Abstract:
Aspects of the disclosure relate generally to relates server rack architecture for housing computing components on a plurality of shelves. More specifically, the shelves of a particular rack may each include a power and data bus (“PDB”) pre-configured to support a particular number of devices of the shelf. A PDB may also include a number of power and data connections for blind mating with the devices of the shelf. The PDB may include two blades which extend away from the PDB and blind mate with the main bus bar. Thus, each PDB may route both power and data signals between a main bus bar for the rack and each of the devices of the shelf. A shelf may be reconfigured for a different number of devices by changing the configuration of the PDB.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     Corporations operating large-scale computing systems invest significant amounts of capital to establish and maintain the hardware necessary to house the computing systems. For example, some computing systems may include a plurality of racks for holding computing components such as hard drives or entire servers. These racks are typically very expensive to purchase and come in a few standardized sizes. 
     Typically, power and data are routed to the computing devices via cables. For example, a cable connected to a printed control board (PCB) at one end and a computing component at the other end may transfer power from the PCB to the computing component. The greater the number of computing devices in a rack, the greater the number of cables required to be routed between the PCB and the computing components. Having a large number of cables can be costly in terms of space and accessibility to the computing components and the rack itself. 
     SUMMARY 
     One aspect of the disclosure provides a kit adapted for assembly into a plurality of different rack configurations for housing one or more computing devices. The kit includes a rack, a main bus bar that provides power to the one or more devices, and a plurality of interchangeable shelves. The plurality of interchangeable shelves includes a first shelf configured to receive the one or more devices. The first shelf has a first power and data bus (PDB) being configured to mate with the main bus bar when the first shelf is placed in the rack. The first PDB also has a set of blind mating connections. 
     In one example, the first PDB includes a blade for mating with the main bus bar when the first shelf is placed in the rack. In this example, the blade is mounted to the first PDB at a right angle to a surface of the first PDB. In another example, the first shelf includes one or more bays configured to assist in the placement of a device onto the first shelf when the first shelf is placed in the rack. In yet another example, the first PDB is configured to mate with at least one uninterruptable power supply unit such that power flows between the main bus bar and the uninterruptable power supply unit when the rack is powered. In a further example, the rack includes a first side wall having a first inner surface, a first end, and a second end opposite of the second end; the main bus bar is located at the second end of the rack adjacent to the first inner surface, the main bus bar; and the first shelf has a first end, a second end opposite of the first end, and the first power and data bus (PDB) is located at the second end of the first shelf. In this example, the first PDB is configured to mate with the main bus bar when the first shelf is placed in the rack such that the first end of the first shelf is oriented towards the first end of the rack and the second end of the first shelf is oriented towards the second end of the rack. In another example, the first shelf has a first number of bays for receiving the one or more devices, the set of blind mating connections corresponding to the first number of bays. In this example, the plurality of shelves further comprises a second shelf having a second number of bays for receiving the one or more devices different from the first number of bays. In yet another example, the plurality of shelves further comprises a second shelf second shelf having a first end, a second end opposite of the first end, and a second bus bar at the second end of the first shelf, the second bus bar being configured to mate with the main bus bar when the second shelf is placed in the rack such that the first end of the second shelf is oriented towards the first end of the rack and the second end of the second shelf is oriented towards the second end of the rack. 
     Another aspect of the disclosure provides a rack assembly for housing and providing power to one or more devices. The rack assembly includes a rack, a main bus, and a shelf having a power and data bus (PDB). The PDB is configured to blind mate with the main bus bar to allow the power and data to flow between the PDB and the main bus bar when the shelf is placed in the rack, the PDB including a set of blind mating connections for mating with at least one of the one or more computing devices. 
     In one example, the PDB further includes a blade for mating with the main bus bar when the shelf is placed in the rack. In this example, the blade is mounted to the PDB in a plane parallel to a surface of the PDB. In another example, the shelf includes at least one barrier that divides the shelf into bays for receiving the one or more devices. In this example, a number of the bays corresponds to a number of blind mating connections of the PDB. In addition, the bays of the shelf are configured to assist in the placement of a device onto the shelf when the shelf is placed in the rack. In yet another example, the one or more devices includes a computing component. In a further example, the one or more devices includes an uninterruptable power supply unit. In another example, the rack assembly includes a device arranged on the self, the device having a connection that blind mates with a given one of the blind mating connections of the set of blind mating connections of the PDB, and the rack, main bus bar, and shelf are configured to allow the power and data to flow from the main bus bar to the PDB and to the device on the shelf. In yet another example, the rack includes a first side wall having a first inner surface, a first end, and a second end opposite of the second end; the main bus bar is located at the second end of the rack adjacent to the first inner surface; and the shelf further includes a first end, a second end opposite of the first end, and a power and data bus (PDB) at the second end of the shelf, the PDB being configured to mate with the main bus bar to allow the power and data to flow between the PDB and the main bus bar when the shelf is placed in the rack such that the first end of the shelf is oriented towards the first end of the rack and the second end of the shelf is oriented towards the second end of the rack, the PDB including a set of blind mating connections for mating with at least one of the one or more computing devices. 
     A further aspect of the disclosure provides a shelf for housing, supporting, and providing power and data to one or more computing devices in a rack. The shelf includes a surface configured to hold the one or more computing devices. The shelf also includes a power and data bus (PDB) associated with the shelf, the PDB having a blade configured to mate with a main bus bar of the rack to allow the power and data to flow between the PDB and the main bus bar when the shelf is placed in the rack, the PDB further having a set of blind mating connections for allowing power and data to flow to and from a device placed on the shelf. 
     In one example, the blade is mounted to the PDB at a right angle to a surface of the PDB. In another example, the shelf also includes at least one barrier dividing the shelf into bays for receiving the one or more devices and a spring latch configured to secure a computing device to one of the bays of the shelf. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIGS. 1A-1B  are example diagrams of rack architectures in accordance with aspects of the disclosure. 
         FIG. 2  is an example diagram of power architecture in accordance with aspects of the disclosure. 
         FIGS. 3A-3B  are system diagrams in accordance with aspects of the disclosure. 
         FIGS. 4A-4B  are example diagrams of a shelf in accordance with aspects of the disclosure. 
         FIGS. 5A-5B  are example diagrams of a shelf and computing components in accordance with aspects of the disclosure. 
         FIG. 6  is an example diagram of a rack in accordance with aspects of the disclosure. 
         FIGS. 7A-7B  are example diagrams of a shelf and a bus bar in accordance with aspects of the disclosure. 
         FIGS. 8A-8B  are example diagrams of a shelf in accordance with aspects of the disclosure. 
         FIG. 9  is an example diagrams of a shelf and an uninterruptable power supply unit in accordance with aspects of the disclosure. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       FIGS. 1A and 1B  are examples of a mobile rack system in accordance with aspects described herein.  FIG. 1A  depicts a server system  100  that may include a mobile rack  110  having wheels  112 , a plurality of removable shelves  114  for housing and supporting a plurality of computing components  130 , a rack monitoring unit (RMU)  118  for monitoring the status of the features of the rack, a plurality of rectifiers  122 , and a plurality of removable shelves  124  for housing and supporting a battery backup  126  including uninterruptable power supply units (“UPS units”)  128 . 
       FIG. 1B  is an example of rack  110  of  FIG. 1A  without shelves  114  or  124 . As shown in  FIG. 1B , the rack  110  includes a front end  135  at which the computing components and shelves may be placed in and removed from the rack. Opposite of the front end is a back end  134 . Between the front end  135  and back end  134 , is a bottom wall  142  and a top wall  144  opposite of the bottom wall. Between the bottom wall  142  and the top wall  144  are two sidewalls  146  and  148 . Each of the sidewalls includes an inner side surface  150  (only one shown). These inner sidewalls may be removable or configurable walls that allow systems with different heights and configurations to be installed in the rack. For example, a given shelf may be configured to receive computing components of one height and another shelf may be configured to receive computing components of a different height. In  FIG. 1B , it can also be seen that the rack  100  includes a main bus bar  140  adjacent to one inner sidewall  150  at the back end  134  of the rack  110 . Although depicted at the back end of the rack  134 , the main bus bar may be positioned at various locations in the rack. 
     The server system  100  supplies power from a power source to the computing components. For example, though not shown in the figures, each of the shelves of the rack may be connected to a power supply, such as an AC or DC power source, by way of main bus bar  140 . As described in more detail below, the main bus bar  140  may also be connected to each shelf of the rack in order to provide power to the computing components or battery boxes. 
       FIG. 2  is an example of a power architecture for the server system  100 . An AC power source  202  may be connected to the rectifiers  124 . In this example, the rectifiers  124  may include 48 volt AC to DC rectifiers  204 . The rectifiers are connected to the main bus bar  140  and supply power to a load  208  (including components  130 - 132  of  FIG. 1A ). The load  208  is connected in parallel to a plurality of UPS  128  which make up the battery supply  126 . 
     As described above, the load  208  may include a plurality of components. Returning to  FIG. 1A , the shelves  114  of rack  110  may receive components  130 - 132 . In one example, component  130  may be a dedicated storage device, for example, including any type of memory capable of storing information accessible by a processor, such as a hard-drive, memory card, ROM, RAM, DVD, CD-ROM, or solid state memory. In another example, component  131  may be a preprogrammed load which draws power from the main bus bar in order to test the operation of the system  100 . In yet another example, shown in  FIG. 3A , component  132  may be a computer including a processor  330 , memory  340  and other components typically present in general purpose computers. In a further example, component  130  or  131  may include a computer configured similarly to computer  132 , having a processor, memory, and instructions, or may be a dedicated memory. In this regard, rack  110  and components  130 - 132 , may actually comprise part or all of a load balanced server array  350  of  FIG. 3B . 
     Server array  350  may be at one node of a network  380  and capable of directly and indirectly communicating with other nodes of the network. For example, these computers may exchange information with different nodes of a network for the purpose of receiving, processing and transmitting data to one or more client devices  390 - 92  via network  380 . In this regard, server array  350  may transmit information for display to user  395  on display of client device  390 . In this instance, the client devices will typically still be at different nodes of the network than any of the computers, memories, and other devices comprising server array  350 . 
     The rack  110  may include a plurality of removable shelves  114  and/or  124 .  FIG. 4A  is an example of shelf  114 . Shelf  114  includes a plurality of bays  406  (see  FIG. 4B ) for receiving the computing components described above. The bays may be divided physically by barriers  408  of different sizes and configurations (compare  FIG. 4A  with  FIGS. 4B ,  8 A, and  8 B) that define the size and shape of the bays. The shelf also includes a power and data bus (“PDB”)  410 .  FIG. 4B  is a breakout view of shelf  114  and the PDB  410 . The PDB includes a plurality of blind mating connections  412  as well as blades  414 . 
     In the examples of  FIGS. 4A and 4B , shelf  114  has a generally rectangular shape. This generally rectangular shape is bounded by four edges  421 - 424  that surround the surface  420  of the shelf  114 . The barriers  408  divide surface  420  to form the bays  406 . Shelf  114  includes a front end  432  and a back end  434  opposite of the front end. When placed into the rack  110 , the front end  430  is oriented towards the front end  135  of rack  110 , and the back end  434  is oriented towards the back end  134  of the rack  110  (see  FIG. 6 ). In this example, the PDB  410  is located along the third edge  423  at the back end  434  of the shelf  114 . 
     The number of computing components which may receive data and/or power from the PDB may be limited by the number of blind mating connections for a particular PDB. In some examples, additional devices may be placed on the shelf and connected to another computing component for power and/or data, rather than the PDB. In the examples of  FIGS. 4A and 4B , the PDB  410  includes 3 blind mating connections  412  (all identified in  FIG. 4B ), one for each of the bays  406 . Thus, with regard to the example of shelf  114 , the maximum number of computing components which may mate with the PDB of shelf  114  at the same time is 3. For example, as shown in  FIG. 5A , shelf  114  may fit  3  computing components, namely computing components  130 A,  130 B, and  130 C. In this example, devices  130 A-C are in the process of being placed on or removed from shelf  114  and are not fully connected to the PDB  410 . 
     Each computing component includes a front end  532  and a back end  534 . When placed on a shelf, such as shelf  114  of  FIGS. 4A and 4B , the front end  530  is oriented towards the front end  430  of the shelf  114 , and the back end  534  is oriented towards the back end  434  of the shelf  114  and the PDB  410 . This allows the terminals of the computing component to mate with the blind mating connections  412  of the shelf  114 . 
     A user may easily attach a computing component to a PDB  410  by placing the computing component on a bay  406  of the shelf  114  and pushing the computing component towards the PBD  410  (and the back end  134  of the rack  110 ) and along the surface  420  of the shelf. In some examples, the shelves may include a spring latch  440  that secures each computing component on the shelf and against the PDB. When the computing device is being installed, the computing device slides over the latch. The weight of the computing compresses the spring until the housing of the device passes the latch. At this point, the spring decompresses and secures the computing component to the shelf. 
     A computing component may be detached by pulling the computing component along the surface  420  away from the PDB  410  and towards the front end  135  of the rack. If the shelf includes a spring latch  440 , before removing the computing device, a user may first press down or otherwise disconnect the latch  440  and subsequently slide the computing device over the latch and out of the rack. 
     For example,  FIG. 5B  depicts an example of the back end of computing component  130 B being connected to a blind mating connection  412  or the PDB  410  of shelf  114 . The terminal connectors  512  of the computing component  130 B are lined up laterally with the blind mating connection  412 . The computing component  130 B is moved towards the PDB  410  in the direction of arrow  520 . The barriers  408  may assist in this effort by restricting the lateral movements of the computing component  130 B when the computing component  130 B is placed between (or along side in the case of computing components  130 A or  130 C) the barriers. The terminal connectors  512  may also be lined up with the blind mating connection  412  vertically when the computing component is placed on surface  420  of the shelf  114 . 
     Returning to  FIGS. 4A and 4B , the PDB may also include blades  414  for connecting to the main bus bar. The blades may include two copper blades. The blades may be relatively thin, but should be of sufficient thickness to carry the required current for the computing devices. Increasing the height of the blades increases the amount of current that can pass from the bus bar to the PDB. The blades may be mounted to the PDB  410  at the back end  434  of the shelf adjacent to edge  424  (as shown in  FIGS. 4A ,  4 B, and  5 A) or adjacent to edge  422  (not shown). The blades may be fixed parallel to the PDB  410  and protrude past the PDB  410  and the edge  423  at back end  434  of the shelf  114 . The blades may also include guide pins that accurately locate the blades on the PDB. 
     This configuration of the PDB  410  may allow the blades to blind mate with the main bus bar  140  when the shelf  114  is placed in the rack  110 . For example, as shown in  FIG. 6 , when shelves  114  are placed into the rack  110 , the front ends  430  are oriented towards the front end  135  of rack  110 , and the back ends  432  are oriented towards the back end  134  of the rack  110 . 
     The PDB may have various configurations depending upon the needs of the rack and/or components. For example, the PDB may be positioned at a different location on the shelf. This may be useful where the main bus bar is not located at the back end of the rack (as shown in  FIG. 1B ). Similarly, the blades of the PDB may be positioned at a different location from those shown in  FIGS. 4A and 4B . This may again be useful where the main bus bar is not located at the corner of a rack (as shown in  FIG. 1B ). Thus, the location of the PDB and blades may be dependent upon the location of the main bus bar with regard to the rack. In another example, referring to  FIGS. 4A and 4B , if shelf  114  is approximately 40 inches wide and 0.5 to 1.0 inches thick, the PDB may be approximately 40 inches long and 1.5 inches wide. The thickness and depth of the shelf may depend upon the weight of the computing components the shelf needs to support. In addition, the shelf may be made of riveted pieces of steel while the PDB may be composed of epoxy resin prepeg with copper layers and traces. 
     As described above, the main bus bar  140  may be used to provide power and data to the components of the rack  110 .  FIG. 7A  is a depiction of the main bus bar  140  and shelves  114  without the rack  114 .  FIG. 7B  is a partial view of the main bus bar  140  where it connects to a PDB  410  of a shelf  114 . As can be seen in this figure, the blades  414  mate with the main bus bar  140  when the shelf  114  is placed in the rack. This connection allows power to flow between the PDB and the main bus bar. The blades then transfer power from the main bus bar  140  to the PDB  410 . Referring to  FIGS. 4A and 4B , the power from the PDB may then flow through the blind mating connections  412 . When the terminals  512  of a computing component mate with the blind mating connections  412 , the power from the bus bar may flow to the computing component. 
     In addition to or instead of shelves  114  configured to support components, the rack may include shelves configured to support UPS units of battery backup  126 . Thus, in some examples, the rack may be wholly comprised of computing components, storage components, or UPS units or any combination of these features.  FIG. 8A  depicts an example of a shelf  124  without any UPS units. Similar to shelf  114 , shelf  124  includes a plurality of bays  806  for receiving the computing components described above. The bays may be divided physically by barriers  808  of different sizes and configurations that define the size and shape of the bays. The shelf also includes a battery power and data bus (“battery bus bar”)  810 .  FIG. 8B  is a breakout view of shelf  124 , UPS units  128 , and the battery PBD  812 . Like PDB  410 , the battery bus bar  810  includes a plurality of blind mating connections  812  as well as blades  814 . 
     Again, like shelf  114 , shelf  124  may include a generally rectangular shape. This generally rectangular shape is bounded by four edges that surround the surface  820  of the shelf  124 . The barriers  808  divide surface  820  to form the bays  806 . At the back end  832 , the bays are bounded by a barrier  808 A positioned between the bays and the battery PDB  810 . In this example, the shelf includes 6 bays whereas the example of  FIG. 4A  includes 3 bays. Thus, with regard to the example of shelf  124 , the maximum number of UPS units which may mate with the battery bus bar of shelf  124  at the same time is 6. 
     Shelf  124  also includes a front end  830  opposite of the back end  832 . As with shelf  114 , when placed into the rack  110 , the front end  830  of shelf  124  is oriented towards the front end  135  of rack  110 , and the back end  832  is oriented towards the back end  134  of the rack  110 . In this example, the battery bus bar  810  is located along the third edge  824  at the back end  832  of the shelf  124 . 
     When a UPS unit is placed on the shelf  128 , like the computing components described above, the front end  930  (shown in  FIG. 8 ) of the UPS unit is oriented towards the front end  830  of the shelf  124 , and the back end  932  (shown in  FIG. 9 ) of the UPS unit is oriented towards the back end  832  of the shelf  124  and the battery bus bar  810 . The terminals  912  of the UPS unit are located at the back end of the UPS unit as shown in  FIG. 9 . This allows the terminals of the UPS unit to mate with the blind mating connections  812  of the shelf  124 . 
     Like the computing components devices above, a user may easily attach a UPS unit to battery bus bar  810  by placing the UPS unit on a bay  806  of the shelf  124  and pushing the UPS unit towards the battery PBD  810  (and the back end  134  of the rack  110 ) and along the surface  820  of the shelf. As with the shelf  114  above, shelf  124  may also include a tool-less retention device, such as a spring latch, to secure the UPS unit to the shelf. A UPS unit may be detached by pulling the UPS unit along the surface  820  away from the battery bus bar  810  and towards the front end  135  of the rack. 
       FIG. 9  depicts an example of the back end  832  of a UPS unit  128  being connected to a blind mating connection  812  or the battery bus bar  810  of shelf  124 . The terminal connectors  912  of the UPS unit  128  are lined up laterally with the blind mating connection  812 . The UPS unit  128  is moved towards the PDB  810  in the direction of arrow  920 . The barriers  808  may assist in this effort by restricting the lateral movements of the UPS unit  128  when the UPS unit  128  is placed between the barriers. The terminal connectors  812  may also be lined up with the blind mating connection  812  vertically when the UPS unit  128  is placed on surface  820  of the shelf  124 . 
     Returning to  FIGS. 8A and 8B , the battery bus bar may also include blades  814  for connecting to the main bus bar. The blades  814  may be configured similarly to blades  412  of PDB  410 . For example, the blades  814  may be mounted to the battery bus bar  810  at the back end  832  of the shelf. The blades  814  may be arranged orthogonally or at a right angle to the battery bus bar  810  and protrude past the battery bus bar  810  and the back end  832  of the shelf  124 . In one example, the blades may be formed by attaching them to the battery bus bar. In another example, the battery bus bar may comprise two copper plates running parallel to one another. In this example, the blades may not be separate components mounted to the battery bus bar, but formed by bending the copper plates to form a right angle. This configuration reduces the voltage drop between the battery bus bar and the blades as there is no connection interface between them. 
     The main bus bar  140  may be used to provide power and data to the UPS units. Similar to the example depicted in  FIGS. 7A and 7B , the blades  814  mate with the main bus bar  140  when the shelf  124  is placed in the rack. This connection allows power and data to flow between the battery bus bar and the main bus bar. The blades  814  then transfer power between the main bus bar  140  to the battery bus bar  810 . The power may then also flow between the battery bus bar  810  and the blind mating connections  812 . When the terminals  912  of a UPS unit  128  mate with the blind mating connections  812 , power may also flow between the blind mating connections and the UPS unit. 
     In order to increase the maximum number of computing components or UPS units on a shelf or to change the arrangement of a particular shelf, the PDB may be removed from the shelf and replaced, or a new shelf with a different PDB arrangement may be use. For example the new shelf and PDB may be configured to accept and mate with computing components of a different configuration, for example, size, shape, arrangement of terminals, etc. 
     Shelves  114  and  124  are used herein to describe example configurations. As noted above, various other configurations may also be used. For example, the configuration of shelf  124  may be used to house and support computing components and the configuration of shelf  114  may be used to house and support UPS units. Similarly, the shelves can be configured to receive different numbers of computing devices or UPS units. 
     The racks and shelves described herein may be provided as a kit. This may allow a single rack to be modified in order to support new technologies and device configurations without great expense or effort. 
     In addition, the user of the configurations and features described herein may simplify the power and/or data routing in a rack system. For example, by using a PDB or battery bus bar, the number of cables required to transfer power and/or data to the computing devices or UPS units may be reduced. This also simplifies the attachment and removal of computing components and UPS units from the rack. For example, if a blind mating connector for a particular PDB has been damaged, the shelf may be removed, a new PDB installed, and the shelf replaced back into the rack without disturbing operation of the other devices of the rack. 
     As these and other variations and combinations of the features discussed above can be utilized without departing from the subject matter defined by the claims, the foregoing description of the implementations should be taken by way of illustration rather than by way of limitation of the subject matter defined by the claims. It will also be understood that the provision of the examples disclosed herein (as well as clauses phrased as “such as,” “including” and the like) should not be interpreted as limiting the claimed subject matter to the specific examples; rather, the examples are intended to illustrate only one of many possible implementations. Further, the same reference numbers in different drawings may identify the same or similar elements.