IT Network Power Consumption Determination via Autodiscovery
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for determining electric power consumption in data centers are labor-intensive, error-prone, and only valid for short periods due to the dynamic nature of network devices, especially with the introduction of on-demand computing and varying power usage.
Innovation Solution
An autodiscovery tool is used to identify network devices within an IT network, and management requests are sent to their management-addressable addresses to collect and centrally calculate their electric power consumption values, enabling accurate and efficient determination of total power usage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If manual inventory and calculation methods are used to determine power consumption, then implementation simplicity is maintained, but labor intensity and error rates increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual mechanical processes (personnel creating inventories and calculating power consumption) with an automated electronic system that uses network protocols to query devices and compute total power consumption automatically, thereby eliminating labor-intensive operations while maintaining implementation simplicity through standardized protocols
Solution Approach 2:
Network devices autonomously provide their own power consumption data when queried through management protocols, eliminating the need for external manual data collection. Each device self-reports its operational status and power characteristics, enabling automated aggregation and calculation of total network power consumption
2Device complexity
If manual inventory methods are used, then system complexity is minimized, but the validity period of power consumption data becomes extremely short due to dynamic device changes
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements continuous feedback by periodically querying network devices for their current operational status and power consumption data. This automated feedback mechanism ensures that when devices are added, removed, or have their power characteristics changed, the central system receives updated information and recalculates total power consumption, thereby extending data validity without increasing system complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary automated discovery and inventory of all network devices before power consumption calculation begins. This preliminary action establishes a baseline database of devices that can be dynamically updated, allowing the system to maintain current power consumption data without requiring complex real-time monitoring infrastructure
3Measurement precision
If traditional power meter monitoring systems are used, then power consumption measurement capability is achieved, but device addressability and integration with network management become problematic
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes network devices universally addressable through standard network management protocols that can query both operational status and power consumption characteristics. This multi-functional approach allows the same protocol infrastructure used for device discovery and status monitoring to also retrieve power consumption data, eliminating the need for separate addressing schemes and reducing integration complexity while maintaining measurement precision
Solution Approach 2:
The system merges the functions of device discovery, status monitoring, and power consumption measurement into a single integrated process. By combining these previously separate functions into one unified protocol-based approach, the system reduces addressing and integration complexity while maintaining the precision of power consumption measurements through centralized data collection
Data Source
AI summary
A method is provided of determining total electric power consumption of a managed IT network including network devices having a management-addressable address. An autodiscovery tool is run to discover the network devices of the managed IT network. Management requests are directed to the management-addressable addresses of the network devices to obtain the electric power consumption values of the network devices. The electric power consumption values returned by the network devices are centrally collected, and the total electric power consumption of the managed IT network is calculated by adding the electric power consumption values of the network devices.