Patent Publication Number: US-2012036386-A1

Title: Server monitoring system

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     1. Technical Field 
     The present disclosure relates to server monitoring systems, more particularly a server monitoring system configured to monitor a plurality of server units which are connected in series. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     A server system (e.g., blade servers) usually includes a mass of server units (e.g., blades of the servers) mounted in a server rack. Each of the server units can work independently. The server units of the server system are preferably controlled and unitedly monitored. A typical server monitor system utilizes a computer connected to the server units in parallel. The computer can control and monitor the server units one by one. Thus, the computer monitors each of the server units for a predetermined time period. The server units of the server system cannot be monitored all the time. The computer may not monitor the server units in real time. 
     Therefore, there is room for improvement within the art. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Many aspects of the embodiments can be better understood with references to the following drawings. The components in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, the emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the embodiments. Moreover, in the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views. 
         FIG. 1  is a block diagram of a server monitoring system in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 2  is a detailed block diagram of a server unit of the server monitoring system of  FIG. 1 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The disclosure is illustrated by way of example and not by way of limitation in the figures of the accompanying drawings in which like references indicate similar elements. It should be noted that references to “an” or “one” embodiment in this disclosure are not necessarily to the same embodiment, and such references mean at least one. 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , an embodiment of a server monitoring system includes a monitor device  10  and a server system  50 . The server system  50  includes a plurality of server units (two or more server units). In one embodiment, a first server unit  20 , a second server unit  30 , and a third server unit  40  are used as shown in  FIG. 1 . The monitor device  10 , the first server unit  20 , the second server unit  30 , and the third server unit  40  are connected in series. Each of the first server unit  20 , the second server unit  30 , and the third server unit  40  includes hardware and software systems that can perform various functions. The monitor device  10  can send commands to and/or receive information from the first server unit  20 , the second server unit  30 , and the third server unit  40  in an ordinal sequence. 
     Referring to  FIG. 2 , the first server unit  20  includes a first I/O port  21 , a microcontroller  22 , a monitor chip  23 , and a second I/O port  24 . The first I/O port  21  communicatively connects to the monitor device  10 . The second I/O port  24  communicatively connects to a next one of the server units. In an exemplary embodiment, the second I/O port  24  of the first server unit  20  is communicatively connected to the second server unit  30 . 
     The first server unit  20  further includes an indicator light  221 , a power supply unit (PSU)  223 , and a voltage regulation module (VRM)  225 , which all are connected to the microcontroller  22 . The indicator light  221  is connected to the microcontroller  22  and indicates an identification code of the first server unit  20 . The PSU  223  includes a power OK (PS_OK) pin and a power supply on (PSON) pin connected to the microcontroller  22 . When a voltage at the PSON pin is set from high to low level, the PSU  223  is powered on, and then the voltage at the PS_OK pin of the PSU  223  rises to a high level to indicate that output rails of the PSU  223  are all powered on. The microcontroller  22  can set the voltage at the PSON pin to low or high level and detect whether the PSU  223  can be normally powered on or off. The PSU  223  supplies power to the VRM  225  and other electronic components installed in the first server unit  20 . The microcontroller  22  is connected to the VRM  225  to detect a current flowing through the VRM  225 . Then the monitor device  10  can calculate the power of the VRM  225 . A first key K 1 , a second key K 2 , and a third key K 3  are connected to the microcontroller  22 . The first key K 1  increases the identification code of the first server unit  20 . The second key K 2  decreases the identification code of the second server unit  30 . The third key K 3  affirms the setting of the identification code. For instance, if the first server unit  20  is assigned with an identification code  1  initially and the first key K 1  is pressed once, the identification code of the first server unit  20  changes from 1 to 2. If the second key K 2  is pressed once, the identification code of the first server unit  20  changes from 1 to 0. The monitor device  10  can access the server units according to their identification codes. 
     The first server unit  20  further includes a temperature sensor  231 , and a fan  233 . The temperature sensor  231  is mounted in the first server unit  20  and configured to sense a temperature in the first server unit  20 . The monitor chip  23  is connected to the temperature sensor  231  and the fan  233  for monitoring the temperature and a rotating speed of the fan  233  according to the monitored temperature. 
     In one embodiment, the microcontroller  22 , the monitor chip  23 , the first key K 1 , the second key K 2 , the third key K 3 , and the indicator light  221  are mounted in an integrated circuit board. This integrated circuit board can be utilized and mounted in each of the server units of the server system  50  to monitor the corresponding server units and send the monitored information to the monitor device  10 . 
     A configuration of each of the second server unit  30  and the third server unit  40  is similar to that of the first server unit  20  as disclosed above. The second server unit  30  is in communication with the monitor device  10  via the first server unit  20 . The third server unit  40  is in communication with the monitor device  10  via the second server unit  30  and the first server unit  20 . 
     To monitor the server system  50 , the monitor device  10  sends read commands to the first server unit  20 , the second server unit  30 , and the third server unit  40 . Then the first server unit  20 , the second server unit  30 , and the third server unit  40  send information about the hardware components (including the fan  233 , the VRM  225 , the PSU  223 , etc.) monitored by the microcontroller and the monitor chip to the monitor device  10 . The monitor device  10  decodes and displays corresponding information about each of the server units of the server system. 
     In one embodiment, the monitor device  10  and the server units are connected in series. Thus, the monitor device  10  can monitor and control all of the server units in the server system unitedly and simultaneously, which may control and monitor the server units more accurately. 
     While the present disclosure has been illustrated by the description of preferred embodiments thereof, and while the preferred embodiments have been described in considerable detail, it is not intended to restrict or in any way limit the scope of the appended claims to such details. Additional advantages and modifications within the spirit and scope of the present disclosure will readily appear to those skilled in the art. Therefore, the present disclosure is not limited to the specific details and illustrative examples shown and described.