Patent Abstract:
A system having: a midplane having air flow channels therein; a disk drive mounted to a first side of the midplane; and a temperature sensors mounted to the midplane. The system includes a pair of electrical chassis connected to a second side of the midplane. A first one of the chassis has therein: a fan; and a fan controller for controlling speed of the fan in response to a temperature control signal. A second one of the chassis has therein: a microprocessor for: detecting temperature signals produced by the temperature sensors; comparing differences between the detected temperature signals; and selecting one of the detected temperature control signal from the compared differences as the temperature control signal. A faulty one of the temperature sensors is detected by: selecting one of the detected temperature control signal as the faulty one of the plurality of temperature sensors from the compared differences.

Full Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0001]    This invention relates generally to methods for cooling data storage systems. 
       BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY 
       [0002]    As is known in the art, in one type of data storage system, storage processors are used to provide a system interface between a host computer/server and a bank of disk drives. In one of such system, a midplane is provided having the storage processors and power supplies plugged into one side, say the front side of a printed circuit board, commonly referred to as a midplane, and disk drive units plugged into the other side, say back side, of the midplane. Typically, a pair of storage processors and a pair of power supplies is provided for redundancy 
         [0003]    One such arrangement for such a system is to provide a rack-mounted configuration wherein the power supplies and storage processors are disposed in rack mountable chassis; for example, the power supply chassis are mounted in a side-by-side arrangement on say a top rack while the storage processor chassis are mounted side-by-side below the power supply chassis on a lower rack. In one such system fans are provided in each of the power supplies along with fan controllers for adjusting fan speed in accordance with a desired temperature signal fed by microprocessors in the storage processor chassis in response to temperature sensors disposed in the path of air flow used to cool the disk drives. More particularly, in order to cool the disk drives in accordance with the temperature signal, the fans draw air that passes along the outer sides of the disk drive units, then through air flow channels in the midplane, then through openings in the rear of the storage processor chassis, then through openings in the upper portion of the storage processor chassis, then into openings in the bottom portion of the power supply chassis (which, as noted above, store the fans) and then finally out the front of the power supply chassis. 
         [0004]    As noted above, temperature sensors provide the information on which cooling fan speeds are changed. In low temperature environments, fans can be operated at lower speeds with the ensuing benefit of lower noise and lower power consumption. These sensors also provide information on excessive ambient temperature conditions which could damage systems or result in loss of critical data if the system were not shut down. Multiple sensors are sometimes utilized to allow for sensor failures without requiring the system to be shutdown for lack of information on which to base the speed changes and shutdown decisions outlined above. The sensor issue is further complicated by the fact that the sensors are located in air streams which are preheated by upstream electronics. This is a result of a combination of system architecture (such as drives mounted in the front of a front-to-rear cooled enclosure) and the sensors being located on the first available printed circuit board (PCB) in the system. 
         [0005]    Thus, two major issues present themselves:
       First, using multiple sensors, so that backup information is available in the result of a sensor failure, requires that a failed sensor be identified and its reading ignored. A failed sensor may not only present no data but may also present false data. Therefore, some algorithm must be adopted to cull out or ignore the false sensor readings.   Second, a change in fan speed results in a change in air preheat as the air stream flows over upstream electronics. As a result, the sensor to ambient temperature difference decreases as the fan speed increases. Consequently, the sensor temperature where the fan speed is increased has to be higher than the temperature where the fan speed is lowered. A resulting hysteresis is often observed in these systems.       
 
         [0008]    In accordance with the present invention, a method is provided for cooling a data storage system. The system includes a midplane with an electrical chassis connected to one side of the midplane and a disk drive connected to an opposite side of the midplane. The chassis has therein a fan for forcing air past the disk drive and channels in the midplane. The midplane has a plurality of temperature sensors mounted thereto, such plurality of temperature sensors being disposed to detect the temperature of the air flow passing through the channels. The fan has the speed thereof controlled in response to a temperature control signal. The method includes: detecting temperature signals produced by the plurality of temperature sensors; comparing differences between the detected temperature signals; and selecting one of the detected temperature control signals from the compared differences as the temperature control signal. 
         [0009]    In one embodiment, the selecting includes disregarding at least one of the detected temperature signals as the temperature control signal. 
         [0010]    In one embodiment, the selecting includes selecting the hottest one of the detected signals as the temperature control signal unless the compared differences indicates that one of the differences in temperature is greater than a predetermined temperature difference in which case a lower temperature than the hottest temperature is selected as the temperature control signal. 
         [0011]    In one embodiment, a method is provided for detected a faulty one of a plurality of temperature sensors. The method includes: detecting temperature signals produced by the plurality of temperature sensors; comparing differences between the detected temperature signals; selecting one of the detected temperature control signals as the faulty one of the plurality of temperature sensors from the compared differences. 
         [0012]    In one embodiment, a system is provided having: a midplane having air flow channels therein; a disk drive mounted to a first side of the midplane; and a plurality of temperature sensors mounted to the midplane. The system includes; a pair of electrical chassis connected to a second side of the midplane. A first one of the pair of chassis has therein: a fan; and a fan controller for controlling speed of the fan in response to a temperature control signal. A second one of the pair of chassis has therein: a microprocessor for: detecting temperature signals produced by the plurality of temperature sensors; comparing differences between the detected temperature signals; and selecting one of the detected temperature control signal from the compared differences as the temperature control signal. 
         [0013]    In one embodiment, the fans draw air past the disk drives and through the channels in the midplane. 
         [0014]    In one embodiment, the plurality of temperature sensors is disposed to detect the temperature of air flowing through the channels. 
         [0015]    In one embodiment, a system is provided having a midplane having air flow channels therein. The system includes a first pair of electrical chassis connected to a first side of the midplane and a second pair of electrical chassis connected to the first side of the midplane. A plurality of disk drives is connected to a second side of the midplane. A pair of fans is provided, each one of the fans being disposed in a corresponding one of the first pair of electrical chassis. A pair of fan controllers is provided, each one of the fan controllers being disposed in a corresponding one of the first pair of electrical chassis, each one of the fan controllers controlling speed of a corresponding one of the fans in response to a common temperature control signal. The fans draw air past the disk drives and through channels in the midplane. A plurality of temperature sensors is mounted to the midplane, such a plurality of temperature sensors being disposed to detect the temperature of the air flow passing through the channels. A pair of microprocessors is provided, each one being disposed in a corresponding one of the pair of second chassis, one of the pair of such microprocessors being selected to: detect temperature signals produced by the plurality of temperature sensors; compare differences between the detected temperature signals; and select one of the detected temperature control signal from the compared differences as the common temperature control signal. 
         [0016]    The details of one or more embodiments of the invention are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the description below. Other features, objects, and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the description and drawings, and from the claims. 
     
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         [0017]      FIG. 1  is block diagram of a side elevation view of a data storage system having a cooling system in accordance with the invention; 
           [0018]      FIG. 2  is a sketch of a portion of the data storage system of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0019]      FIG. 3  is a plan view of a midplane used in the system of  FIG. 1  as viewed from the disk drive side of the system; 
           [0020]      FIG. 4  is a flowchart of a method used to cool the data storage system of  FIG. 1  according to the invention; and 
           [0021]      FIGS. 5A and 5B  together is a more detailed flowchart of a method used to cool the data storage system of  FIG. 1  according to the invention. 
       
    
    
       [0022]    Like reference symbols in the various drawings indicate like elements. 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0023]    Referring now to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , a system interface  12  is provided for a data storage system  10 . The system interface  12  couples data between a host computer/server  14  and a bank of disk drives  16 . 
         [0024]    More particularly, the system interface  10  here, for example, includes a pair of data storage processors  18 A,  18 B, configured for transferring data between the host computer/server  14  and the disk drives  16 . The interface  12  also includes a pair of power supplies  22 A,  22 B. It is noted that storage processor  18 A plugs into slot B of the midplane  30 , as indicated in  FIG. 2  and that storage processor  18 B plugs into slot A of the midplane  30 , as indicated in  FIG. 2 . 
         [0025]    Here, for example, the storage processors  18 A,  18 B and power supplies  22 A,  22 B plug into one side, say the front side of a printed circuit board, commonly referred to as a midplane  30  (shown in more detail in  FIG. 3 ), and disk drives  16  plugged into the other side, say back side, of the midplane  30 . Typically, a pair of the storage processors  18 A,  18 B and a pair of the power supplies  22 A,  22 B is provided for redundancy. 
         [0026]    Here, for example, the system  10  is a rack-mounted configuration wherein the power supplies  22 A,  22 B and storage processors  18 A,  18 B are disposed in rack mountable chassis, not shown; for example, the power supply chassis  22 A,  22 B are mounted in a side-by-side arrangement on say a top rack while the storage processor chassis  18 A.  18 B are mounted side-by-side below the power supply chassis  22 A,  22 B on a lower rack, as shown in  FIG. 2 . 
         [0027]    Fans  32  are provided in each of the power supplies  22 A,  22 B along with fan controllers  34  for adjusting fan speed in accordance with a desired temperature signal  36  fed by microprocessors  38  in the storage processor chassis  18 A,  18 B in response to temperature sensors  40  ( FIG. 1 ), here four temperature sensors  40   a - 40   d  ( FIG. 2 ), disposed on the midplane  30  in the path of air flow, represented by arrows  50  in  FIG. 1 , used to cool the disk drives  16 . More particularly, and referring to  FIG. 1 , in order to cool the disk drives  16  in accordance with the temperature signal  36  fed to the fan controllers  34 , the fans  32  draw air which passes along the outer sides disk drive units  16 , then through air flow channels  42  ( FIG. 1 ) in the midplane  30  in the path of the temperature sensors  40 , here the temperature sensors  40   a - 40   d,  then through openings in the rear of the storage processor chassis  18 A,  18 B, then through openings in the upper portion of the storage processor chassis  18 A,  18 B, then into openings in the bottom portion of the power supply chassis  22 A,  22 B (which, as noted above, store the fans  32 ) and then finally out the front of the power supply chassis  22 A,  22 B. 
         [0028]    Each one of the storage processors  18 A,  18 B includes the microprocessor  38 . The pair of microprocessors  38  are in communication one with the other via the communication link  50  through the midplane  30 . It is noted that only a selected one of the pair of microprocessors provides, at any one period of time, the temperature control signal  36  for the fan controllers  34  in each of the power supply chassis  22 A,  22 B. That is, the selected one of the pair of microprocessors provides a common temperature control signal  36  for both fan controllers  34 . 
         [0029]    Here, there are four temperature sensors  40   a,    40   b,    40   c,    40   d  are disposed along the midplane  30  in the path of airflow passing through channels  42  in the midplane  30  as described above in connection with  FIG. 2 . Here, each one of the four temperatures sensors  40   a,    40   b,    40   c,    40   d  provides temperature signals to both microprocessors  38 , here on I2C busses. It is noted that the either selected one of the microprocessors  38 , is adapted (i.e., wired) to provided the common temperature control signal to both of the fan controllers  34 ; as noted above, at any one time, only one of the pair of microprocessors  38  is used to provide a common temperature control signal to both of the fan controllers  34 . 
         [0030]    Thus, the fans  32  are located in the power supply chassis  22 A.  22 B and are controlled over an I2C communication path that is common to both storage processors in an enclosure, not shown, for the system interface  10 . While, as noted above, only one of the pair of microprocessors  38  is used to provide a common temperature control signal to both of the fan controllers because otherwise:
       The two microprocessors  38  may set the fans to different speeds resulting in oscillation of fan speeds or the false diagnosis of a fan failure.   The repeated attempts and subsequent failures of one microprocessors  38  to successfully control the fans may result in both microprocessors  38  being unable to control the fans at all.       
 
         [0033]    With the arrangement described herein, such problems are solved by:
       One of the pair of microprocessors  38  (a default one of the pair of microprocessors  38  designated at start up as the default microprocessors  38 ) controls the fans.   Each of the pair of microprocessors  38  uses its peer communication path to negotiate control for the fans, and to give status of its ability to control the fans.   Control of the fans will failover in the event of a fault on the controlling (i.e., selected one of the pair of microprocessors  38 ).   Control of the fans will also be failed over in the event of a numerous consecutive faults on the monitoring of the fans and the temperature sensors.   The Control algorithm, to be described in connection with FIG,  3 , will reset every time there is a microprocessors  38  insertion/removal.   A failure mode is supported such that both microprocessors  38  may have degraded control of the fans at the same time.       
 
         [0040]    The algorithm performed by the microprocessors  38  may be summarized as follows: 
         [0041]    First, data is collected from the four temperature sensors by the default one of the pair of microprocessors  38 ; 
         [0042]    If the default one of the pair of microprocessors  38  detects that one of the pair of communication buses has failed, a decision is made by the default one of the pair of microprocessors  38  based on the maximum temperature of the two remaining temperature sensors; otherwise: 
         [0043]    The default one of the pair of microprocessors  38 :
       reads all four temperature sensors; sorts the read temperatures from maximum temperature to minimum temperature (T 4 , T 3 , T 2 , T 1  with T 4  being the maximum temperature reading);   calculates the temperature difference between:   T 4  and T 3 =DT top and   T 2  and T 1 =DT bot   IF DT bot&gt;DT top then the temperature to be disregarded is either T 2  or T 1     Use T 4  for fan speed change or shutdown decision.   IF DT top&gt;DT bot then the temperature to be disregarded is either T 4  or T 3     IF DT top&gt;a predetermined temperature, 20 degrees C., for example, the temperature T 4  is disregarded and considered as being produced by a faulty sensor while T 3  is used for fan speed change or shutdown decisions.   IF DT top&gt;20 degrees C., then the temperature from the highest temperature T 4  is considered valid and is used for fan speed change or shutdown decision.   IF DT top=DT bot then there is a temperature to be ignored or if there are two temperatures to be disregarded and considered as being produced by a faulty sensor, the decision is based on the maximum sensor temperature T 4 .       
 
         [0054]    Referring now to  FIG. 4 , a more detailed flowchart of the algorithm is shown. 
         [0055]    The microprocessor  38  in the default (i.e., selected one of the pair of microprocessors  38 ) attempts to gather temperature data from each temperature sensor (Step  100 ). The microprocessor  38  in the default storage processor determines whether there was a communication error between the microprocessor  38  and any temperature sensor  40   a - 40   d  (Step  102 ). If there was a detected communication error, the microprocessor  38  sets the control system temperature signal  36  as the hottest of the non-faulted temperature readings, here the temperature T 4 , and transmits such temperature T 4  to both fan controllers  34  (Step  104 ). 
         [0056]    On the other hand, if the microprocessor  38  fails to detect a communication error (Step  102 ), the microprocessor  38  determines whether the difference between the coldest temperature T 1  reading and the second coldest temperature reading T 2  (i.e., T 2 −T 1 ) greater than or equal to the difference between the hottest reading T 4  and the second hottest reading T 3  (i.e., T 4 −T 3 ) (Step  106 ). If (T 4 −T 3 ) is greater than (T 2 −T 1 ), the microprocessor  38  sets the current system temperature control signal  35  to the hottest temperature reading T 4  and transmits an appropriate fan control signal that corresponds to the temperature T 4  to both fan controllers  32  (Step  108 ). On the other hand, if (T 4 −T 3 ) is not greater than (T 2 −T 1 ), the microprocessor  38  determines whether the difference between the hottest temperature reading T 4  and the next hottest temperature reading T 3  (i.e., T 4 −T 3 ) is greater than a predetermined temperature difference X° C. (Step  110 ). If T 4 −T 3  is greater than the predetermined temperature difference X° C., the microprocessor  38  sets the current system temperature control signal  36  to the second hottest temperature reading T 3  and transmits an appropriate fan control signal that corresponds to the temperature reading T 3  to both fan controllers  32  ( 112 ). On the other hand, if T 4 −T 3  is not greater than the predetermined temperature difference X° C., the microprocessor  38  sets the current system temperature signal  36  to the hottest temperature reading T 4  and transmits an appropriate fan control signal that corresponds to the temperature T 4  to both fan controllers  32  (Step  114 ). 
         [0057]    More particularly, referring to  FIGS. 5A and 5B . the default, or then selected, microprocessor, attempts to gather temperature data from each temperature sensor, Step  100 . The default, or then selected, microprocessor attempts to gather fan operating data from the fan microprocessors in the power supplies, Step  101 . The default, or then selected, microprocessor determines whether there has been a communication error between the microprocessor and any temp sensor, Step  102 . If so, the default, or then selected, microprocessor sets the current system temperature as the hottest of the non-faulted temperature readings, Step  104 ; otherwise, the default, or then selected, microprocessor determines whether the difference between the coldest reading and the second coldest reading greater than or equal to the difference between the hottest reading and the second hottest reading, Step  106 . If so, the default, or then selected, microprocessor sets the current system temperature to the hottest temperature reading, Step  108 ; otherwise, the default, or then selected, microprocessor determines whether the difference between the hottest reading and the next hottest reading greater than 20° C. If so, the default, or then selected, microprocessor sets the current system temperature to the second hottest temperature reading, Step  112 ; otherwise, the default, or then selected, microprocessor sets the current system temperature to the hottest temperature reading, Step  114 . 
         [0058]    After completion of Steps  104 ,  108 , or  112 , or  114 , both microprocessors determines whether they can communicate with their respective peer, and whether the respective peer microprocessor indicated no communication faults with the temperature sensors or the fan microprocessors in the power supplies, Step  115 . Both microprocessors detect whether they are plugged into slot A ( FIG. 2 ) or whether their respective peer microprocessor is missing from the system, Step  116 . If the microprocessor is plugged into slot A or its respective peer is missing, it becomes the default microprocessor. The default, or then selected, microprocessor determines whether there been more than, for example, 80 consecutive communication errors with either a temperature sensor or a fan microprocessor in the power supplies, Step  117 . If yes, the default, or then selected, microprocessor indicates a communication fault for the temperature sensors or the fan microprocessors in the power supplies to the peer microprocessor, Step  118  and passes control of the system fans to its respective peer microprocessor, Step  119 ; otherwise, the default (or selected) microprocessor is set to take control of the system fans, Step  120 . On the other hand, if in Step  115 , either microprocessor determines that it cannot communicate with its respective peer, or that the respective peer microprocessor indicated a communication fault with the temperature sensors or the fan microprocessors in the power supplies, such microprocessor shares control of the system fans with the peer microprocessor. Step  121 . 
         [0059]    The problems solved using the above-mentioned approach are common to any system where the fans are located in a shared resource. For instance, many if not all systems will have intelligently controlled fans located in their enclosure&#39;s power supplies. 
         [0060]    A number of embodiments of the invention have been described. Nevertheless, it will be understood that various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, other embodiments are within the scope of the following claims.

Technology Classification (CPC): 6