Chassis Management Controller for PCIe Switch Power Allocation
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing server architectures face challenges in managing power efficiently for modular information handling systems with shared resources in a multi-root input-output virtualization environment, leading to inefficiencies in resource allocation and potential power shortages.
Innovation Solution
A system with a chassis management controller that determines power requirements for shared resources, subtracts shared resource power needs from individual system requirements, and compares these with available power to allow or deny operation, ensuring efficient power management across multiple information handling systems.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If multiple modular information handling systems share common I/O resources in a blade chassis, then resource utilization and space efficiency are improved, but power management complexity and potential power shortages increase
Solution Approach 1:
A chassis management controller is introduced as an intermediary between the power supply and multiple blade servers. This controller centrally manages power distribution by determining total power requirements of shared resources, allocating power to individual blades, and preventing overallocation. The intermediary structure simplifies the complex many-to-many power management relationships into a centralized control mechanism.
2Adaptability or versatility
If shared I/O resources are allocated to multiple information handling systems, then system versatility is improved, but power allocation inefficiencies and resource overallocation occur
Solution Approach 1:
The chassis management controller performs preliminary determination of power requirements for shared resources before allocating power to individual blade servers. By calculating the total power needs of shared I/O resources in advance and subtracting this from the total available power, the system pre-establishes the power budget for individual blades, preventing overallocation and ensuring efficient power distribution.
3Ease of operation
If individual blade servers independently manage their power requirements, then operational simplicity is improved, but power shortages and overallocation of shared resources occur
Solution Approach 1:
The chassis management controller implements a feedback mechanism where blade servers report their power requirements to the controller, which then calculates the total power needs including shared resources. The controller uses this feedback information to adjust power distribution dynamically, ensuring that shared resources are properly accounted for and that power is allocated reliably to all active blades without overallocation or shortages.
Data Source
AI summary
A method for managing the power of a chassis includes receiving a plurality of modular information handling systems into the chassis, receiving a plurality of information handling resources into the chassis, virtualizing access of one of the modular information handling resources to two or more of the plurality of modular information handling systems, the modular information handling systems sharing the modular information handling resource, and, upon initialization of one of the information handling systems, determining power requirements of the shared information handling resource, receiving power requirements from the information handling systems, determining whether the power requirements from the information handling system includes power requirements of the shared information handling resource, subtracting the power requirements of the shared information handling resource from the power requirements of the information handling system to determine resultant power requirements, comparing the resultant power requirements with available power, and allowing operation of the information handling system.