Patent Document

FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     This invention relates to redundant power supplies, and more particularly to supplying power to essential functions in multi-node systems from redundant power supplies.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     In a multi-node computer system, critical functions common to all nodes must be highly reliable and therefore redundantly powered. In the disclosed system, the configurations vary from one node to four nodes. The oscillator (OSC) and system control processor referred to herein as the Flexible Service Processor (FSP) is duplicated for all configurations. For multimode configurations, it is a Reliability Availability Serviceability (RAS) requirement to power each OSC/FSP pair from an independent set of power supplies, but both pairs must be powered when a single node is installed.  
         [0003]     One prior art solution is to always power the critical function from the first node power supplies since the power supplies are themselves N+1. This solution does not meet more stringent requirements of newer systems and requires the first node installed to be in a fixed position which is not flexible for future applications.  
         [0004]     Another prior art solution is to install the power supply set for the second node in a single node configuration. This solution is costly and does not provide flexibility in the power connection.  
         [0005]     U.S. Pat. No. 6,166,919 issues Dec. 26, 2000 to Nicolici et al. for CASING MOUNTABLE FILLER MODULE discloses a filler module slidably mountable in an otherwise unused slot of a multi-slot, multi-module electronic system housed in a casing. The casing provides that air flow is maintained in the shelf independent of the number or position of used and unused slots.  
         [0006]     U.S. Pat. No. 6,738,262 B2 issued May 18, 2004 to Trioli et al. for PORT FILLER BAFFLE discloses an apparatus for hindering the collection of dust and particulate matter within unutilized housings or ports of hardware component chassis.  
         [0007]     U.S. Patent Application Publication No. US2003/0016515 A1 published Jan. 23, 2003 by Jackson et al. for SCALABLE INTERNET ENGINE discloses a scalable internet engine comprised of a large number of commercially available server boards each arranged as an engine blade in a power and space efficient cabinet.  
         [0008]     U.S. Patent Application Publication No. US 2003/0112582 A1 published Jun. 19, 2003 by Sanders et al. for REDUNDANT DATA AND POWER INFRASTRUCTURE FOR MODULAR SERVER COMPONENTS IN A RACK discloses a modular infrastructure of a computer server rack comprising modular server chassis, each chassis configured to receive a plurality of servers and two network switches and including redundant AC to DC power supplies. Each power supply is sufficient to power the entire rack.  
         [0009]     U.S. Patent Application Publication No. US 2003/0169580 A1 published Sep. 11, 2003 by Brooks et al. for KEYED FILLER PANEL WITH REMOVABLE-COUPLEABLE AIRFLOW RESISTIVE FILLER CARD ASSEMBLY discloses a keyed filler panel with removable-coupleable airflow resistive filler card assembly.  
         [0010]     U.S. Patent Application Publication No. US 2003/0206402 A1 published Nov. 6, 2003 by Tsuyuki et al. for SYSTEMS FOR USE WITH DATA STORAGE DEVICES discloses systems for mounting data storage devices to a chassis.  
         [0011]     U.S. Patent Application Publication No. US 2004/0062002 A1 published Apr. 1, 2004 by Barringer et al. for HIGH DENSITY MODULAR INPUT/OUTPUT PACKAGE IN A DATA PROCESSING SYSTEM discloses an I./O subsystem for providing a high density modular input/output package in a data processing system including redundant power supplies. When a DASD device of the subsystem is not included, a blank cartridge is used in its place to preserve cooling air flow.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0012]     A primary object of the present invention is to use an airblock book chassis to provide a jumper that connects the power distribution circuits for the first and second node. The airblock is present in the absence of a power supply in order to balance air flow through the machine. A jumper does double duty at a modest increase in cost for the position used. A more reliable installation results since the power supply and airblock book plugging are mutually exclusive.  
         [0013]     System and computer program products corresponding to the above-summarized methods are also described and claimed herein.  
         [0014]     Additional features and advantages are realized through the techniques of the present invention. Other embodiments and aspects of the invention are described in detail herein and are considered a part of the claimed invention. For a better understanding of the invention with advantages and features, refer to the description and to the drawings. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0015]     The subject matter which is regarded as the invention is particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed in the claims at the conclusion of the specification. The foregoing and other objects, features, and advantages of the invention are apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:  
         [0016]      FIG. 1  is a schematic diagram of a one node system having a single node and three node airblocks;  
         [0017]      FIG. 2  is a schematic diagram of a two node system having two nodes and two airblocks;  
         [0018]      FIG. 3  is a schematic diagram of a three node system having three nodes and one airblock;  
         [0019]      FIG. 4  is a schematic diagram of a four node system having four nodes;  
         [0020]      FIG. 5  is a schematic diagram illustrating the power board structure of a four node system;  
         [0021]      FIG. 6  is a schematic diagram illustrating power groups in a four node system having a jumper function which connects one power distribution circuitry of one node to provide power to a critical function in the case when a second node and its power supplies are not installed; and  
         [0022]      FIG. 7  is a schematic diagram showing interlock tabs for preventing the jumper of  FIG. 6  from being prematurely unplugged. 
     
    
       [0023]     The detailed description explains the preferred embodiments of the invention, together with advantages and features, by way of example with reference to the drawings.  
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0024]     A processor system has four multi-processor nodes which are independently supplied with electrical power. A system can consist of one node as shown in  FIG. 1 , two nodes as shown in  FIG. 2 , three nodes as shown in  FIG. 3 , or four nodes as shown in  FIG. 4 . The system contains critical function common to all nodes, i.e. the system oscillator (OSC) and the system control processor (FSP) functions which are implemented redundantly (two of each). Both sets of critical function are required for all system configurations from one node to four nodes. In  FIG. 1 , a one system node  10  is mounted in a system frame  11  having bays for receiving at least four nodes. The system  10  has a single node  12 , a system control processor  0  (FSP 0 )  13 , and an oscillator  0  (OSC 0 )  14 , an FSP 1   15 , and an OSC 1   16 . The bay for the second node is blocked by node airblock  17 , the bay for the third node is blocked by node airblock  18 , and the bay for the forth nodes is blocked by node airblock block  19 . The airblocks provide for distributing cooling air through the frame  11  when nodes are not installed, as is well known in the art.  
         [0025]     As mentioned, the common function  20  of FSP 013 /OSC 0   14  and FSP 1   15 /OSC 1   16  are always required. A power supply set of three logical power supplies, referred to herein as Distributed Converter Assembles (DCAs), is required for each node, and connected to each node by power supply cables  21 . The power supply set for each node is N+1 redundant. All node function requires two out of three power supplies DCA to be operating, that is a single failed power supply DCA can be tolerated in each node. It is further required for multinode systems (two or more), that each set of critical function be supplied with electrical power by an independent set of power supplies. As shown in  FIG. 1 , Node  0   12  has DCA 01   22 , DCA 02   23 , and DCA 03   24 . The positions in the frame  11  for the second power supply position is blocked by power supply airblock  25 , the position for the third power supply position is blocked by power supply airblock  26 , and the blocked by the power supply airblock  27 . As previously explained, the power supply airblocks  25 - 27  provide for the proper cooling air distribution when the power supply for that position is not installed, as is well known. FSP 0   13  and OSC 0   14  are supplied by power supply set DCA 01   22 , DCA 02   23 , and DCA 03  (hereinafter DCA 01 / 02 / 03   32 / 33 / 34 ). In the case of a system containing a single node shown in  FIG. 1 , FSP 0   13 , OSC 0   14 ; FSP 1   15  and OSC 1   16  are all supplied by the power supply set DCA 01   22 , DCA 02   23 , and DCA 03   24 .  
         [0026]     A two node system is shown in  FIG. 2  wherein like parts are numbered with the same numbers as the components of  FIG. 1 . In the two node system  30 , Node 1   31  is located in the second node bay, and a second power supply set of DCA 11   32 , DCA 12   33  and DCA 13   34  ((hereinafter DCA 11 / 12 / 13   32 / 33 / 34 ) are located in the second power supply set position in the second node bay. In the two node system  30 , FSP 1   15  and OSC 1  are powered by power supply set DCA 11 / 12 / 13 ,  32 / 33 / 34 .  
         [0027]     A three node system is shown in  FIG. 3  wherein like parts are numbered with the same numbers as the components of  FIGS. 1 and 2 . In the three node system  40  of  FIG. 3 , Node 2   41  is located in the third node bay in the frame  11 . A third power supply set DCA 21 / 22 / 23   42 / 43 / 44  is located third node bay in the third power supply set location.  
         [0028]     A four node system is shown in  FIG. 4  wherein like parts are numbered with the same numbers as the components of  FIGS. 1, 2  and  3 . In the four node system  50  of  FIG. 4 , Node 3   51  is located in the fourth node bay in the frame  11 . A fourth power supply set DCA 31 / 32 / 33   52 / 53 / 54  is located in the fourth node bay in the fourth power supply set location.  
         [0029]     Note that the power distribution circuits DCA 21 / 22 / 23  for Node 2   41  and DCA 31 / 32 / 33  for Node 3   51  only energize circuitry within their respective nodes. DCA 11 / 12 / 13  supplies power to Node 1   31  and DCA 01 / 02 / 03  supplies power to Node 0   12 , and also supply power to the critical function  20  as described above.  
         [0030]      FIG. 5  further illustrates the four node system  50  of  FIG. 4  including circuitry to power OSC 0   13 , FSP 0   14 , OSC 1   15  and FSP 1   16 . Node 0   12  has a Power Boundary  0   60  established by DCA 01 / 02 / 03   22 / 23 / 24 . Node 1   31  has a Power Boundary  1   61  established by DCA 11 / 12 / 13   32 / 33 / 34 . Node 2   41  has a Power Boundary  2   62  established by DAC 21 / 22 / 23   42 / 43 / 44 . Node 3   51  has a Power Boundary  3   63  established by DCA 31 / 32 / 33   52 / 53 / 54 . Power Boundary  0   60  has a power lead  64  which powers OSC 0   13  and FSP 0   14 . Power Boundary  1   61  has a power lead  65  which powers OSC 1   15  and FSP  1   16 . A jumper  67  jumps power between leads  64  and  65  such that power boundary  60  may power the lead  65  is Power Boundary  1   61  is not present, such as in a single node system  10  shown in  FIG. 1 . The dashed represents the jumper  67  function which connects the Node  1  power distribution circuitry to that of Node 0  for the case when Node 1  and its power supplies are not installed. In one embodiment, OSC 0   13 , FSP 0   14 , OSC 1   15 , and FSP 1   16  may be placed in shared Field Replaceable Units (FRUs)  68  and  69 .  
         [0031]     Note that the power distribution circuits  42 / 43 / 44  and  52 / 53 / 54  for Node 2   41  and Node 3   51 , respectively, only energize circuitry within the respective nodes. Node 0   12  and Node 1   31  supply power to the nodes and the critical function  20  as described above. A Vital Product Data (VPD) smart chip  70  is provided between Power Boundary  0   60  and Power Boundary  1   61  as shown in  FIG. 5 . The VPD chip  70  includes data in memory which describes system components so that the system knows what components are installed.  
         [0032]     The power cables  21  of  FIGS. 1-4  include power supply connectors  70 ,  71 ,  72  and  73 , for connecting a power supply unit to its respective node. Each power supply connector is composed of a multiplicity of conductor assemblies, each of which contains two separate conductors or pins, one long and one short. The long pin connects to a voltage to be supplied and the short pin connects to ground. The uppermost conductor assembly long pin is used for soft charging the output capacitors of the power supply while the short pin is a spare, normally may be arbitrarily grounded. In one embodiment, the spare short pin is not connected i.e. left open in the power supply. The corresponding receptacles in the printed circuit board for these spare short pins are also left open in the board, except for one the jumper position. The jumper position is a power supply position in the power supply set for the second node (designated Node  1 ). In the jumper position, the receptacle for the spare pin is connected to the power supply circuitry of Node  0  which supplies the critical function FSP 0 /OSC 0  as described above. If the jumper position is empty or occupied by a power supply, there is no connection made to the Node  0  power distribution circuitry in the Node  1  board section. Ordinarily when a power supply is not installed, an empty metal box with dimensions approximately those of the power supply and specially designed perforations (designated as power supply airblocks in  FIGS. 1-3 ) is installed in its place to help maintain proper airflow through the system. The jumper  67  is included in an airblock book containing a small printed circuit card which connects the spare pin described above to the normal conductor assembly that provides the energy supply to the critical function. So when the jumper airblock book is installed, the two power distribution circuits are connected and the Node 0  power supplies  22 / 23 / 24  will energize all critical functions  20 .  
         [0033]      FIG. 6  is an illustration of the jumper connections for one of the DCAs, for instance DCA 01   22 , and the power supply airblock  25 . In  FIG. 6 , it will be understood that the power supply units  32 / 33 / 34  are not installed. Instead, the power supply airblock  25  is installed. As explained, the connections for DCA 01   32  has a spare pin  80  in the upper connector  82 , and a power pin  81  in the lower connector  83 . The power pin  81  is the normal connection that provides the energy to FSP 1 /OSC 1   15 / 16  of FRU  69 . A power conductor  85  extends from the FRU  68  for providing standby voltage for FSC 1 /OSC 1  to the spare pin  80 . The jumper  67  in the jumper airblock  25  is connected between the spare pin  80  and normal power pin  81 . As explained, when the jumper  67  in power supply airblock  25  is installed, standby power is supplied to FSP 1 /OSC 1   15 / 16  by spare pin  80  over the jumper  67 . In one embodiment, when either or both of the DCA 12   33  and DCA 13   34  are installed, power is supplied to FSP 1 /OSC 1   15 / 16 .  
         [0034]     In one embodiment, the addition of a second node to the system is made without disrupting the system operation (hot plugging). That is, the jumper  67  is not removed until power is supplied by power supplies installed into two of the positions within the power supply set for Node  1 .  
         [0035]      FIG. 7  illustrates one embodiment of the power supply airblock  25  having three books  90 ,  91  and  92 . Power supply airblock books  90  and  91  are passive airblocks. Power supply airblock book  92  is a jumper airblock having the jumper  67  described. Each of the airblock books  90 ,  91  and  92  is one power supply position wide ( 1   w ). Being one power supply position wide provides that the jumper airblock  92  may remain installed until power supplies DCA 12   33  and DCA 13   34  are installed and powered on in the Node  1  set. In one embodiment, the power supply airblocks  26  and  27  for the node  2  and  3  positions are three power supplies wide ( 3   w ) to save hardware.  
         [0036]     Mechanical keys  96  and  97  are provided so that the jumper book  92  cannot be unplugged first before DCAs  33  and  34  are plugged in. The mechanical keys  96  and  97  are overlapping tabs on the passive airblock books  90  and  91 . The jumper book  92  has tab engagement surface  98  which engages with the mechanical key  97  and prevents jumper book  92  from being removed from the frame  11  when the passive airblock book  91  is in place. It will be understood that the key  96  allows airblock book  90  to be unplugged first, but prevents airblock book  91  from being unplugged first. Similarly, tab  97  allows airblock book  91  to be unplugged after airblock book  90 , but prevents airblock book  92  from being unplugged before airblock book  91 .  
         [0037]     While the preferred embodiment to the invention has been described, it will be understood that those skilled in the art, both now and in the future, may make various improvements and enhancements which fall within the scope of the claims which follow. These claims should be construed to maintain the proper protection for the invention first described.

Technology Category: g