Patent ID: 6055647
Filing Date: 2000-04-25
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
In a computer system having a set of load elements powered by a set of power supplies, each power supply of the set of power supplies selectively coupled to an external power source, each load element of the set of load elements and each power supply releasably connectable to the computer system to permit on-line reconfiguration of the computer system, an improvement of apparatus for determining a power supply redundancy level while the computer system is on-line, said apparatus comprising:a power supply characteristic detector coupled to receive indications of characteristics associated with each power supply of the set of power supplies; anda redundancy determiner coupled to said power supply characteristic detector, said redundancy determiner selectively operable for determining values representative of power capacity levels of the set of power supplies relative to load levels exhibited by the set of load elements, the values determined thereby forming the power supply redundancy level;wherein said redundancy determiner determines the values representative of the power capacity levels relative to the load levels responsive to one of reception at said power supply characteristic detector of an indication of a change in power capacity of any power supply of the set of power supplies and detection by said power supply characteristic detector of an incremental increase in the load levels.