Thermal Sensor Workload Balancing for Hardware Reliability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing computer systems face inefficiencies in energy use, sustainability, and component longevity due to uneven workload distribution and thermal stress, leading to potential failures and reduced reliability.
Innovation Solution
A processor set monitors thermal data from sensors associated with hardware components and manages workloads using a policy that balances component usage to enhance energy efficiency, sustainability, and reliability by distributing workloads based on thermal data and wear levels.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If workloads are concentrated on fewer components, then productivity increases, but component reliability decreases due to thermal stress and wear
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the workload across multiple physical components (slots) rather than concentrating it on fewer components. The workload manager divides incoming workloads and distributes them to multiple available slots, ensuring that no single component bears excessive thermal stress or wear, thereby maintaining both productivity and reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts workload distribution based on real-time component status. The workload manager continuously monitors component health and adaptively reallocates workloads to optimize the balance between productivity and reliability, moving workloads dynamically rather than using static assignment.
2Reliability
If workloads are distributed across more components, then component reliability improves, but energy efficiency decreases due to higher overhead
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses partial distribution of workloads rather than full distribution across all components. The workload manager allocates workloads to a subset of available slots based on current system needs and component status, avoiding the energy overhead of utilizing all components while still achieving sufficient reliability through strategic distribution.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the parameter of workload distribution intensity based on system conditions. The workload manager adjusts the degree of distribution dynamically, optimizing the balance between reliability and energy efficiency by modifying allocation parameters rather than maintaining a fixed distribution strategy.
3Reliability
If thermal monitoring is implemented, then component protection improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The thermal sensor serves multiple functions: it monitors component temperature for protection purposes and also provides data for workload management decisions. The workload manager utilizes this thermal data both to protect components from overheating and to optimize workload distribution, thereby reducing the need for separate monitoring systems and lowering overall device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses its own thermal sensor data to make autonomous workload management decisions without requiring external monitoring systems. The workload manager self-adjusts based on thermal feedback from the sensors, enabling the system to protect itself and optimize performance using internally generated information, thereby avoiding additional complexity from external control systems.
Data Source
AI summary
A computer implemented method manages computing workloads. A processor set monitors thermal data from sensors associated with a set of components in a computer system. The processor set manages computing workloads for the set of components using the thermal data and a policy defining component usage.