Virtual Instance Orchestration for Data Center Heat Harvesting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing orchestration methods for virtual operative systems in data centers fail to maximize heat harnessing efficiency and result in suboptimal use of hardware resources, leading to inefficient heat generation and resource wastage.
Innovation Solution
A system and method that involves networking multiple host computers, estimating heat rates for virtual operative system instances, and optimizing their distribution to maximize heat generation, optionally with a controller to migrate or shut down computers as needed.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If known orchestration methods are used to distribute virtual operative system instances across host computers, then computing load is evenly distributed and hardware is cooled efficiently, but heat generation rate is minimized and heat harnessing efficiency is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the traditional orchestration objective: instead of minimizing heat generation for cooling efficiency, it maximizes heat generation for heat harnessing. The controller deliberately distributes instances to create uneven load patterns that generate higher residual heat rates, transforming the waste heat into a valuable resource for external facilities.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the optimization parameter from 'cooling efficiency' to 'heat generation rate'. The controller estimates heat rates for each instance-host combination and selects arrangements that maximize the sum of residual heat rates, fundamentally altering the optimization criterion from thermal management to heat production.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If instances are distributed across more host computers to balance load, then overheating risk is reduced, but the number of machines required increases and heat harnessing efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic instance migration between host computers based on real-time heat rate estimates. The controller continuously monitors and adjusts the distribution of instances, migrating them to configurations that maximize heat generation while maintaining operational reliability, rather than using static load-balancing rules.
3Reliability
If traditional load balancing is implemented to avoid overheating, then hardware reliability is maintained, but heat harnessing efficiency and resource utilization are suboptimal
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism where the controller estimates heat rates for each virtual operative system instance on each host computer, calculates the total heat generation for different arrangements, and adjusts instance distribution accordingly. This closed-loop control optimizes heat harnessing efficiency while maintaining hardware reliability through continuous monitoring and adjustment.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems for and methods of harnessing heat generated from running virtual operative system instances. A system may include: host computers for running the virtual operative system instances, the host computers being networked; and a subsystem for harnessing heat generated by the host computers. One or more of the host computers may be configured to operate as a controller. Alternatively, a separate controller computer may be provided. The controller or controller computer is configured with the steps of: for each instance, estimating a heat rate that will result from running the instance as a guest of a host computer; calculating an arrangement of the instances over the host computers so that a heat rate achieved by the host computers is maximized; and controlling the host computers to run the instances as defined in the calculated arrangement.