Patent Document ID: 8996323
Application ID: 13173102
Patent Status: 1

Claim One:
1. A method, comprising: generating a map of at least a portion of a power distribution system included in a data center and configured to distribute electrical power to at least one rack computer system, wherein generating the map comprises: injecting one or more input signals at one or more output receptacles of one or more power distribution components in the power distribution system such that the one or more input signals propagate through at least one power distribution component of the plurality of power distribution components in the power distribution system via one or more electrical conductors coupled to the power distribution components, wherein the power distribution components comprise one or more of: an electrical power transformer configured to transform utility power received at the data center, a switchgear apparatus configured to selectively distribute electrical power from a selected one of the transformer or an electrical generator; or an uninterruptible power supply configured to provide uninterrupted power to rack computer systems in the event of a power failure upstream from the uninterruptible power supply; sensing one or more output signals at one or more output receptacles of one or more power distribution components, wherein the one or more output signals at the one or more output receptacles result, at least in part, from the propagation of the one or more input signals through at least one of the plurality of power distribution components and cumulative alteration of the one or more input signals via successive propagation through each of the at least one of the plurality of power distribution components; based on the one or more output signals, determining separate baseline signatures for each of the plurality of power distribution components, wherein each baseline signature is associated with a separate alteration of the one or more input signals via propagation through a separate respective power distribution component of the plurality of power distribution components; and generating the map of the power distribution system based on one or more of the output signals, wherein the map includes the baseline signatures corresponding to each of the plurality of power distribution components; and assessing the power distribution system, wherein assessing the power distribution system comprises: injecting one or more input signals, using a power assessment device, at one or more output receptacles of a particular power distribution component, such that the one or more input signals initially propagate upstream through the plurality of power distribution components via one or more electrical conductors coupled to the power distribution components to a particular upstream power distribution component, via one or more electrical conductors coupled to the power distribution components, and subsequently propagate downstream from the particular upstream power distribution component and through the plurality of power distribution components to the same particular power distribution component; sensing one or more output signals, using the same power assessment device, at one or more output receptacles of the same particular power distribution component, wherein the one or more output signals at the one or more output receptacles result, at least in part, from the initial propagation of the one or more input signals upstream through the plurality of power distribution components and subsequent propagation of the one or more input signals downstream through the plurality of power distribution components, wherein the one or more output signals are cumulatively altered from the one or more input signals via successive propagation through each of the plurality of power distribution components; and assessing a power distribution condition of at least one of the power distribution components in the power distribution system by comparing the sensed one or more output signals received at the one or more output receptacles of the same particular power distribution component at which the one or more input signals are injected with one or more baseline signatures included in the map.