System and method for activating at least one of a plurality of fans when connection of a computer module is detected

A cloud server system may include a power module, a plurality of first connectors, at least one computer module including a second connector detachably electrically plugged into one of the each first connectors for receiving operational power, and a detection circuit configured to detect whether the first connector is electrically plugged into the second connector or not electrically plugged into the second connector to obtain the connection status. The cloud server system may further include a control module configured to act as a docking station interfacing with the internet for the at least one computer module so that the at least one computer module is hot swappable, and a plurality of fans. The control module may be configured to activate/deactivate and/or alter rotational speed of at least one of the plurality of fans according to the connection status.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a cloud server system, and more particularly, to a cloud server system that reduces total cost of ownership by detecting where and how many computer modules are being used.

2. Description of the Prior Art

A server is computer hardware system that runs at least one service as a host for a client . Such a service typically may be, inter alia, running a database, file, web, mail, or print server for a client computer.

Fueled by increasing demand for cloud computing, the need for additional and more efficient servers is growing rapidly. Whether constructing a single server or a large server farm some of the features needing serious consideration include initial cost, speed, size/density, power consumption, thermal footprint, HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning), and maintenance.

While changing these and other variables often results in a trade-off, for example increased speed often results in an increased thermal footprint, when taken together as a group these variables have a large impact on the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) of the server. Because most servers are operated for economic reasons, reducing the TCO is becoming an important benchmark used in decision making when replacing or expanding the number of servers on-line today.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A cloud server system having a reduced Total Cost of Ownership is disclosed.

A cloud server system may include a power module, a plurality of first connectors, at least one computer module including a second connector detachably electrically plugged into one of the first connectors for receiving operational power, and a detection circuit configured to detect whether the first connector is electrically plugged into the second connector or not electrically plugged into the second connector to obtain the connection status.

When the connection status indicates the first connector is electrically plugged into the second connector, the first connector receives operational power from the power module, and when the first connector is not electrically plugged into the second connector, the first connector does not receive operational power from the power module.

The cloud server system may further include a control module configured to act as a docking station interfacing with the internet for the at least one computer module so that the at least one computer module is hot swappable when at least two second connectors are plugged into the first connectors. The power module may comprise a plurality of fans. The control module is configured to activate/deactivate and/or alter rotational speed of at least one of the plurality of fans according to the connection status of the first and second connectors.

A method of operating the above described cloud server system is also disclosed. The method includes detecting whether a computer module is electrically plugged into a first connector to generate a connection status. A power module provides operational power to the first connector when the connection status indicates the first connector is electrically plugged into the second connector. The power module does not provide operational power to the first connector when the connection status indicates the first connector is not electrically plugged into the second connector.

The method of operating a cloud server system further may include the control module activating/deactivating and/or altering rotational speed of at least one of the plurality of fans according to the connection status.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Please refer toFIG. 1which is a block diagram of a possible cloud server system1with reduced Total Cost of Ownership (TCO). AsFIG. 1shows, a cloud server system1may include a control module10for controlling operations of the cloud server system1, a power module20for providing operational power to the cloud server system1, and at least one computer module40for running the host provided services.

The power module20may be physically a part of the control module10or maybe external to the control module10. In either case both the control module10and power module20include all hardware necessary for making the appropriate electrical and data connections between them and the at least one computer module40and with each other as would be known to one skilled in the art. The power module20may further comprise a first connector35for electrically connecting the power module20to the cloud server system1.

The control module10may comprise all components necessary for making connections with, using, and relaying data between the at least one computer module40and the internet through an external link5, such as, inter alia, a processor6, memory7, and network controller and/or router9. The control module10may function as a docking station for the at least one computer module40. Because the control module10may act as the master controller of inputted and outputted data for the cloud server system1and may do all of the actual interfacing with the internet and simply relays received data to and from the at least one computer module40, the presence or absence of any one of the at least one computer modules40has little more effect on the cloud system1than failure of a non-OS hard drive in a multi-drive system, making the at least one computer module40able to be hot swapped as long as there is always at least one computer module40remaining attached to the cloud server system1to maintain electrical connections between the control module10, the at least one computer module40, and the power module20. The control module10may further comprise a third connector12for electrically connecting the control module10to the cloud server system1.

The at least one computer module40may comprise a second connector42that is compatible with the first connector35comprised by the power module20allowing electricity be exchanged between the at least one computer module40and the power module20. The at least one computer module40may further comprise a fourth connector13that is compatible with the third connectors12comprised by the control module10, allowing electricity and data to be exchanged between the at least one computer module40and the control module10.

The at least one computer module40may further comprise a System-on-a-Chip (SOC)45, a volatile memory47, and a connector49for interfacing with a non-volatile memory, preferably a solid state drive (SSD)50to increase density of the server due to reduced vibrations, but may be of another type such as a hard disk drive or a optical disc drive. Also preferably, the System-on-a-Chip45may comprise a plurality of processors of reduced instruction set computer (RISC) architecture, such as an ARM processor, but may be of another type such as an x86 processor if design considerations warrant it. A video processing chip is optional but is expensive and would also increase complexity while offering few if any benefits, so may not be present in some embodiments of the at least one computer module40to further reduce costs.

By locating the components for interfacing with the internet in the control module10and thus making the at least one computer module40hot swappable, maintenance cost can be reduced because a failed at least one computer module40can be easily removed and replaced. When only the computer module40fails and not the associated SSD50, the associated SSD50can be connected to a spare computer module40and immediately placed back online. When only the SSD50fails and not the associated computer module40, a new SSD50can be connected to an associated computer module40and immediately placed back online . When both the computer module40and the associated SSD50fail, both can be replaced and immediately be back online. All of these equipment swaps can be processed without having to shutdown and/or reboot the cloud server system1, saving on downtime and maintenance costs.

The control module10may control operations of the cloud server system1via the use of one or more system controllers (preferably in the control module10) electrically connected to the at least one computer module40via the connecting wires60which may be part of the first, second , third, and fourth connecters35,42,12,13. If a plurality of at least one computer modules40is simultaneously used, one or more of the at least one computer modules40may be independently and respectively controlled by the different system controllers to improve bandwidth, although communications between any two of the at least one computer modules40within the cloud server system1remains possible and fast due to sharing a common control module10. Data and commands are preferably exchanged between the control module10and the at least one computer module40using differential pairs for efficiency, but other methods may be used according to design considerations. The connecting wires60shown inFIG. 1represents such a differential pair along with appropriate first, second, third, and fourth connecters35,42,12,13.

The power module20provides the power through the first connectors35to the second connectors42of the at least one computer module40when the at least one computer module40is plugged into the first connector35. The power through the first connector35would be disabled when the at least one computer module40is not plugged into the first connector35.

Detection of whether the at least one computer module40is plugged into the first connector35can be done with a physical switch located on or near the first and second connectors35,42, (or third and fourth connectors12,13), or could be done electronically. In some embodiments, the power module20may require only a single electrical connection to an external source of power, but may transmit power from the power module20individually to each of the at least one computer modules40using different wires60in a one-to-many relationship. At least in this case of using different wires60to individually transmit power, electrical detection of a connected at least one computer modules40is preferred, perhaps by detecting whether the connecting wires60form a complete circuit. Components necessary to perform the detection could be located in the control module10, power module20, the connecting wires60, or on the at least one computer module40. As a result of the detection, a connection status is generated to indicate whether that particular first connector35is plugged into a second connector42. The connection status may be of any form such as, inter alia, merely be a completed circuit, may be a binary signal, and/or may be a signal that includes to which first connector35the connection status belongs.

FIG. 1shows some of the non-limiting possible locations as detection circuit15in the control module, detection circuit17in the power module20, or detection circuit16on the at least one computer module40. Normally, using either detection circuit15or detection circuit17is preferred as a single detection circuit could be fashioned, according to design considerations, to possibly monitor connection statuses of a plurality first connectors35, while locating the detection circuit16on the at least one computer module40would demand individual detection circuits16on each of the at least one computer modules40. As, in some embodiments, the hot swappable at least one computer module40is designed to be more or less disposable with failure, adding a detection circuit16may merely add to costs.

FIG. 2shows an expanded view of an embodiment of a cloud server system2. As shown inFIG. 2, the cloud server system2is similar to the cloud server system1and may use power module20with built in fans38positioned to cool the control module10and/or the at least one computer module40, an SSD50corresponding to each of the at least one computer modules40, and controller boards10A that are part of the control module10.

FIG. 3shows an assembled embodiment of a cloud server system3also similar to the cloud server system1and comprising the power module20, the fans38, the rack or housing30, the at least one computer module40, and the corresponding SSD50.

As the power module20also provides power to the fans38, heat and electrical costs of operating the cloud server systems1,2,3can be reduced by utilizing the generated connection statuses to determine which fans38and/or how many fans38are operating according to the number of, and/or location of, the at least one computer module40currently plugged into the first connecters35.

For example, some embodiments activate fans38nearest the at least one computer module40while deactivating fans38further away from the at least one computer module40when they are not needed. Choice of which fans38to activate and which fans38to deactivate could be implemented using a switching system, perhaps using a look-up table, associating one or more first connectors35with one or more predetermined fans38.

For example, an at least one computer module40plugged into a first connector35may activate a first fan38while unplugging the at least one computer module40from the first connector35may deactivate the first fan38if the first fan is no longer needed. Thus fan(s)38located near a plugged-in at least one computer module40may be activated, while fan(s)38located where no at least one computer module40are plugged-in may be deactivated. In normal practice, one fan38may be associated with a plurality of connectors35, but this is not a limitation of the cloud server systems1,2,3, nor is it necessary for the associated first connectors35to be adjacent.

Some embodiments activate some fans38and/or deactivate some fans38according to the number of the at least one computer modules40plugged into the cloud server systems1,2,3. Choice of which fans38to activate and which fans38to deactivate could be implemented using a switching system, perhaps even a look-up table, associating one or more predetermined fans38with one or more threshold quantities of plugged in at least one computer modules40. For a non-limiting example, when the number of at least one computer modules40plugged into first connectors35is less than a predetermined threshold, less than all of the fans38may activated. When the number of at least one computer modules40plugged into first connector35becomes greater than or equal to the predetermined threshold, additional fans38maybe activated. Some embodiments use more than a single threshold to increase/decrease the number of active fans38.

Some embodiments may alter the rotational speed of at least one of the fans38in the cloud server systems1,2,3according to which first connecter35is plugged into one of the at least one computer module40. Choice of which fans38to alter the rotational speed of could be implemented using a switching system, perhaps using a look-up table, associating one or more first connectors35with one or more predetermined fans38.

For example, an at least one computer module40plugged into a first connector35may or may not cause the control module10to alter rotational speed of one or more fan(s)38while unplugging the at least one computer module40from the first connector35may cause the control module10to no longer actively alter the rotational speed of the one or more fan(s)38. Thus fan(s)38located near a plugged-in at least one computer module40may be controlled to speed up and provide additional cooling, while fan(s)38located away from the plugged-in at least one computer module40may be slowed to provide a reduced amount of cooling. Again, in normal practice, one fan38may be associated with a plurality of first connectors35, but this is not a limitation of the cloud server systems1,2,3, nor is it necessary for the associated first connectors35to be adjacent.

Some embodiments may alter the rotational speed of at least one of the fans38in the cloud server systems1,2,3according to the quantity of the at least one computer modules40that are plugged into the cloud server systems1,2,3. Rotational speed of the at least one of the fans38can be increased when additional cooling is necessary and can be decreased when a reduced level of cooling is acceptable, depending upon the number of plugged-in at least one computer modules40.

Choice of whether to alter the rotational speed of the at least one fan38in the cloud server systems1,2,3could be implemented using a switching system, perhaps one or more thresholds or a look-up table, associating threshold numbers of plugged-in at least one computer modules40with rotational speed of the at least one fan38. For a non-limiting example, when the number of at least one computer modules40plugged into the first connectors35is less than a predetermined threshold, the rotational speed of the at least one fan38maybe reduced. When the number of at least one computer modules40plugged into first connectors35is greater than or equal to the predetermined threshold, rotational speed of the at least one fan38maybe increased. Some embodiments use more than a single threshold to alter the rotational speed of the at least one fan38.

Some embodiments may use combinations of the above described activating/deactivating and/or altering rotational speed of at least one of the fans38according to locations of and/or number of the at least one computer module40that is plugged into cloud server systems1,2,3. For a non-limiting example, some embodiments may alter rotational speed of at least one fan38near a plugged in at least one computer module40, while deactivating other fan(s)38not located near a plugged in at least one computer module40.

Because fans38generate heat and noise while operating, shutting off unnecessary fans38and/or altering rotational speeds of fans38reduce the thermal and acoustic footprint of the cloud server systems1,2,3, reducing TCO.

FIG.4is a flow chart400of power and fan control for a cloud server system similar to that shown inFIG.1. The flow chart400comprises the following steps, each of which is described in greater detail above.

Step410: Detect whether a particular first connector is plugged into a second connector of a computer module to generate a connection status.

Step420: Does the connection status indicate that the particular first connector is plugged into the second connector of the computer module? If NO, go to Step450.

Step430: Supply operational power to the computer module via the first and second connectors.

Step440: Activate or alter rotational speed of at least one fan. Go to Step460.

Step450: Do not supply operational power to the computer module via the first and second connectors.

In summary, a cloud server system is presented having unique structures and usage enabling a reduced Total Cost of Ownership, by reducing size, initial investment, maintenance costs, electrical costs, and thermal and acoustic footprints.