Patent Publication Number: US-2015073606-A1

Title: Cooling system management for server facility

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     A server facility may include a collection of computer systems consisting of primary and backup servers. A server facility may also include environmental controls and security devices to protect the data housed within the systems of the server facility. The servers are generally stored within a rack. In one rack there may be a multitude of servers and a server facility may have a large quantity of racks. 
     Each server has a specific heat output based on the amount of power the server consumes, therefore a cooling system within the server facility may be critical to the maintenance and function of these servers. Common characteristics of traditional cooling approaches may include perimeter cooling, where Computer Room Air Conditioning (CRAC) units are placed on the outer perimeter of the racks, and a raised floor, where cold air is delivered to the racks via a plenum under the floor. The systems of traditional cooling approaches may waste a significant amount of energy due to hot air generated by the servers mixing with the cold air delivered to the racks, causing the CRAC units to consume more energy to cool the air to lower temperatures to compensate for the mixing. 
     As more enterprises start using practical servers and sharp edge servers within their server facilities, an increase in the quantity of power consumed per server may result in an overall increased heat output within the server facilities. With higher energy costs and increased energy consumption rates, more efficient cooling systems may need to be implemented within server facilities. 
     SUMMARY 
     This summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in the Detailed Description. This summary is not intended to exclusively identity key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended as an aid in determining the scope of the claimed subject matter. 
     Embodiments are directed to a method and a temperature management system to manage a cooling system in a server facility. According to some embodiments, a Computer Room Air Handler (CRAH) Unit may condition and provide cooling air to a first zone. A second zone may collect return air from the first zone, where multiple servers may be positioned between the first zone and the second zone such that heated air by the servers may be pushed into the second zone enabling air collection. The first zone may be bound from the second zone by one or more racks housing the servers and insulating materials in an area between each server to prevent the cooling air in the first zone from mixing with the return air in the second zone. According to other embodiments, a third zone, representing a remaining area of the server facility, may be maintained at a predefined temperature, where the temperature may be higher than a temperature of the first zone and lower than a temperature of the second zone. 
     These and other features and advantages will be apparent from a reading of the following detailed description and a review of the associated drawings. It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are explanatory and do not restrict aspects as claimed. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  includes a conceptual diagram illustrating an example temperature management system in a server facility, where embodiments may be implemented; 
         FIG. 2  illustrates in greater detail a first zone and a second zone of an example temperature management system in a server facility; 
         FIG. 3  includes a conceptual diagram illustrating an alternate embodiment for a temperature management system in a server facility; 
         FIG. 4  illustrates a system to manage a cooling system in a server facility; 
         FIG. 5  is a block diagram of an example computing operating environment, where embodiments may be implemented; and 
         FIG. 6  illustrates a logic flow diagram of a method to manage a cooling system in a server facility, according to embodiments. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     As briefly described above, a Computer Room Air Handler (CRAH) Unit may condition and provide cooling air to a first zone. A second zone may collect return air from the first zone, where multiple servers may be positioned between the first zone and the second zone such that heated air by the servers may be pushed into the second zone enabling collection. The first zone may be bound from the second zone by one or more racks housing the servers and insulating materials in an area between each server to prevent cooling air in the first zone from mixing with return air in the second zone. 
     In the following detailed description, references are made to the accompanying drawings that form a part hereof, and in which are shown by way of illustrations specific embodiments or examples. These aspects may be combined, other aspects may be utilized, and structural changes may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the present disclosure. The following detailed description is therefore not to be taken in a limiting sense, and the scope of the present invention is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents. 
     While some embodiments will be described in the general context of program modules that execute in conjunction with an application program that runs on an operating system on a personal computer, those skilled in the art will recognize that aspects may also be implemented in combination with other program modules. 
     Generally, program modules include routines, programs, components, data structures, and other types of structures that perform particular tasks or implement particular abstract data types. Moreover, those skilled in the art will appreciate that embodiments may be practiced with other computer system configurations, including hand-held devices, multiprocessor systems, microprocessor-based or programmable consumer electronics, minicomputers, mainframe computers, and comparable computing devices. Embodiments may also be practiced in distributed computing environments where tasks are performed by remote processing devices that are linked through a communications network. In a distributed computing environment, program modules may be located in both local and remote memory storage devices. 
     Some embodiments may be implemented as a computer-implemented process (method), a computing system, or as an article of manufacture, such as a computer program product or computer readable media. The computer program product may be a computer storage medium readable by a computer system and encoding a computer program that comprises instructions for causing a computer or computing system to perform example process(es). The computer-readable storage medium is a computer-readable memory device. The computer-readable storage medium can for example be implemented via one or more of a volatile computer memory, a non-volatile memory, a hard drive, a flash drive, a floppy disk, or a compact disk, and comparable hardware media. 
     Throughout this specification, the term “platform” may be a combination of software and hardware components for operating an air cooling management system. Examples of platforms include, but are not limited to, a hosted service executed over a plurality of servers, an application executed on a single computing device, and comparable systems. The term “server” generally refers to a computing device executing one or more software programs typically in a networked environment. However, a server may also be implemented as a virtual server (software programs) executed on one or more computing devices viewed as a server on the network. More detail on these technologies and example operations is provided below. 
       FIG. 1  includes a conceptual diagram illustrating an example temperature management system in a server facility, where embodiments may be implemented. As illustrated in diagram  1 , the system may include a first zone  102 , a second zone  108 , a third zone  114 , and a Computer Room Air Handler (CRAH) unit  110 . Multiple servers  106  may be positioned in one or more racks  104  that form a boundary  105  between the first zone  102  and the second zone  108 . The first zone may be in contact with front ends of multiple servers and the second zone may be in contact with back ends of the servers. 
     The CRAH may be configured to provide cooling air  103  to the first zone, and as the CRAH unit  110  provides the cooling air  103  to the first zone  102 , the servers  106  may take in the cooling air  103  through the front ends of the servers and circulate the cooling air within the servers. As the cooling air circulates within the servers, the air may be heated and pushed through the back ends of the servers into the second zone  108 , where the second zone  108  may collect the heated air, or return air  107 . The first zone  102  may be shaped substantially as a corridor with one or more racks forming opposing walls, and may be insulated with insulating materials to prevent the cooling air  103  in the first zone  102  from mixing with the return air  107  in the second zone  108 . A ceiling of the first zone  102  and an area between each server in the one or more racks  104  at the boundary  105  of the first zone  102  and the second zone  108  may be insulated with the insulating materials. 
     A temperature monitoring system, coupled to a management controller, may measure the air temperature of each zone and an external environment. The temperature monitoring system may compare the temperature of the return air  107  in the second zone  108  to the temperature of air in the external environment. If air in the external environment is higher in temperature than the return air  107  in the second zone  108 , the management controller may provide instructions to a switch  116  to provide the return air  107  in the second zone  108  to the CRAH unit  110 . In an alternate embodiment, if air in the external environment is lower in temperature than the return air in the second zone, the management controller may provide instructions to the switch to expel the return air into the external environment and take in air from the external environment to provide to the CRAH unit. 
     The CRAH unit  110  may then condition the cooling air  103  to be provided to the first zone  102  using one or more of cooling coils and chilled water. The third zone  114  may represent a remaining area of the server facility. The third zone  114  may be maintained at a predefined temperature, where the temperature may be higher than a temperature of the first zone  102  and lower than a temperature of the second zone  108 . 
     The third zone  114  may include tire suppression, security, and/or monitoring systems. The large amount of power consumed by the servers, particularly in server facilities with a substantial amount of racks, may present a serious risk of fire due to the consequential heat output. While the cooling system may serve as a preventative method to reduce the risk of fire, a fire suppression system may be essential. A fire suppression system may include one or more heat sensors and/or wiring for detection, and a combination of dry chemicals and/or wet agents, such as a sprinkler system, to extinguish a fire. 
     An additional risk associated with a server facility is one of security. Some or all of the servers may store confidential or sensitive data, such as corporate data, financial data, or medical data that may be irreplaceable and may be detrimental if disclosed to an unauthorized party. Security systems, such as cameras and alarms, may be implemented to ensure the containment of the data. Cameras may further be useful in manual detection of fire, in case of a malfunction of the fire suppression system. Monitoring systems may also be present in the third zone  114 , such as the temperature monitoring system discussed above. 
     The example system in  FIG. 1  has been described with specific components, tasks of components, and arrangements of components. Embodiments are not limited to the system according to this example configuration. A temperature management system in a server facility may be implemented in configurations employing fewer or additional components, and performing other tasks. Furthermore, temperature management systems in other facilities may be implemented in a similar manner using the principles described herein. 
       FIG. 2  illustrates in greater detail a first zone and a second zone of an example temperature management system in a server facility. As discussed in  FIG. 1 , the temperature management system may include multiple servers  206  positioned in one or more racks  204  that form a boundary  205  between a first zone  202  and a second zone  208 . The first zone  202  may be in contact with front ends of the servers, and the second zone  208  may be in contact with back ends of the servers. The system may also include a third zone  214  which may be maintained at a predefined temperature, where the temperature is higher than a temperature of the first zone  202  and lower than a temperature of the second zone  208 . 
     As cooling air  203  is provided to the first zone  202 , the servers  206  may take in the cooling air  103  through a first fan  210  in the front ends of the servers and circulate the cooling air within the servers. As the cooling air circulates within the servers, the air may become heated as a result of the servers&#39; heat output. The servers  206  may push the heated air through a second fan  212  in the back ends of the servers into the second zone  208 , where the second zone  208  may collect the heated air, or return air  207 . 
     As previously discussed, the first zone  202  may be shaped substantially as a corridor with one or more racks forming opposing walls, and may be insulated with insulating materials to prevent the cooling air  203  in the first zone  202  from mixing with the return air  207  in the second zone  208 . A ceiling of the first zone  202  and an area between each server in the one or more racks  204  at the boundary  205  of the first zone  202  and the second zone  208  may be insulated with the insulating materials. The insulating materials may be selected based on local, state, and federal regulations as well as industry standards. For example, regulations and industry standards may mandate use of materials with particular properties or materials of particular quality to ensure safety and efficiency. The insulating materials may be further selected based on fire suppression and security capabilities. For example, a transparent material may be used to insulate the first zone, enabling a security system to monitor the servers for intrusion or to easily detect a fire. In another example, aluminum may be used in a structural frame of the first zone due to the metal&#39;s fire suppression capabilities. 
     Insulating the first zone  202  may reduce energy consumption rates of the server facility. By preventing the mixture of cooling air  203  with higher temperature air, such as the return air  207  and air in the third zone, a Computer Room Air Handler (CRAH) unit may consume less energy conditioning the cooling air to an appropriate temperature to provide to the first zone  202 . The temperature of the cooling air may be in a range from about 50° F. to 75° F. 
     For example, employing current solutions, the CRAH unit may provide air to a cooling area, analogous to the first zone  202 , at a temperature of about 68° F. to compensate for the air temperature being raised as the air mixes with higher temperature air from other areas of the facility within the cooling area. In contrast, employing the proposed solution, the CRAH unit may provide cooling air  203  to the first zone  202  at a temperature of only 78° F. as there is no need to compensate for mixing of the cooling air  203  with higher temperature air, such as the return air  207  in the second zone  208  and air in the third zone  214 . The ten degree difference in temperature may amount to a significant reduction in energy consumption, and consequently, a significant reduction in energy costs. 
     Referring to  FIG. 3 , a conceptual diagram  300  illustrates an alternate embodiment for a temperature management system in a server facility. A temperature monitoring system, coupled to a management controller, may measure the air temperature in each zone and an air temperature in an external environment  312 . The temperature monitoring system may compare the air temperature in the external environment  312  to the temperature of return air  307  in a second zone  308 . In response, the management controller may communicate with a switch  302  to provide instructions dependent on the air temperature comparison. 
     In a first scenario, air in the external environment  312  may be lower in temperature than the return air  107  in the second zone  108 . In response, the management controller may provide instructions to the switch  302  to expel the return air  307  into the external environment  312  via an output pipe  304  and take in air  311  from the external environment  312  via an intake pipe  306 . The air  311  from the external environment  312  may then be provided to the CRAH unit  110 . 
     In a second scenario, air in the external environment  312  may be higher in temperature than the return air  307  in the second zone  308 . The management controller may provide instructions to the switch  302  to provide the return air  307  in the second zone  308  to the CRAH unit  310 . 
       FIG. 4  illustrates a system to manage a cooling system in a server facility. System  400  may include a management controller  410 , a first zone  412 , a second zone  414 , a Computer Room Air Handler (CRAH) unit  416 , an external environment  418 , and a third zone  420 . The management controller  410  may be operated by human control, or may be directed by a remote controller  402  via network  404 . Data associated with controlling the different processes of managing a cooling system may be stored at and/or received from data stores  430 . 
     Servers may be positioned in one or more racks that form a boundary between the first zone  412  and the second zone  414 . The first zone  412  may be in contact with front ends of the servers, enabling the servers to take in cooling air through a first fan in the front ends of the server as the cooling air is provided to the first zone  412 . The servers may circulate the cooling air within the servers and push heated return air through a second fan in the back ends of the servers, where the second zone  414  may be in contact with the back ends of the servers to collect the return air. 
     Return air in the second zone  414  may be provided to the CRAH unit  416  or alternately may be expelled to the external environment  418 . The management controller  410  may be coupled to a temperature monitoring system of the server facility and may communicate with a switch to provide instructions based on measurements and comparisons made by the temperature monitoring system. The temperature monitoring system may measure and compare the temperature of the return air in the second zone  414  to the air temperature in an external environment  418 . If air in the external environment  312  is a higher temperature than the return air in the second zone  414 , the management controller may provide instructions to the switch to provide the return air from the second zone  414  to the CRAH unit  416 . Alternately, if air in the external environment  418  is lower in temperature than the return air in the second zone  414 , the management controller may provide instructions to the switch to expel the return air into the external environment  418 . Further instructions may be provided to the switch to take in air from the external environment  418 . The air from the external environment  418  may then be provided to the CRAH unit  416 . 
     The CRAH unit  416  may then condition cooling air using one or more of cooling coils and chilled water. Once the air is sufficiently conditioned, the cooling air may be provided to the first zone  412 . 
     The third zone  420  may represent a remaining area of the server facility and be maintained at a predefined temperature, where the temperature may be higher than a temperature of the first zone  412  and lower than a temperature of the second zone  414 . The third zone  420  may include fire suppression, security, and/or monitoring systems controlled by the management controller  410 . 
     The examples in  FIG. 1 through 4  have been described with specific systems including components, tasks of components, and arrangement of components. Embodiments are not limited to systems according to these example configurations. Management of a cooling system in a server facility may be implemented in configurations using other types of systems including components, tasks of components, and arrangement of components in a similar manner using the principles described herein. 
       FIG. 5  and the associated discussion are intended to provide a brief general description of a suitable computing environment in which embodiments may be implemented. With reference to  FIG. 5 , a block diagram of an example computing operating environment for an application according to embodiments is illustrated, such as computing device  500 . In a basic configuration, computing device  500  may be any portable computing device with wireless communication capabilities, which may include touch and/or gesture detection capability in some examples, and include at least one processing unit  502  and system memory  504 . Computing device  500  may also include multiple processing units that cooperate in executing programs. Depending on the exact configuration and type of computing device, the system memory  504  may be volatile (such as RAM), non-volatile (such as ROM, flash memory, etc.) or some combination of the two. System memory  504  typically includes an operating system  505  suitable for controlling the operation of the platform, such as the WINDOWS®, WINDOWS MOBILE®, or WINDOWS PHONE® operating systems from MICROSOFT CORPORATION of Redmond, Wash. The system memory  504  may also include one or more software applications such as a management controller application  522 , and a switch module  524 . 
     Management controller Application  522 , coupled to a temperature monitoring system, may communicate with the switch module  524  to provide instructions, the instructions dependent upon measurements and comparisons made by the temperature monitoring system. The temperature monitoring system may measure an air temperature for each zone in the server facility and an air temperature of an external environment, and may compare the air temperature of a second zone to an air temperature of the external environment. In response to determination that air in the external environment is a higher temperature than return air in the second zone, the management controller application  522  may provide instructions to the switch module  524  to provide the return air to the CRAH unit. Alternately, in response to determination that air in the external environment is a lower temperature than return air in the second zone, the management controller application  522  may provide instructions to the switch module  524  to expel the return air to the external environment. The management controller application  522  may further provide instructions to the switch module  524  to take in air from the external environment and provide the air from the external environment to a CRAH unit. Management controller application  522  and switch module  524  may be separate applications or integrated modules of a hosted service. This basic configuration is illustrated in  FIG. 5  by those components within dashed line  508 . 
     Computing device  500  may have additional features or functionality. For example, the computing device  500  may also include additional data storage devices (removable and/or non-removable) such as, for example, magnetic disks, optical disks, or tape. Such additional storage is illustrated in  FIG. 5  by removable storage  509  and non-removable storage  510 . Computer readable storage media may include volatile and nonvolatile, removable and non-removable media implemented in any method or technology for storage of information, such as computer readable instructions, data structures, program modules, or other data. System memory  504 , removable storage  509  and non-removable storage  510  are all examples of computer readable storage media. Computer readable storage media includes, but is not limited to, RAM, ROM, EEPROM, flash memory or other memory technology, CD-ROM, digital versatile disks (DVD) or other optical storage, magnetic cassettes, magnetic tape, magnetic disk storage or other magnetic storage devices, or any other medium which can be used to store the desired information and which can be accessed by computing device  500 . Any such computer readable storage media may be part of computing device  500 . Computing device  500  may also have input device(s)  512  such as keyboard, mouse, pen, voice input device, touch input device, an optical capture device for detecting gestures, and comparable input devices. Output device(s)  514  such as a display, speakers, printer, and other types of output devices may also be included. These devices are well known in the art and need not be discussed at length here. 
     Some embodiments may be implemented in a computing device that includes a communication module, a memory device, and a processor, where the processor executes a method as described above or comparable ones in conjunction with instructions stored in the memory device. Other embodiments may be implemented as a computer readable memory device with instructions stored thereon for executing a method as described above or similar ones. Examples of memory devices as various implementations of hardware are discussed above. 
     Computing device  500  may also contain communication connections  516  that allow the device to communicate with other devices  518 , such as over a wired or wireless network in a distributed computing environment, a satellite link, a cellular link, a short range network, and comparable mechanisms. Other devices  518  may include computer device(s) that execute communication applications, web servers, and comparable devices. Communication connection(s)  516  is one example of communication media. Communication media can include therein computer readable instructions, data structures, program modules, or other data. By way of example, and not limitation, communication media includes wired media such as a wired network or direct-wired connection, and wireless media such as acoustic, RF, infrared and other wireless media. 
     Example embodiments also include methods. These methods can be implemented in any number of ways, including the structures described in this document. One such way is by machine operations, of devices of the type described in this document. 
     Another optional way is for one or more of the individual operations of the methods to be performed in conjunction with one or more human operators performing some. These human operators need not be collocated with each other, but each can be only with a machine that performs a portion of the program. 
       FIG. 6  illustrates a logic flow diagram for process  600  of a method to manage a cooling system in a server facility according to embodiments. Process  600  may be implemented on a server or other system. 
     Process  600  begins with operation  610 , where cooling air may be provided to a first zone. The first zone may be bounded from a second zone by one or more racks housing multiple servers and insulating materials between each server within the one or more racks at the boundary between the first zone and the second zone. The first zone may be in contact with front ends of the servers, enabling the servers to take in the cooling air provided to the first zone and circulate the cooling air within the servers. As the cooling air is circulated within the servers, the servers may heat the air and push return air into a second zone. At operation  620 , the heated return air may be collected in the second zone. 
     At operation  630 , the return air in the second zone may be provided to a CRAH unit in response to determination that air in an external environment is a higher temperature than the return air in the second zone. At optional operation  640 , the return air may alternately be expelled into the external environment or re-directed to another space that may need to be warmed up, in response to determination that air in the external environment is a lower temperature than return air in the second zone. Air in the external environment may then be taken in and provided to the CRAH unit. 
     At operation  650 , the CRAH unit may condition the cooling air using one or more of cooling coils and chilled water. At operation  660 , once sufficiently conditioned, the CRAH unit may provide the cooling air to the first zone. 
     The operations included in process  600  are for illustration purposes. Management of a cooling system in a server facility may be implemented by similar processes with fewer or additional steps, as well as in different order of operations using the principles described herein. 
     The above specification, examples and data provide a complete description of the manufacture and use of the composition of the embodiments. Although the subject matter has been described in language specific to structural features and/or methodological acts, it is to be understood that the subject matter defined in the appended claims is not necessarily limited to the specific features or acts described above. Rather, the specific features and acts described above are disclosed as example forms of implementing the claims and embodiments.