Mobile Device Datacenter Navigation and Equipment Location
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current datacenter management systems (DMS) face challenges in efficiently locating and managing hardware within large datacenters, particularly due to the lack of physical location mapping between virtual and physical inventory objects, leading to delays in maintenance, repairs, and upgrades, especially in multi-location setups.
Innovation Solution
A method utilizing mobile devices to obtain information from identification providers such as RFID or barcode tags, determining device location, and requesting datacenter maps to display equipment locations and navigation directions, enabling hands-on management of datacenter infrastructure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of time
If technicians use traditional datacenter management systems to locate hardware, then they can obtain basic hardware information, but they experience significant delays in locating specific equipment due to lack of physical location mapping
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces mobile devices (smartphones, tablets) as intermediaries between technicians and datacenter hardware. These devices provide location determination capabilities through GPS, RFID, or other positioning technologies, and display equipment locations through mapping applications, thereby bridging the gap between virtual inventory data and physical hardware locations without requiring complex system modifications to the existing DMS
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables technicians to independently locate and navigate to equipment using their own mobile devices without requiring assistance from datacenter virtual infrastructure administrators or other personnel. The mobile device autonomously determines the technician's location, retrieves equipment location data, and provides navigation directions, eliminating the need for manual coordination and reducing equipment location time
2Productivity
If technicians manually coordinate with multiple personnel to manage hardware, then they can ensure proper procedures are followed, but they experience delays due to requiring multiple people to complete tasks
Solution Approach 1:
The mobile device serves multiple functions simultaneously: it acts as a location determination device, a mapping and navigation system, a communication tool for coordinating with other personnel, and a repository for hardware information. This multi-functionality consolidates what previously required separate tools and personnel into a single device, thereby improving productivity while maintaining operational simplicity
3Loss of information
If datacenter management systems provide detailed hardware information, then technicians can identify hardware issues, but they cannot navigate to the actual physical equipment without additional systems
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges previously separate systems and functions into a unified mobile device interface: virtual inventory data from the DMS, physical location data from positioning systems, mapping data from geographic information systems, and navigation directions are all combined and displayed through the mobile device. This integration provides complete information (virtual and physical) without requiring technicians to access multiple separate systems
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This solution streamlines datacenter management by allowing technicians to efficiently locate and navigate to equipment, reducing delays and enhancing the ability to perform maintenance and upgrades within large or multi-location datacenters.
Implementation Method 1
obtain information from one or more of a plurality of identification providers disposed at predetermined locations in the datacenter
Data Source
AI summary
One embodiment of the present invention is a method for managing a datacenter using a mobile device, which method includes: (a) in response to a user request, the mobile device causing an identification prober to obtain information from one or more of a plurality of identification providers disposed at predetermined locations in the datacenter, and determining a mobile device location in the datacenter therefrom; (b) the mobile device requesting a datacenter map from a datacenter management system, displaying at least a portion of the map on a mobile device display, and displaying the mobile device location on the at least a portion of the map; and (c) the mobile device obtaining an equipment location of an equipment in the datacenter from the datacenter management system, displaying directions from the mobile device location to the equipment location, and displaying the equipment location on the at least a portion of the map if it fits in the display.