a datacenter operator within the cloud infrastructure or datacenter environment, and can display visualizations associated with physical devices of the datacenter environment, including information from other sources that are useful in performing datacenter operations, as needed.

[0015] Introduction to Data Centers, Layout and Lifecycle Cloud infrastructure service providers, such as Oracle Corporation, build and operate data centers in various geographic regions around the world. A key function of such cloud infrastructure service providers is to maximize customer accessibility and availability to infrastructure resources, such as, for example, the number of available and enabled server cores, the amount of available and / or filled data storage, and network physical and virtual connectivity to the data centers that provide low latency accessibility to data and software applications.

[0016] These considerations are often measured by service level agreements (SLAs) that, for example, require 99.9% availability or an acceptable downtime per year that may be measured in minutes.

[0017] FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary physical layout of a data center, according to one embodiment. As shown in Figure 1, in a typical cloud infrastructure or data center environment, physical computing resources are tightly organized into rows and columns of racks in a data hall. The racks are arranged in rows and columns and have inter-rack and intra-rack cabling infrastructure. In addition, power distribution units (PDUs), breakers, air handlers, and cooling units are often required to power the physical It is part of the layout.

[0018] Racks containing compute servers, storage, database machines, switches, and networking equipment are typically interconnected with a wide variety of inter-rack cables (e.g., direct attach copper (DAC) and optical cables), as well as structured fiber intra-rack cable types, and power distribution units to the racks.

[0019] A typical large data center may hold thousands of racks. Each rack holds (as an example) 42 rack units. Typical power to each rack is rated at 15kVA or 24kVA maximum. In a typical data center, it is not uncommon to have tens or hundreds of thousands of servers and storage units, and tens of thousands of switches. In addition to this, the number of cables and data ports within and between racks scales proportionally by a factor of about 30 to about 100. Each switch may have over 50 interfaces. Each interface may have 10 to 100 or more Object Identifiers (OIDs). OID (Object Identifier) ​​strings. Thus, information is available from hundreds of millions of such strings within a data center. The complexity and scale at the individual rack and device level is considerable.

[0020] At these scales, hardware and software failures occur quite frequently. To ensure high availability, data centers are built to be highly resilient with redundancy in both hardware and software. Hardware failure rates at the field replaceable unit (FRU) level can be anywhere from 1 in 1000 to 1 in 10,000 per day. With a very large number of FRUs deployed within each rack, this can translate into several racks affected per day in the data center that require on-site attention to minimize downtime.

[0021] Efficient data center operations depend on a continuous stream of sensor information that tracks the health of every single rack and the components within those racks in real time (or near real time). Datacenter infrastructure management tools, including custom-built environments, lend themselves to both SNMP and streaming telemetry. Such tools provide a holistic view of the datacenter at a very granular level. Furthermore, the operations command center can rely on this data and use several dashboards to monitor and evaluate the information, for example by using a ticket tracking system, and act on it.

[0022] FIG. 2 illustrates an exemplary ticket tracking system for use in data center operations, according to one embodiment.

[0023] As shown in Figure 2, whenever a problem is detected, data center operators are notified by an alert, and in response, they may make multiple trips to the affected columns and rows in the data hall, identify the racks and corresponding servers or other equipment, and follow the necessary runbooks for steps such as sorting, quarantine, repair, maintenance, decommissioning, and / or commissioning, as necessary. Data center operators may spend a significant amount of time per day resolving such problems.

[0024] FIG. 3 illustrates an example of a typical data center operations lifecycle according to one embodiment.

[0025] As shown in FIG. 3, operator involvement in such tasks spans the entire life cycle 100 of the data center, from installation and commissioning to daily operations to its end of life.

[0026] The scale and volume of equipment that operators handle daily requires highly precise manual operator effort as they make multiple physical trips from the office to the warehouse to the data center hall transporting equipment for repair, replacement or maintenance. A significant amount of time is spent analyzing the data (away from the problem area) and then locating the problem area. Failures can occur, which exacerbate the problem and further extend the downtime. Additionally, there is a significant amount of manual effort involved in all of these steps.

[0027] As data centers begin to automate steps to address the above cases, it is desirable to provide additional information to individual operators that will overall assist and improve daily operational efficiency.

[0028] Virtual and Augmented Reality As briefly explained below, virtual reality (VR) provides a simulated experience. may be similar to the real / material world or may be completely different from the real / material world.

[0029] Virtual reality systems can use devices such as wearable VR / AR headsets incorporating a display screen to generate images and sounds that simulate a user's physical presence in a virtual environment. A person using a virtual reality device can move around the virtual environment and interact with virtual objects or features within that environment.

[0030] As briefly explained, augmented reality (AR) is a technology that allows users to experience reality through Provides a form of virtual reality that supplements what you see in your surroundings / physical environment with additional computer-generated content.

[0031] Augmented reality systems can use devices such as VR / AR headsets to generate images that enhance a user's perception of a real / physical environment, for example, by layering computer-generated data or information over a display of the real / physical environment. To accomplish this, augmented reality systems typically align the displayed computer-generated data or information with the actual coordinates of the real / physical environment.

[0032] According to various embodiments, the VR / AR device may include a global positioning system (GPS) sensor, an accelerometer, or a sensor that detects the user's position in the real / physical environment. The VR / AR device may include other sensors that measure the position, orientation, and movement of the user, and may be provided, for example, as a VR / AR headset, as described above. According to various other embodiments, other types of VR / AR computing devices may be used, such as, for example, Oculus, Magic Leap, HoloLens, VR glasses, a handheld or wearable computer, a computing device such as a tablet or pad, or a smartphone.

[0033] VR / AR in Data Center / Cloud Infrastructure Services According to one embodiment, the techniques described herein leverage virtual and / or augmented reality and insights from various sources of data describing data center operations, including data center analytics, to facilitate on-site diagnostics, operations, monitoring, maintenance, repair, health prognosis, and remote collaboration for the purpose of increasing efficiency in managing and running the data center.

[0034] According to one embodiment, the system can operate in conjunction with a VR / AR device, which may be provided as a VR / AR headset or other device that includes sensors that measure the location, orientation and movement of a datacenter operator within the cloud infrastructure or datacenter environment, and can display visualizations associated with physical devices of the datacenter environment, including information from other sources that are useful in performing datacenter operations, as needed.

[0035] FIG. 4 illustrates an exemplary system for using virtual reality and / or augmented reality in data center operations and cloud infrastructure services according to one embodiment.

[0036] As shown in FIG. 4, according to one embodiment, a data center 110 or cloud infrastructure service environment may include physical data center equipment, servers, racks, sensors or other devices 112 accessible to data center customers 114 that may be associated with customer requirements or service level agreements 116.

[0037] According to one embodiment, the data center may include a VR / AR framework 120 that enables the use of virtual reality and / or augmented reality in data center operations and cloud infrastructure services.

[0038] According to one embodiment, the VR / AR framework can receive real-time (or near real-time) signals 122, metrics, analytics or other data from or associated with physical data center equipment, servers, racks, sensors or other devices, as well as other information or data 124 via a data convergence layer or component 126.

[0039] According to one embodiment, examples of sources for other information or data may include, for example, a ticket tracking system (database) 130, a data center layout (database) 132, or a knowledge management database 134.

[0040] According to one embodiment, the system may be accessed via a VR / AR (computer) device 140, which may be provided as a VR / AR headset as described above, that includes device hardware 142 (e.g., processor, memory) and sensors that measure the position, orientation and movement of a data center operator 150 within a real / physical environment, e.g., a cloud infrastructure or data center environment.

[0041] According to one embodiment, when a data center operator works within the cloud infrastructure or data center environment, using VR / AR enabled interactions 160, the VR / AR (computer) device can communicate with the data center VR / AR framework and display visualizations 170 associated with physical devices of the cloud infrastructure or data center environment.

[0042] For example, according to one embodiment, the visualization may include or be overlaid on a displayed elevation of the rack, blade, slot, or other data center device to be inspected, which serves as a safeguard against operating on the wrong rack / blade.

[0043] According to one embodiment, the device can display a map of the data center with information provided in the data center operator's line of sight so that the data center operators do not have to look at multiple screens for the information.

[0044] According to one embodiment, the data convergence layer or component also enables data to be exchanged between the data center and other locations, e.g., via a network / cloud 180, e.g., to convey information to and / or receive assistance from one or more (remote) data center specialists 182.

[0045] According to one embodiment, the system enables data center operations 190 by a data center operator, including, for example, facilitating on-site diagnostics, operation, monitoring, maintenance, repair, health prognosis, and remote collaboration.

[0046] According to one embodiment, the system operates as a centralized system and can utilize an event-driven model that operates dynamically, e.g., the information displayed can be updated in real-time or near real-time to reflect what a data center operator actually sees.

[0047] According to one embodiment, the information may include data center related analytics describing, for example, which issues occurred with a particular data center component, whether the temperature rose, or what happened.

[0048] According to one embodiment, information can be collected from multiple other systems or sources and then filtered or otherwise processed to filter out unnecessary information and provide focused information for the data center operator.

[0049] According to one embodiment, the system may utilize additional information sources, such as knowledge management articles. This allows the usefulness of data center analytics to improve over time.

[0050] According to one embodiment, the system is an artificial intelligence (AI) The model can be utilized to determine analysis and insights and provide a focus of interest for data center operators.

[0051] According to one embodiment, the VR / AR framework can be made extensible, for example, to plug and fit various device telemetry drivers.

[0052] According to one embodiment, each datacenter process may have an associated SLA depending on how quickly a particular problem should be resolved. In such an example, a datacenter team may need to modify the datacenter to support a particular SLA, and a datacenter technician wearing VR glasses, for example, may be signaled that a particular rack may be functioning improperly and compromising compliance with the SLA, and may act accordingly. Such a scenario may be associated with an appropriate visualization (e.g., a depiction of a flame) to alert of the condition.

[0053] FIG. 5 further illustrates an exemplary system for using virtual reality and / or augmented reality in data center operations and cloud infrastructure services, according to one embodiment.

[0054] 5, according to one embodiment, the VR / AR framework can receive real-time (or near real-time) signals, metrics, analytics, or other data from or associated with physical datacenter equipment, servers, racks, sensors, or other devices, as well as other information or data via a data convergence layer or component. The system can be accessed via a VR / AR (computer) device, e.g., a VR / AR headset, that includes sensors that measure the position, orientation, and movement of a datacenter operator within the datacenter environment.

[0055] FIG. 6 further illustrates an exemplary system for using virtual reality and / or augmented reality in data center operations and cloud infrastructure services, according to one embodiment.

[0056] As shown in FIG. 6, according to one embodiment, when a data center operator works within a cloud infrastructure or data center environment, using VR / AR enabled interaction, a VR / AR (computer) device can display visualizations associated with the physical data center environment.

[0057] FIG. 7 further illustrates an exemplary system for using virtual reality and / or augmented reality in data center operations and cloud infrastructure services, according to one embodiment.

[0058] As shown in FIG. 7, according to one embodiment, the visualization may include or be overlaid on a displayed elevation of a rack, blade, slot or other data center device to be inspected.

[0059] FIG. 8 further illustrates an exemplary system for using virtual reality and / or augmented reality in data center operations and cloud infrastructure services, according to one embodiment.

[0060] As shown in Figure 8, in accordance with various embodiments, a computing device such as a tablet or pad, or other type of VR / AR computing device such as a smartphone, can be used, where the visualization can include or be overlaid on a displayed elevation of a rack, blade, slot, or other data center device to be inspected.

[0061] FIG. 9 further illustrates an exemplary system for using virtual reality and / or augmented reality in data center operations and cloud infrastructure services, according to one embodiment.

[0062] As shown in FIG. 9, according to one embodiment, the data convergence layer or component also enables data to be exchanged between the data center and other locations, e.g., via a network / cloud, to convey information to and / or receive assistance from one or more (remote) data center specialists.

[0063] Visualization examples 10-13 show example visualizations provided by using virtual reality and / or augmented reality in data center operations and cloud infrastructure services, according to one embodiment.

[0064] Using VR / AR in Data Center Operations According to one embodiment, additional VR / AR features can be used to increase the efficiency and productivity of data center operators. For example, each data center operator can be equipped with a VR / AR device for use within the data center premises, especially when away from the data center office headquarters.

[0065] According to one embodiment, by adding VR and AR features to a data center, each operator can instantly access many attributes of each data center operational space that they can manipulate.

[0066] For example, according to one embodiment, these are building-specific details, such as physical layout, halls, and cathedrals, for each region and each availability domain (AD). may include Rack layout, columns and rows with various rack SKUs, rack elevations, rack equipment and ports, fiber trunks, connected optical and copper cables, management port interfaces, meet me room locations and ports, mapped cross connects and physical ports, fiber entry diversity, Autonet / cutsheets / identifiers, Floor PDU / rPDU, IP addresses, make / model / location of air handlers, chillers, pumps, humidifiers, lighting, UPS, breakers and surplus.

[0067] According to one embodiment, providing this repository of information available on demand through VR / AR enabled devices provides data center operators with all the information and tools required for immersive interventions required for service, troubleshooting and maintenance, literally at their fingertips.

[0068] According to one embodiment, the VR / AR devices are used to provide an extra dimension to the data center operator and eliminate the need for the data center operator to travel long distances to and from their home base. For example, the VR / AR features can be used to It will allow them to overlay physical information onto virtual information and act on that information not just in real time but in a continuous operating mode. They will no longer operate in an interrupt-driven mode based solely on alarms.

[0069] FIG. 14 illustrates an example of a VR / AR (computer) device that can be provided as a VR / AR headset, according to one embodiment.

[0070] As shown in FIG. 14, according to one embodiment, a VR / AR (computer) device can display one or more visualizations or multiple visualizations associated with physical devices in a cloud infrastructure or data center environment.

[0071] FIG. 15 further illustrates an exemplary system for using virtual reality and / or augmented reality in data center operations and cloud infrastructure services, according to one embodiment.

[0072] 15, according to one embodiment, a VR / AR framework can receive real-time (or near real-time) signals, metrics, analytics or other data from or associated with physical datacenter equipment, servers, racks, sensors or other devices, as well as other information or data via a data convergence layer or component. The system can be accessed via a VR / AR (computer) device, e.g., a VR / AR headset, that includes sensors that measure the position, orientation and movement of a datacenter operator within the datacenter environment.

[0073] FIG. 16 further illustrates an exemplary system for using virtual reality and / or augmented reality in data center operations and cloud infrastructure services, according to one embodiment.

[0074] As shown in FIG. 16, according to one embodiment, when a data center operator works within a cloud infrastructure or data center environment, using VR / AR enabled interaction, a VR / AR (computer) device can display visualizations associated with the physical data center environment.

[0075] FIG. 17 further illustrates an exemplary system for using virtual reality and / or augmented reality in data center operations and cloud infrastructure services, according to one embodiment.

[0076] As shown in FIG. 17, according to one embodiment, the visualization may include or be overlaid on a displayed elevation of a rack, blade, slot, or other data center device to be inspected.

[0077] FIG. 18 further illustrates an exemplary system for using virtual reality and / or augmented reality in data center operations and cloud infrastructure services, according to one embodiment.

[0078] 18, in accordance with various embodiments, a computing device such as a tablet or pad, or other type of VR / AR computing device such as a smartphone, can be used, where the visualization can include or be overlaid on a displayed elevation of a rack, blade, slot, or other data center device to be inspected.

[0079] FIG. 19 further illustrates an exemplary system for using virtual reality and / or augmented reality in data center operations and cloud infrastructure services, according to one embodiment.

[0080] As shown in FIG. 19, according to one embodiment, visualizations may include data center analytics and insights that may be used, for example, to improve data center health diagnostics and prognostics.

[0081] FIG. 20 illustrates a process for using virtual reality and / or augmented reality in data center operations and cloud infrastructure services according to one embodiment.

[0082] As shown in FIG. 20, according to one embodiment, the process or method may include, in step 260, providing a VR / AR framework to enable the use of virtual reality and / or augmented reality in data center operations and cloud infrastructure services.

[0083] In step 262, the VR / AR framework receives real-time (or near real-time) signals from physical data center equipment, servers, racks, sensors, or other physical devices, as well as other information or data via a data convergence layer or component.

[0084] In step 264, the system is accessible via a VR / AR device that includes sensors that measure the position, orientation and movement of a data center operator within a cloud infrastructure or data center environment.

[0085] In step 266, visualizations or other information associated with physical devices of the cloud infrastructure or data center environment are displayed on the VR / AR device while the data center operator is working within the cloud infrastructure or data center environment.

[0086] Technical advantages According to one embodiment, examples of various technical advantages provided by the AR / VR approaches described herein include, for example, the following actions that a data center operator may take:

[0087] Instantly access problem locations, for example, zoom in on a problematic server or port.

[0088] Accurately identify granular location of problematic FRUs. Securely log into the device if needed and initiate troubleshooting sequences right from your AR-enabled device.

[0089] Compares last known good and bad states and retrieves signatures and past events from FRUs, e.g., Integrated Lights Out Manager The system reads ILOM messages, rack power distribution unit (rPDU) information, and then takes any necessary follow-up steps on the fly.

[0090] Obtain a detailed evaluation of the rack and surrounding environment (which was not part of any warning) and Feedback information to the system or generate warnings in real time (or near real time) when a problem is detected or the system recognizes an impending failure mode.

[0091] Triggering switchover to redundant devices or diverse paths for traffic to ensure uninterrupted traffic flow.

[0092] Initiate repair / maintenance workflow changes based on runbook observation and access to runbooks.

[0093] Run scripts to diagnose / repair / recover / verify work. Deeply examine the state of the yellow light indicator and any discrepancies from the device, comparing it to what the internal machine reports as green / yellow in VR / AR conditions (in both real and fake light conditions).

[0094] Stop, disconnect, connect, and restart before or after many of the sequences described above are initiated, and a VR / AR enabled device is used to initiate and run a series of startup and rack-up steps to completion.

[0095] Optimizing tasks performed by data center operators using AR, including minimizing touch points by leveraging AR device capabilities.

[0096] Easily identify contextual discrepancies between the asset information they see within their facility and that recorded in the central system, and drive auditable corrective updates.

[0097] Contextual information available at the facility is prioritized for current operations over conflicting information provided by central facility and asset information systems.

[0098] For example, optimizing workflows for receiving new assets within a data center for alignment within data center infrastructure management (data centerIM) and / or asset management services.

[0099] Using VR / AR in Providing Data Center Analysis According to one embodiment, additional data center analytics and insights may also be used, for example, to improve diagnostics and prognosis of data center health.

[0100] For example, according to one embodiment, a data center operator can gather insights on typical data center parameters while walking around the data center halls and cages, such as rack temperature, server and port pluggability, temperature, rack level power consumption, power usage, surges, power outages, SLA breaches for dropped packets or frames, cable cuts or failures, hardware failures including field replaceable unit (FRU) failures, traffic spikes or outages, etc. Many of these are continuously monitored via dashboards upstream in a centralized command center, but some of them are local to the data center.

[0101] According to one embodiment, data center operators can integrate SNMP or streaming telemetry from the physical data center space to provide information for analytics (both health diagnostics and long-term prognosis).

[0102] From within the VR / AR space, data center operators can review the dashboard on demand, note trends, measure health and status, and initiate some maintenance steps with specific AR configuration execution menus.

[0103] Having this analytical information can improve overall awareness of the surrounding environment, such as when some localized areas within the data center begin to show signs of impending equipment failure or rising temperatures as a result of poor air circulation or cold air being blocked to some racks. This type of information is typically not available in an alert-based intervention situation.

[0104] Additionally, using AR / VR analytics-based information collection, data center operators can learn about issues by walking around the data center while wearing AR / VR-enabled devices, and / or information can be collected during routine walkthroughs and fed into a streaming collector as near-continuous dumps.

[0105] According to one embodiment, AR / VR and analytics techniques can be used to assist in remote management of datacenters: A virtual representation of the physical datacenter space with all details about the available deployment fleet (with a global view across all datacenters in terms of location) allows off-site engineers to assess, monitor and resolve datacenter issues, either alone or in collaboration with on-site operators.

[0106] According to various embodiments, the teachings herein may be implemented, as appropriate, using one or more conventional general-purpose or special-purpose computers, computing devices, machines, or microprocessors, including one or more processors, memory, and / or computer-readable storage media programmed according to the teachings of the present disclosure. As will be apparent to those familiar with the software art, skilled programmers can readily prepare appropriate software coding based on the teachings of the present disclosure.

[0107] In some embodiments, the teachings herein may include a computer program product that is a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium(s) carrying / storing instructions that can be used to program a computer to perform any of the processes of the present teachings. Examples of such storage media may include, but are not limited to, hard disk drives, hard disks, hard drives, fixed disks or other electromechanical data storage devices, floppy disks, optical disks, DVDs, CD-ROMs, microdrives, and magneto-optical disks, ROMs, RAMs, EPROMs, EEPROMs, DRAMs, VRAMs, flash memory devices, magnetic or optical cards, nanosystems, or other types of storage media or devices suitable for non-transitory storage of instructions and / or data.

[0108] The foregoing description has been provided for purposes of illustration and description, and is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the scope of protection to the precise form disclosed. Many modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

[0109] The embodiments have been chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the present teachings and their practical application, so that those skilled in the art will recognize different embodiments and variations suited to the particular uses contemplated. The scope is intended to be defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A system for using virtual reality (VR) and / or augmented reality (AR) in data center operations and cloud infrastructure services, It operates within a data center and comprises one or more computer devices, including a processor and memory. The aforementioned computer device, A virtual reality and / or augmented reality (VR / AR) framework that enables the use of virtual reality and / or augmented reality in data center operations and cloud infrastructure services, Including a data convergence layer or component, The aforementioned data convergence layer or component receives information or data related to physical data center equipment from a source including one or more of the following: ticket tracking system database, data center layout database, or knowledge management database. To transmit information to and / or receive support from one or more remote data center specialists, data is communicated between the data center and other locations via a network or cloud. The VR / AR framework receives real-time or near-real-time signals and other information or data from physical data center equipment, including servers, racks, sensors, or other physical devices, via the data convergence layer or components. The aforementioned data convergence layer or component operates to communicate and receive information or data related to data center equipment between the data center and other systems or data sources. The system is accessible via a VR / AR device that includes sensors for measuring the location, orientation, and movement of data center operators within a cloud infrastructure or data center environment. When the data center operator works within the cloud infrastructure or data center environment and interacts with specific data center equipment, the VR / AR device displays visualizations or other information related to the specific data center equipment or data center environment. Based on information received via the aforementioned data convergence layer or component and associated with a specific data center device under inspection, and superimposed on a view of the specific data center device, The system utilizes an event-driven model that operates dynamically, including the fact that the displayed information is updated in real time or near real time to reflect what the data center operator is seeing. The aforementioned information includes data center-related analysis describing specific data center components. The aforementioned system operates to collect and filter information, including data center-related analysis, from multiple systems or sources, and overlay it onto a view of specific data center equipment to provide a visualization with focused information for data center operators.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the data convergence layer or component enables data communication via a network / cloud between the data center and another location, including one or more remote data center specialists.

3. The system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the visualization includes, or is superimposed on, a displayed elevation view of racks, blades, slots, or other physical devices of the data center being inspected.

4. The system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the data convergence layer or component enables the reception of information from other data sources, including one or more of a ticket tracking system (database), a data center layout (database), or a knowledge management database.

5. The system according to claim 4, wherein the information includes data center-related analysis describing a problem that occurred in a specific data center component.

6. The system according to claim 4, wherein the information is collected from multiple other systems or sources and then filtered or otherwise processed to provide focused information for data center operators.

7. A method for using virtual reality (VR) and / or augmented reality (AR) in data center operations and cloud infrastructure services, To provide a system within the data center that includes a virtual reality and / or augmented reality (VR / AR) framework enabling the use of virtual reality and / or augmented reality in data center operations and cloud infrastructure services, A data convergence layer or component provides Providing the aforementioned data convergence layer or component means Information or data related to physical data center equipment is received from a source including one or more of the following: ticket tracking system database, data center layout database, or knowledge management database. To transmit information to one or more remote data center specialists and / or to receive support from one or more remote data center specialists, data is communicated between the data center and other locations via a network or cloud. The VR / AR framework receives real-time or near-real-time signals and other information or data from physical data center equipment, including servers, racks, sensors, or other physical devices, via the data convergence layer or components. The aforementioned data convergence layer or component operates to communicate and receive information or data related to data center equipment between the data center and other systems or sources. The system is accessible via a VR / AR device that includes sensors for measuring the location, orientation, and movement of data center operators within a cloud infrastructure or data center environment. While the data center operator is working within the cloud infrastructure or data center environment and interacting with specific data center equipment, visualizations or other information related to specific data center equipment or the data center environment are displayed on the VR / AR device. Based on information received via the aforementioned data convergence layer or component and associated with a specific data center device under inspection, and superimposed on a view of that specific data center device, The system utilizes an event-driven model that operates dynamically, including the fact that the displayed information is updated in real time or near real time to reflect what the data center operator is seeing. The aforementioned information includes data center-related analysis describing specific data center components. The system is a method in which information, including data center-related analysis, is collected and filtered from multiple systems or sources and overlaid onto a view of specific data center equipment to provide a visualization with focused information for data center operators.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein the data convergence layer or component enables data communication over a network / cloud between the data center and another location, including one or more remote data center specialists.

9. The method according to claim 7 or 8, wherein the visualization includes, or is superimposed on, a displayed elevation view of racks, blades, slots, or other physical devices of the data center being inspected.

10. The method according to any one of claims 7 to 9, wherein the data convergence layer or component enables the reception of information from other data sources, including one or more ticket tracking systems (databases), data center layouts (databases), or knowledge management databases.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein the information includes a data center-related analysis describing a problem that occurred in a particular data center component.

12. The method according to claim 10, wherein the information is collected from multiple other systems or sources and then filtered or otherwise processed to provide focused information for data center operators.

13. A program for causing a computer to perform the method described in any one of claims 7 to 12.

14. The system according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the system determines that one or more physical devices may be malfunctioning while the VR / AR framework is receiving real-time or near-real-time signals and other information or data from physical data center equipment, including servers, racks, sensors, and other physical devices, via the data convergence layer, and displays a visualization to warn of that condition.

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