Rack-mount adapter and server monitoring system

The rack-mount adapter addresses the inefficiencies of manual server monitoring by integrating power, signal, and cooling connectors with display units, enabling efficient visual and robotic monitoring across different server standards, thus reducing labor costs and improving data center management.

JP2026115863APending Publication Date: 2026-07-09SOFTBANK CORPORATION

Patent Information

Authority / Receiving Office
JP · JP
Patent Type
Applications
Current Assignee / Owner
SOFTBANK CORPORATION
Filing Date
2024-12-27
Publication Date
2026-07-09

AI Technical Summary

Technical Problem

Existing server monitoring in data centers relies heavily on manual labor, leading to high labor costs and inefficiencies, particularly in environments where servers are constantly monitored for abnormalities and require frequent replacements.

Method used

A rack-mount adapter that integrates power, signal, and cooling connectors with display units for server status monitoring, enabling both manual and robotic monitoring through electronic paper and LED displays, and supports various server standards, facilitating efficient visual and mechanical inspection.

Benefits of technology

The adapter reduces labor costs and improves monitoring efficiency by standardizing server information display, allowing for both manual and robotic monitoring, thereby enhancing server management in data centers.

✦ Generated by Eureka AI based on patent content.

Smart Images

  • Figure 2026115863000001_ABST
    Figure 2026115863000001_ABST
Patent Text Reader

Abstract

This product provides a rack-mount adapter for servers to streamline and improve the efficiency of server monitoring in data centers. [Solution] A rack mounting adapter for housing and mounting servers in a rack that accommodates multiple servers, the rack mounting adapter comprises a power connector unit connected to the power supply unit on the rack side and supplying power to the server side, a signal connector unit connected to the signal supply unit on the rack side and transmitting and receiving signals between the server side and the rack side, and a display unit for displaying information of the stored servers on the outside of the rack mounting adapter.
Need to check novelty before this filing date? Find Prior Art

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an adapter for rack mounting and a server monitoring system.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, a component replacement system has been proposed that automatically replaces components of a server housed in a rack (for example, Patent Document 1).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Means for Solving the Problems

[0004] The adapter for rack mounting according to the embodiment is an adapter for rack mounting for storing a server in a rack that houses a plurality of servers and mounting it on the rack. The adapter for rack mounting is connected to a power supply unit on the rack side and supplies power to the server side, and is connected to a signal supply unit on the rack side and transmits and receives signals between the server side and the rack side. And a display unit for displaying information of the stored server outside the adapter for the rack.

[0005] The adapter for rack mounting according to the embodiment includes a control unit. After a server is stored in the adapter for rack mounting and power is supplied to the server via the power connector unit, the control unit receives a signal transmitted from the server to the adapter for rack mounting via the signal connector unit, and controls the display mode of the display unit.

[0006] The rack-mount adapter of the embodiment may include a control unit, which may start monitoring the server's status after the server is housed within the rack-mount adapter and power is supplied to the server via the power connector.

[0007] The rack-mount adapter of the embodiment may include a control unit, which may acquire information about the server's operation after the server is housed within the rack-mount adapter and power is supplied to the server via a power connector.

[0008] The rack-mount adapter of the embodiment includes a control unit, and the control unit may be configured such that the server is housed within the rack-mount adapter, power is supplied to the server via a power connector, and then the server receives information in a predetermined format in response to a request from the control unit.

[0009] In the rack-mount adapter of this embodiment, the display unit may be positioned on the front side in the direction in which the rack-mount adapter is removed from the rack.

[0010] In the rack-mount adapter of the embodiment, the display unit may include a first display unit that displays identification information for identifying the server, and a second display unit that displays information about the operating status of the server.

[0011] In the rack-mount adapter of the embodiment, at least one of the first display unit or the second display unit is electronic paper, and may display two or more of characters, one-dimensional codes, or two-dimensional codes that indicate at least one of identification information or the operating status of the server.

[0012] In the rack-mount adapter of the embodiment, the second display unit is one or more lamps, and may change at least one of the light emission color, light emission pattern, or combination of lamps emitting light depending on the operating status of the server.

[0013] The rack-mount adapter of this embodiment may also include a cooling connector that connects to the refrigerant piping on the rack side, supplies refrigerant from the rack side to the server side, and discharges it back to the rack side.

[0014] The server monitoring system of this embodiment comprises a rack equipped with a rack-mounting adapter and a monitoring robot that patrols around the rack, wherein the monitoring robot captures an image of the display unit of the rack-mounting adapter and monitors the content of the display unit. Furthermore, in the server monitoring system of this embodiment, the rack-mounting adapter may further include a communication unit that transmits data containing server information using radio waves for short-range wireless communication, and the monitoring robot may receive the radio waves and monitor the server information. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0015] [Figure 1] (A) is an overall perspective view of the rear side of the rack-mount adapter of the embodiment, and (B) is a magnified view of a portion of the rear side. [Figure 2] (A) is an overall perspective view of the front side of the rack-mount adapter of the embodiment, and (B) is an overall perspective view of the front side. [Figure 3] (A) A schematic front view and (B) A schematic rear view of the rack in which the rack-mount adapter of the embodiment is housed. [Figure 4] This is a block diagram showing the configuration of the control unit of the rack-mount adapter according to the embodiment. [Figure 5] (A) is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of the server monitoring system of the embodiment, and (B) is a schematic diagram showing the captured image. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0016] Hereafter, an embodiment of the invention described herein (also referred to as the present invention) will be explained with reference to the figures. Note that the figures are examples only, and the present invention is not limited to the illustrated forms. For example, the illustrated rack-mount adapter, rack, cables, monitoring robot, etc., are examples only, and the present invention is not limited to these.

[0017] In data centers and similar facilities, multiple computers, such as servers, operate, and these servers perform various calculations. Servers are flattened rectangular prisms, and multiple servers are housed in a single rack. Multiple racks are installed. Each server is connected to the rack, receives power, and transmits and receives signals and data. If necessary, refrigerant for liquid cooling (water cooling) is supplied from the rack to the servers.

[0018] Servers and racks have size standards, and companies that manufacture servers or racks produce products based on these standards. For example, in addition to the EIA standards set by the Electronic Industries Alliance (EIA), there are also Open Compute Project (OCP) standards promoted by the Open Compute Project Foundation. For instance, servers and racks based on EIA standards are designed with a width of 19 inches (482.6 mm), while Open Rack V3 (ORV3), one of the OCP standards, is designed with a width of 21 inches (537 mm).

[0019] Since servers are mechanical products, variations in manufacturing quality and deterioration over time are unavoidable. Therefore, in data centers where multiple servers are in operation, servers are constantly patrolled and monitored for any abnormalities. Servers with abnormalities or malfunctions are replaced as needed. The server replacement work itself inevitably relies on manual labor. However, monitoring the operational status of servers is necessary 24 hours a day. For this reason, data center operators view server abnormality monitoring as a task that relies mainly on manual labor, and recently, the burden of labor costs has become a concern. Therefore, there is a strong demand for labor-saving and efficiency improvements in server monitoring.

[0020] In view of these problems, according to an embodiment of the present invention, when a server is mounted in a rack, a function of displaying the state of the server or the like is provided in the rack mounting adapter for storing the server. That is, by adopting products compliant with different standards for the server and the rack, such as adopting products compliant with the EIA standard for the server and adopting products compliant with the ORV3 standard for the rack, an adapter can be provided between the rack and the server by utilizing the size difference between the server and the rack. As a result, it becomes easy to monitor the state of the server via the rack mounting adapter, and it is possible to reduce the burden of monitoring operations for a plurality of servers.

[0021] <Configuration of Rack Mounting Adapter> FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the appearance of the back side of the rack mounting adapter according to the embodiment. FIG. 1(A) is an overall perspective view of the back side, and (B) is an enlarged view of the back portion thereof. The illustrated rack mounting adapter 10 has a flat rectangular frame structure, and the server 1 is stored inside the rack mounting adapter 10. The standard of the server 1 is, for example, an EIA standard (19-inch) device or the like. Then, the rack mounting adapter 10 storing the server 1 is mounted on the server rack 2 shown in FIG. 3 described below.

[0022] From FIGS. 1(A) and (B), the rack mounting adapter 10 according to the embodiment is provided with a power connector portion 13, a signal connector portion 14, and further a cooling connector portion 15 in the frame portion 12. The power connector portion 13 is connected to the power supply portion 3 on the rack 2 side described later, and serves as a relay member for supplying power from the power supply portion 3 to the server 1 side. The signal connector portion 14 is connected to the signal supply portion 4 on the rack 2 side, and transmits and receives signals between the server 1 side and the rack 2 side. For the power connector portion 13 and the signal connector portion 14, the terminal shape and standard are appropriate, and either a general-purpose shape or a dedicated shape may be used. Also, a plurality of types may be prepared according to the standard or the like on the server 1 side stored in the rack mounting adapter 10.

[0023] In this embodiment, server 1 is cooled by a liquid cooling system, and water (water-cooled) is used as the refrigerant for cooling. Of course, other liquid refrigerants such as ethylene glycol may also be used. Rack 2 is equipped with refrigerant piping 5a for the refrigerant (water) and piping 5b for recovering the refrigerant that has been used to cool server 1 and whose water temperature has risen. Therefore, the rack mounting adapter 10 is separately provided with an inlet connector 15a as a cooling connector section 15 for supply and an outlet connector 15b as a cooling connector section 15 for discharge. Note that if server 1 is cooled by an air cooling system (wind cooling), the supply piping and recovery piping of rack 2 are omitted.

[0024] After the server 1 is placed in the rack-mount adapter 10 and fixed in a predetermined position, the internal wiring (not shown) connected to the power connector section 13 and signal connector section 14 of the rack-mount adapter 10 is connected to a predetermined location on the server 1. In this way, the rack-mount adapter 10 and the server 1 are electrically connected. At the same time, the internal piping (not shown) of the cooling connector section 15 of the rack-mount adapter 10, which supplies and recovers a coolant such as water from the server 1, is connected to a predetermined location on the server 1.

[0025] Figure 2 shows the front view of the rack-mount adapter 10 of the embodiment, where Figure 2(A) is an overall front perspective view and (B) is an enlarged view of the front portion thereof. As shown in the figure, the rack-mount adapter 10 of the embodiment is equipped with a display unit 30. The display unit 30 is a device or component for displaying information of the server 1 stored inside the rack-mount adapter 10 to the outside of the rack-mount adapter 10.

[0026] When mounting Server 1 to Rack 2 (see Figure 3), the use of the rack mounting adapter 10 allows for compatibility with a variety of Server 1 types, even if they differ in size, specifications, etc., as long as they can be stored and connected within the rack mounting adapter 10. Therefore, when migrating to new specifications for Server 1 due to performance improvements, flexible adaptation is possible as long as the connection terminals are common. Furthermore, if the display of operating status and identification information differs for each Server 1, the displays can become mixed and cumbersome. By standardizing the display unit 30 of the rack mounting adapter 10, improvements in the efficiency of visual and robotic monitoring by supervisors are expected.

[0027] In the rack-mount adapter 10, the display unit 30 is equipped with two types of display units: a first display unit 31 and a second display unit 32. In the display unit 30, the first display unit 31 displays identification information that identifies the server 1 housed within it. The second display unit 32 displays information about the operating status of the server. Thus, in this embodiment, the first display unit 31 and the second display unit 32 each display different content.

[0028] The identification information for server 1 displayed on the first display unit 31 is information specific to server 1 stored in the rack-mount adapter 10, such as a serial number, device identification information, device recognition information, MAC address, hostname, etc. This information may be identification information held by the server itself, or it may be information that the data center assigns to each server afterward to identify each server. Electronic paper is mounted on the first display unit 31. Electronic paper is preferred because it reduces power consumption. Other known display devices such as liquid crystal displays and organic EL displays may also be used.

[0029] As shown in Figure 2(B), the electronic paper of the first display unit 31 displays characters and numbers (text) such as the server's hostname and MAC address as identification information. Simultaneously, a one-dimensional code (barcode), a two-dimensional code (QR code®) corresponding to the characters and numbers of the identification information, as well as characters indicating the server's operating status, are displayed in parallel. The server's operating status can be normal, faulty, stopped, waiting for replacement, or poor cooling, and the characters indicating this operating status are, for example, normal, malfunctioning, stopped, waiting for replacement, or poor cooling. The characters and numbers displayed on the first display unit 31 are used by inspectors to visually check the server's operation. In addition, the two-dimensional codes, etc., displayed on the first display unit 31 are used for mechanical monitoring via the camera (see Figure 5) of the monitoring robot 50 of the server monitoring system, which will be described later. In this way, the first display unit 31 supports both manual (visual) and robotic mechanical monitoring.

[0030] The information displayed on the second display unit 32 regarding the operating status of Server 1 indicates whether Server 1 is operating normally after power is supplied, whether it is operating abnormally (unstable operation or failure and shutdown), or whether it is a warning that its service life has expired. In other words, it is a notification that Server 1, which is stored in the rack-mount adapter 10, needs to be replaced.

[0031] In the second display unit 32 of the embodiment, as shown in Figure 2(B), it is composed of three types (i.e., one or more) of lamps such as LEDs 32a, 32b, and 32c. For example, lamp 32a is assigned the role of indicating normal operation, lamp 32b is assigned the role of indicating a malfunction, and lamp 32c is assigned the role of indicating that it is time for replacement. Furthermore, each of the lamps 32a, 32b, and 32c is also provided with a one-dimensional code (barcode) and a two-dimensional code (QR code®) indicating their respective roles.

[0032] In the second display unit 32, at least one of the following changes occurs: the color of the light emitted by these lamps, the light emission pattern, or the combination of lamps that are emitting light. For example, when server 1 is operating normally, lamp 32a is always lit in green, and when there is a malfunction, lamp 32b flashes red. Also, when it is time to notify that it is time for replacement, lamp 32c flashes yellow. In addition, as single-color emitting lamps, it is possible to have all lamps lit, all lamps turned off, or only one lamp at a predetermined position lit. In this way, the second display unit 32 also allows for both manual (visual) monitoring and robotic machine monitoring based on the light emission patterns of each lamp.

[0033] The embodiment includes both a first display unit 31 and a second display unit 32, which have different display modes. Alternatively, the first display unit 31 itself may also have a function to notify whether the operation of the server 1 it stores is normal or abnormal. In that case, the electronic paper of the first display unit 31 is extended.

[0034] The front of the rack-mount adapter 10 is equipped with a first display unit 31 and a second display unit 32, which constitute the display unit 30, as well as an unmount button 35, a front panel button 36, and other features as appropriate. The unmount button 35 is used when removing the rack-mount adapter 10 from the rack 2. The front panel button 36 is used when removing the stored server 1. In addition, unmount hooks 37 are provided at both ends of the rack-mount adapter 10 to serve as handles.

[0035] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of rack 2. Figure 3(A) is a schematic diagram of a magnified portion of the front side of rack 2. As shown in the diagram, rack mounting adapters 10, each containing a server 1, are mounted along the rails 6 of rack 2 within the multiple (multi-tiered) storage compartments 7 provided in rack 2. As shown in the diagram, the display unit 30 is positioned on the front side of rack 2, in the direction from which the rack mounting adapter 10 is removed. As a result, the identification information and operating status of server 1 are not obscured by the rack mounting adapter 10, and are consolidated on the front side of the rack mounting adapter 10, improving monitoring efficiency.

[0036] Figure 3(B) is a schematic diagram of a magnified portion of the rear side of rack 2. In rack 2, the wiring for the power supply unit 3 and the wiring for the signal supply unit 4 are routed to individual housing units 7. Rack 2 is also equipped with refrigerant piping 5a for supplying water as a coolant and piping 5b for recovering the water used to cool server 1 and whose temperature has risen. The refrigerant piping 5a and the recovery piping 5b are also routed to individual housing units 7. Appropriate standard connectors are used for the wiring connections between the power supply unit 3 and the signal supply unit 4 and the rack mounting adapter 10. Appropriate standard couplers are used for the piping connections between the refrigerant piping 5a and the recovery piping 5b and the rack mounting adapter 10.

[0037] <Configuration of the control unit of the rack-mount adapter> Figure 4 is a schematic block diagram showing the configuration of the control unit 20 of the rack-mount adapter 10. The control unit 20 appropriately implements an input / output unit 21 (I / O: input / output interface), an arithmetic unit 22, a storage unit 23, a communication unit 24, etc. The aforementioned display unit 30 (first display unit 31 and second display unit 32) is connected to the input / output unit 21.

[0038] The input / output unit 21 distributes power supplied from the power supply unit 3 of rack 2 through the power connector unit 13 to the rack-mount adapter 10 itself and to the server 1 where it is housed, and distributes signals transmitted and received from the signal supply unit 4 of rack 2 through the signal connector unit 14 to the rack-mount adapter 10 itself and to the server 1 where it is housed. The input / output unit 21 also acts as a buffer for transmission and reception of information transmitted from server 1 to server 1 by the rack-mount adapter 10 and from the rack-mount adapter 10 to server 1. In addition, control signals for the display mode to the aforementioned display unit 30 (first display unit 31 and second display unit 32) are transmitted from the control unit 20 through the input / output unit 21.

[0039] The arithmetic unit 22 is a processor and may be implemented by a central processing unit (CPU), an MPU (Micro Processing Unit), a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit), etc. The arithmetic unit 22 reads the program stored in the storage unit 23 and executes the code or instructions contained in the program.

[0040] The storage unit 23 stores various programs and data necessary for the operation of the arithmetic unit 22. The storage unit 23 may include, for example, flash memory. The storage unit 23 may also include memory (such as RAM (Random Access Memory) or ROM (Read Only Memory)) that provides a working area for the arithmetic unit 22.

[0041] The communication unit 24 may be implemented as hardware such as a NIC (Network Interface Card) or network adapter, communication software, or a combination thereof. It also controls signals for various types of near-field communication (NFC) and radio frequency identification (RFID). The communication unit 24 may relay signals between rack 2 and server 1, control signals between rack-mount adapter 10 and server 1, and wirelessly transmit information from server 1 to a monitoring robot. If the communication unit 24 is composed of a physically structured circuit, it may be referred to as a communication circuit.

[0042] The rack-mount adapter 10 is equipped with a control unit 20, which enables the transmission and reception of signals with the server 1 and the control of the display mode of the display unit 30. Specifically, first, the server 1 is placed inside the rack-mount adapter 10, and power is supplied to the server 1 via the power connector unit 13. After this, the control unit 20 receives signals transmitted from the server 1 to the rack-mount adapter 10 via the signal connector unit 14 and controls the display mode of the display unit 30 (first display unit 31 and second display unit 32).

[0043] The power supply for Server 1 and the rack-mount adapter 10 depends on the power supplied from Rack 2. Therefore, after power supply to Server 1 and the rack-mount adapter 10 is complete, Server 1 transmits its current status to the rack-mount adapter 10 to notify it of its operating status. Based on the received signal, the arithmetic unit 22 generates information (display information) to be displayed on the display unit 30 (first display unit 31 and second display unit 32). The arithmetic unit 22 outputs the display information to the display unit 30 (first display unit 31 and second display unit 32) via the input / output unit 21. The display unit 30 (first display unit 31 and second display unit 32), having received the display information, displays the information according to the display information. In this way, Server 1 and the rack-mount adapter 10 are integrated.

[0044] Furthermore, the control unit 20 can perform the following controls: (1) After the server 1 is stored in the rack-mount adapter 10 and power is supplied to the server 1 via the power connector 13, the control unit 20 starts monitoring the status of the server 1. By equipping the control unit 20 with a function to monitor the status of the server 1, if the self-monitoring function of the server 1 malfunctions and normal monitoring is not possible, monitoring of the server 1 becomes possible through the rack-mount adapter 10, thereby increasing the safety of monitoring the server 1. If the rack-mount adapter 10 detects an abnormality or malfunction in the server 1, the display unit 30 (first display unit 31 and second display unit 32) will display a predetermined message.

[0045] Furthermore, (2) after the server 1 is stored in the rack-mount adapter 10 and power is supplied to the server 1 via the power connector 13, the control unit 20 acquires information about the operation of the server 1. Acquiring information about the operation of the server 1 involves controlling the display mode of the aforementioned display unit 30 (first display unit 31 and second display unit 32), and in addition to monitoring the server 1, information related to the operation is acquired, such as the operating status of the server 1's processing unit 22 (processor), the usage status of the storage unit 23 (memory, etc.), and the measured value of the internal temperature of the server. In addition to being displayed on the display unit 30, this information is also transmitted to the rack 2 side (data center side) via the rack-mount adapter 10. Therefore, the rack-mount adapter 10 relays information about the operation of the server 1 through the control unit 20, and plays a role in assisting the safe operation of the server 1.

[0046] Furthermore, (3) after the server 1 is stored in the rack-mount adapter 10 and power is supplied to the server 1 via the power connector 13, the control unit 20 receives information in a predetermined format in response to a request from the control unit 20 to the server 1. Through the transmission and reception of signals between the rack-mount adapter 10 and the server 1, for example, the control unit 20 periodically sends signals such as status monitoring to the server 1. Upon receiving such signals, the server 1 sends information in a predetermined format, such as "no abnormalities," to the rack-mount adapter 10 in response to the signals, and the rack-mount adapter 10 receives the information in the predetermined format. In this regard, the rack-mount adapter 10 itself can replace the function of monitoring the safe operation of the server 1.

[0047] <Server monitoring system configuration> The server monitoring system 1S employing the rack-mount adapter 10, which has been described in detail so far, will now be explained with reference to the schematic diagram in Figure 5. In the schematic diagram in Figure 5(A), a rack 2 and a monitoring robot 50 are shown. Multiple rack-mount adapters 10 are mounted on rack 2, and a server is stored in each rack-mount adapter 10. For convenience, only one rack 2 is shown in the illustration. The monitoring robot 50 is equipped with a main body 51 (housing) and wheels 54 for self-propulsion. A camera 52 is also mounted on the main body 51. The camera 52 is a device that captures images of the display unit 30 (see Figure 2) of the rack-mount adapter 10. A pole 53 is installed on the main body 51, and the camera 52 is connected to the pole 53 so as to be able to move up and down. Multiple rack-mount adapters 10 are housed in rack 2 in the height direction. Therefore, the vertical position of the camera 52 can be adjusted in order to accurately capture images from the bottom (closer to the floor) to the top (closer to the ceiling) of rack 2.

[0048] The monitoring robot 50 patrols around multiple racks 2 within the data center, and its camera 52 captures images of the display unit 30 of the rack-mount adapter 10. The schematic diagram in Figure 5(B) shows an image captured by the camera 52. Two rack-mount adapters 10 are visible in the image. The display content of the display unit 30 is monitored through the camera 52 of the monitoring robot 50. The first display unit 31 and the second display unit 32 of the display unit 30 are equipped with displays for visual monitoring by a human monitor, as well as displays that support machine monitoring by the robot, such as 1D and 2D codes. Thus, the server monitoring system 1S reduces the labor involved in monitoring tasks through machine monitoring, thereby reducing the burden on human workers.

[0049] In addition, the rack-mount adapter 10 can transmit data containing information about the server 1 via the communication unit 24 of its control unit 20 using radio waves for short-range wireless communication. The monitoring robot 50, which is on patrol, can receive these radio waves and monitor the information about the server 1. In this case, the server monitoring system 1S can improve the accuracy of monitoring for abnormalities in the server 1 by complementarily confirming the display content of the display unit 30 and the received radio wave signal.

[0050] According to each aspect of this disclosure described above, by providing a more user-friendly environment for data center users, we can contribute to achieving Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 11, "Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable." [Explanation of Symbols]

[0051] 1 server 1S Server Monitoring System 2 racks 3 Power supply section 4. Signal supply unit 5a Refrigerant piping 5b Recovery piping 10 Rack Mount Adapters 13 Power connector section 14. Signal connector section 15 Cooling connector section 20 Control Unit 21 Input / output section 22 Arithmetic section 23 Memory section 24 Communications Department 30 Display section 31 1st display section 32 2nd display section 50 Surveillance Robots 52 Cameras

Claims

1. A rack mounting adapter for housing and mounting servers in a rack that accommodates multiple servers, The aforementioned rack-mount adapter is A power connector unit that is connected to the power supply unit on the rack side and supplies power to the server side, A signal connector unit connected to the signal supply unit on the rack side, which transmits and receives signals between the server side and the rack side, The rack-mount adapter includes a display unit for displaying the stored server information on the outside of the rack-mount adapter. A rack-mount adapter characterized by the following features.

2. The rack-mount adapter includes a control unit, The control unit, The rack-mount adapter according to claim 1, wherein the server is housed within the rack-mount adapter, power is supplied to the server via the power connector, and then a signal transmitted from the server to the rack-mount adapter via the signal connector is received to control the display mode of the display unit.

3. The rack-mount adapter includes a control unit, The control unit, The rack-mount adapter according to claim 1, wherein the server is housed within the rack-mount adapter, power is supplied to the server via the power connector, and then the status monitoring of the server is started.

4. The rack-mount adapter includes a control unit, The control unit, The rack-mount adapter according to claim 1, wherein the server is housed within the rack-mount adapter, power is supplied to the server via the power connector, and information on the operation of the server is acquired.

5. The rack-mount adapter includes a control unit, The control unit, The rack-mount adapter according to claim 1, wherein the server is housed within the rack-mount adapter, power is supplied to the server via the power connector, and the server receives information in a predetermined format in response to a request from the control unit.

6. The rack-mount adapter according to claim 1, wherein the display unit is positioned on the front side in the direction in which the rack-mount adapter is removed from the rack.

7. The rack-mount adapter according to claim 1, wherein the display unit comprises a first display unit that displays identification information for identifying the server and a second display unit that displays information on the operating status of the server.

8. The rack-mount adapter according to claim 7, wherein at least one of the first display unit or the second display unit is electronic paper and displays two or more characters, one-dimensional codes, or two-dimensional codes indicating at least one of the identification information or the operating status of the server.

9. The rack-mount adapter according to claim 7, wherein the second display unit is one or more lamps, and at least one of the light emission color, light emission pattern, or combination of lamps that emit light is changed according to the operating status of the server.

10. The rack-mount adapter according to claim 1, wherein the rack-mount adapter is connected to the refrigerant piping on the rack side and comprises a cooling connector portion that supplies refrigerant from the rack side to the server side and discharges it back to the rack side.

11. A rack equipped with the rack mounting adapter described in claim 1, The system includes a monitoring robot that patrols the area around the rack, The monitoring robot captures an image of the display unit of the rack-mount adapter and monitors the content of the display unit. A server monitoring system characterized by the following features.

12. A rack equipped with the rack mounting adapter described in claim 1, The system includes a monitoring robot that patrols the area around the rack, The rack-mount adapter further comprises a communication unit that transmits data including information about the server using radio waves for short-range wireless communication, The aforementioned monitoring robot receives the radio waves and monitors the information on the server. A server monitoring system characterized by the following features.