Holistic Power Management for Dynamic Server Consolidation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Data centers and large server environments face high energy consumption and heat generation, even when idle, due to servers running continuously to maintain service levels, leading to inefficient power usage and increased cooling costs, with existing methods focusing solely on reducing power consumption of individual devices rather than optimizing the overall environment.
Innovation Solution
A holistic approach that dynamically and automatically adds or removes servers and equipment based on load demand, physically turning off unnecessary equipment and adjusting cooling resources, while maintaining service levels and computing capacity, using a method and apparatus that calculates the optimal number of servers and equipment needed across multiple locations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If servers run continuously 24 hours a day to maintain service levels, then service availability is improved, but power consumption increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic power management by continuously monitoring application load and adjusting server power states accordingly. Servers transition between active, idle, and powered-off states based on real-time demand, allowing the system to maintain service levels while reducing power consumption during low-utilization periods
Solution Approach 2:
The system employs self-service mechanisms through automated load monitoring and dynamic power state transitions. The infrastructure automatically adjusts server power consumption based on application performance requirements without manual intervention, enabling servers to serve themselves by transitioning to lower power states when load demands are met by remaining servers
2Reliability
If multiple servers are deployed across different data centers to reduce outage risk and meet service levels, then reliability is improved, but power consumption and cooling costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent dynamically consolidates workloads across data centers by monitoring application performance and redistributing loads. When one data center experiences high utilization, the system automatically shifts workloads to underutilized servers in other data centers, enabling physical power-off of servers in locations with sufficient capacity elsewhere, thereby reducing cooling costs while maintaining redundancy
Solution Approach 2:
The system merges computing capacity across multiple data centers by treating servers in different locations as a unified pool. Through dynamic load balancing and consolidation, the system combines resources from multiple sites to serve workloads efficiently, allowing servers in any single data center to be powered down when their capacity is covered by consolidated resources from other centers
3Speed
If equipment is kept in idle state with operating system running, then quick response to load demands is improved, but power consumption remains high at over 60% of loaded state
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic power state transitions that move servers between active, idle, and powered-off states based on real-time load conditions. The system monitors application performance metrics and adjusts server power states dynamically, transitioning servers to powered-off state when load can be handled by other active servers, thus eliminating persistent high idle power consumption
Solution Approach 2:
The system employs periodic monitoring of application load and performance metrics to determine appropriate power states. By continuously assessing utilization patterns and transitioning servers between power states based on periodic evaluations, the system achieves quick response to genuine load demands while minimizing time spent in high-consumption idle states
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention provides a METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR HOLISTIC POWER MANAGEMENT TO DYNAMICALLY AND AUTOMATICALLY TURN SERVERS, NETWORK EQUIPMENT AND FACILITY COMPONENTS ON AND OFF INSIDE AND ACROSS MULTIPLE DATA CENTERS BASED ON A VARIETY OF PARAMETERS WITHOUT VIOLATING EXISTING SERVICE LEVELS. This method and apparatus pertains specifically to a method and apparatus for power management in data centers and large server environments.Until today all servers running a specific application or virtualized environment are kept turned on to support various levels of application demand. With the invention of Holistic Power Management this invention completely automates the tasks required to shutdown and turn off servers not needed and to turn them on and start them up independent of their physical location. Furthermore this invention makes such changes dynamically based on application load, environmental conditions and energy pricing and availability and can adjust cooling services accordingly.