Patent Document

BACKGROUND 
     This invention relates generally to data centers, and more particularly to efficient cooling of computing devices within a data center. 
     Heat removal is a prominent factor in computer system and data center design. The number of servers deployed in a data center has steadily increased while the increase in server performance has increased the heat generated by the electronic components in the servers during operation. Because the reliability of servers used by the data center decreases if they are permitted to operate at a high temperature over time, a portion of the data center&#39;s power is used for cooling electronics in the servers. As the number or servers included in a data center increases, a greater portion of the power consumed by the data center is used to cool electronics within the server. 
     Conventionally, the servers in the data center are individually equipped with a cooling system to dissipate heat produced during operation. Commonly, each server includes a fan to dissipate heat generated by the server during operation. However, these internal fans generally consume about 10%-15% of the power used by the servers, and they also produce heat during operation, thereby limiting the ability of these fans to dissipate heat. 
     Additionally, in conventional configurations, an internal server fan is initiated to cool the server when the server temperature reaches a threshold temperature. As the server temperature is dependent upon the number of data processing requests, data retrieval requests, data storage requests or other requests processed by the server, the number of requests processed by a server are limited so that a temperature spikes during processing of requests does not cause the server to exceed the threshold temperature. Hence, operation of conventional internal fans impairs server performance by placing an upper bound on the number of requests that can be processed by a server. 
     SUMMARY 
     Embodiments of the invention balance the number of requests, or “load,” processed by a plurality of servers and use an external cooling supply to cool servers within a data center. Hence, embodiments of the invention reduce or eliminate the need for internal fans to cool servers in a data center, at least under normal operating conditions, and dynamically adjust the number of requests processed by various servers to avoid large variations in the temperature of different servers. In one embodiment, a data center includes a cold aisle adjacent to one side of a set of server that that receives cold air from a cooling system. An exhaust system included in a hot aisle adjacent to a second side of the servers directs air from the hot aisle outside of the data center, causing the hot aisle to have a pressure less than the pressure of the cold aisle. This pressure difference between the cold aisle and the hot aisle causes cold air to flow from the cold aisle through the servers to the hot aisle, thereby cooling the electronic components in the servers (and heating the air flow). For example, a fan included in the hot aisle extracts heated air from the hot aisle and directs the heated air outside of the data center. 
     In one embodiment, one or more sensors monitor the pressure of the hot aisle and the pressure of the cold aisle and calculate a pressure difference between the hot aisle and the cold aisle. Additionally, the one or more sensors may also monitor air flow proximate to the servers. A load balancer receives requests for processing by one or more servers from one or more devices and also receives the calculated pressure difference. For a plurality of servers in the data center, the load balancer includes data associating a workload with a pressure difference. For example, data stored in the load balancer identifies a maximum workload capable of being processed by a server for a pressure difference without increasing the temperature of a server beyond a threshold temperature. In one embodiment, the load balancer includes a table associating a workload with a pressure difference for each server in the data center. In a different embodiment, the load balancer includes a table associating a maximum workload with a pressure difference for different types or models of servers included in the data center. Based on the calculated pressure difference and the maximum workload associated with the pressure difference for each server, the load balancer determines a number of requests for communication to different servers. For example, based on the maximum workload associated with the calculated pressure difference, the load balancer directs requests to various servers to maximize the number of requests processed by different servers without increasing server temperature above a threshold amount. 
     In an embodiment, a cold air supply unit that is external to the servers, such as a fan, supplies the cold air to the cold aisle from a cooling system to contribute the pressure difference between the cold aisle and the hot aisle. The heated air from the hot aisle may be cooled and then recirculated through the cold aisle, or the cool air may be obtained elsewhere, such as ambient air. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a side view of a data center for cooling servers without relying on internal fans showing airflow throughout the data center in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 2A  is a tabular example of data included by a load balancer for a server associating a pressure difference with a server workload in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 2B  is a graphical example of using data included by a load balancer to determine a workload for different servers based on a pressure difference in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. 
     
    
    
     The Figures depict various embodiments of the present invention for purposes of illustration only. One skilled in the art will readily recognize from the following discussion that alternative embodiments of the structures and methods illustrated herein may be employed without departing from the principles of the invention described herein. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Data Center Architecture 
     One embodiment of a data center  100  cooling one or more servers  105  is illustrated in  FIG. 1 , which shows a side view of the airflow through data center  100  that is capable of cooling the servers  105  without depending on fans within the servers  105 . The arrows shown in  FIG. 2  indicate the flow of air throughout the data center  100 . A cooling system  130  is coupled to a cold air supply  115  and to an exhaust unit  125 . While  FIG. 1  shows a single cold air supply  115  and a single exhaust unit  125 , other embodiments may have multiple cold air supplies  115  and/or multiple exhaust units  125 . A load balancer  160  receives requests for processing from one or more clients and communicates the requests to one or more servers  105  for processing. A control system  150  is coupled to the load balancer  160  and to the exhaust unit  125 , allowing data from the load balancer  160  to modify control signals communicated to the exhaust unit  125 . 
     In one embodiment, a cold aisle  110  is adjacent to a first side of a partition  102  and a hot aisle  120  is adjacent to a second side of the partition  102 . In an embodiment, the partition  102  includes one or more servers  105  oriented so that a first side of the one or more servers  105  is adjacent to the cold aisle  110  and a second side of the one or more servers  105  is adjacent to the hot aisle  120 . The cold aisle  110  includes a cold air supply  115  while, in an embodiment, the hot aisle  120  includes one or more exhaust units  125 . Additionally, one or more sensors  117  proximate to one or more servers server  105 , are included in the cold aisle  110  and in the hot aisle  120 . 
     The partition  102  includes one or more openings though which air is able to flow. In an embodiment, the partition  102  comprises a rack or other structure to which one or more devices, such as one or more servers  105  or other electronic devices, may be attached. For example, the one or more servers  105  are mounted to one or more racks and the one or more servers  105  may have different sizes, such as 1 to 12 rack units (“U”). The partition  102  is designed to increase airflow through the servers  105  included within the partition  102 . For example, the partition  102  includes a server rack that is designed to increase the amount of air directed through the servers  105  included in the rack. 
     A server  105  has one or more input openings on a first side and one or more output openings on a second side. A server  105  is oriented so the one or more input openings are adjacent to the cold aisle  110  and the one or more output openings are adjacent to the hot aisle  120 . Air from the cold aisle  110  enters the server  105  via the one or more input openings, travels through the server  105  and exits the server through the one or more output openings into the hot aisle  120 . Hence, the input and output openings allow air to travel through the server  105  to cool components included in the server  105 . In another embodiment, the system further includes air ducts configured to direct the cold air over the hot server components. 
     Cold air is supplied to the cold aisle  110  from a cold air supply  115 , such as a large fan or other air distribution device. In an embodiment, the cold air supply  115  is coupled to a cooling system  130 , further described below. As used herein, “cold air” may refer to air having a temperature less than an ambient air temperature, air having a temperature below a specified temperature, or air having a lower relative temperature than air in a different region. For example, air included in the cold aisle  110 , referred to as “cold air,” has a first temperature, while air included in the hot aisle  120 , referred to as “hot air,” has a second temperature that is higher than the first temperature. In different embodiments, the position of the cold air supply  115  relative to the cold aisle  110  may differ. For example, the cold air supply  115  may be positioned above, below, or to the side of the cold aisle  110 . Additionally, in some embodiments, multiple cold air supplies  115  provide cold air to the cold aisle  110  and may have different positions relative to the cold aisle  110 . For example, cold air supplies  115  are positioned above and below or below and to the side of the cold aisle  110 . For purposes of illustration,  FIG. 1  shows an implementation with a cold air supply  115  positioned above the cold aisle  110 . By receiving cold air from the cold air supply  115 , the cold aisle  110  has a higher pressure than the hot aisle  120 . This pressure difference causes cold air to flow from the higher pressure cold aisle  110  through the one or more input openings of a server  105 , or of the partition  102 , to the lower pressure hot aisle  120 . 
     The cooling system  130  comprises a Heating, Ventilating and Air Conditioning (“HVAC”) system, which extracts heat from air. For example, the cooling system  130  uses free-air cooling, such as air-side or liquid-side economization to cool the air. In an embodiment, the cooling system  130  also includes secondary cooling systems, such as an evaporative cooling system, an absorption cooling system, an adsorption cooling system, a vapor-compression cooling system, or another cooling system to extract additional heat from air. In another embodiment, the cooling system  130  also modifies the humidity of the cool air to improve reliability and/or longevity of the servers  105  being cooled. For example, the cooling system  130  produces cold air having a humidity within a specified range, such as 20% to 60% humidity, to the cold aisle  110 . In certain conditions, increasing the humidity may also reduce the temperature of the air. 
     One or more exhaust units  125  are included in the hot aisle  120  to extract air from the hot aisle  120  and to direct air from the hot aisle  120  outside of the data center  100 . In one embodiment, the one or more exhaust units  125  direct air from the hot aisle  120  to the cooling system  130 , where the heated air is again cooled. Hence, the one or more exhaust units  125  may implement a closed-loop where air is cooled by the cooling system  130  and recirculated to the cold aisle  110  via the cold air supply  115 . Alternatively, cold air enters the hot aisle  120  and is directed outside of the data center  100  by the one or more exhaust units  125 . In an embodiment, the hot aisle  120  includes one or more exhaust units  125 , such as exhaust fans, which extract air from the hot aisle  120 . While  FIG. 1  shows an example hot aisle  120  with one exhaust unit  125 , in other embodiments, the hot aisle may include a different number of exhaust units  125 . 
     The one or more exhaust units  125  receive control signals from a control system  150 . The control signals modify one or more operating characteristics of the one or more exhaust units  125  to modify the pressure difference between the cold aisle  110  and the hot aisle  120 . For example, in response to receiving a control signal from the control system  150 , an exhaust fan operates at a higher speed to extract more heated air from the hot aisle  120  and increase the pressure difference between the cold aisle  110  and the hot aisle  120 . As another example, responsive to receiving a second control signal from the control system  150 , the exhaust fan operates at a lower speed to extract less heated from the hot aisle  120  and decrease the pressure difference between the cold aisle and the hot aisle  120 . By modifying operation of one or more exhaust units  125 , the control system  150  is able to modify the amount of air travelling through the one or more servers  105  and/or the partition  102  by adjusting the pressure drop between the cold aisle  110  and the hot aisle  120 . The control system  150  may also modify the operation of the fan driving the cold air supply  115 . Moreover, the system need not have fans on both the cold aisle  110  and the hot aisle  120 , as a single fan on either side may create sufficient pressure to cause the air to flow the servers. In such a case, the control system  130  may drive this single fan. 
     The load balancer  160  is coupled to the exhaust unit  125  and also communicates with a plurality of servers  105 . Additionally, the load balancer  160  receives requests from one or more computing devices and communicates the received requests to one or more servers  105 . For example, the load balancer  160  receives requests from a computing device for a server  105  to process data, requests from a computing device for a server  105  to retrieve data, requests from a computing device for a server  105  to store data or other requests for a server  105  to manipulate or modify data. The load balancer  160  also includes data includes data associating a number of requests for processing by a server  105 , or a server “workload” with a pressure difference between the cold aisle  110  and the hot aisle  120 . For example, data stored in the load balancer  160  identifies a maximum number of requests capable of being processed by a server  105  for a pressure difference between the cold aisle  110  and the hot aisle  120 . The maximum number of requests indicates the number of requests which can be processed by a server  105  at a specific pressure difference without increasing the temperature of a server  105  beyond a threshold temperature or without increasing the temperature of the server  105  by a threshold amount. For example, the load balancer  160  includes a table associating a server workload with a pressure difference for each server  105  in the data center  100 . In a different embodiment, the load balancer includes a table associating a server workload with a pressure difference for different types, or groups, of servers  105  included in the data center  100 . If organized into groups, the servers  105  may be selected for a group wherein the servers  105  in a group generate the same amount of heat for a given load. 
     In one embodiment, the load balancer  160  receives the pressure difference between the cold aisle  110  and the hot aisle  120  from one or more sensors  117  in the hot aisle  120  and in the cold aisle  110 . Alternatively, the load balancer  160  receives an absolute pressure of the cold aisle  110  from a sensor  117  included in the cold aisle  110  and an absolute pressure of the hot aisle  120  from a sensor  117  included in the hot aisle  120  and calculates the pressure difference between the cold aisle  110  and the hot aisle  120 . In a typical server, there may be a correlation between the server work load and the power consumed by the server, as well as a correlation between the air flow through the server, or the pressure differential across the server, and the ability to remove a given amount of heat from the server. 
     Based on the pressure difference, the load balancer  160  determines from the stored data the maximum number of requests a server  105  is capable of processing and directs requests to different servers  105  based on the maximum number of requests a server  105  is capable of processing based on the pressure difference. For example, the load balancer directs requests to different servers  105  so that each server processes the same number of requests or so that the workload of various servers  105  is maximized with respect to the pressure difference. Hence, the load balancer  160  maximizes the amount of work done by different servers  105  for a specified pressure difference between the cold aisle  110  and the hot aisle  120 . By distributing requests to different servers  105  based on the pressure difference between the cold aisle  110  and the hot aisle  120 , the load balancer  160  regulates the workload of different servers  105  to reduce temperature variations between different servers  105 . This increases the efficiency with which different servers  105  are cooled for a specific pressure difference between the cold aisle  110  and the hot aisle  120 . Operation of the load balancer  160  to regulate server  105  load is further described below in conjunction with  FIGS. 2A and 2B . 
     The coupling between the load balancer  160  and the control system  150  allows the load balancer  160  to modify operation of one or more exhaust units  125 . For example, as the workload of various servers  105  increases beyond the maximum server workload for a first pressure difference, the load balancer  160  causes the control system  150  to generate a control signal increasing the amount of air that the exhaust unit  125  draws out of the hot aisle  120 , which increases the pressure difference between the cold aisle  110  and the hot aisle  120 . By modifying operation of the exhaust unit  125  in response to increases in server workload, the load balancer  160  allows dynamic modification of server cooling  105 . 
     In one embodiment, the cooling system  130  receives heat from the exhaust units  125  included in the hot aisle  120 , cools and dehumidifies the received air, and supplies the cooled and dehumidified air to the cold air supply  115  which supplies the cooled and dehumidified air to the cold aisle  110 . In this embodiment, the cooling system  130  may be a closed system which recirculates air from the hot aisle  120  to the cold aisle  110  once the air is cooled and dehumidified. Cooled air travels from the cooling system  130  to the cold air supply  115 , which supplies the cold air to the cold aisle  110 . In an embodiment, the cold air supply  115  comprises one or more fans or one or more air nozzles, one or more air jets, or other device for directing air flow. 
     Cooled air from the cold air supply  115  enters the cold aisle  110 . Because the cold aisle  110  has a higher pressure than the hot aisle  120 , and the partition  102  includes one or more openings for air flow, the cold air flows from the cold aisle  110  to the lower pressure hot aisle  120 . To flow from the cold aisle  110  to the hot aisle  120 , the cold air passes through the openings in the partition  102 , so that the cold air is drawn through the partition  102 . In an embodiment, the partition  102  includes one or more servers  105  having one or more input openings on a first side adjacent to the cold aisle  110  and one or more output openings on a second side adjacent to the hot aisle  120 . The input openings allow cold air to enter the server  105 , travel through the server  105 , flowing over components within the server  105 . After traveling through the server  105 , the output openings enable air to exit the server  105  into the hot aisle  120 . 
     As cool air travels through the partition  102  and/or a server  105  from the cold aisle  110  to the hot aisle  120 , a portion of the air travels across, or through, one or more sensors  117  included in the cold aisle  110  and in the hot aisle  120 . The sensors  117  monitor attributes of the airflow, such as air temperature, air humidity, absolute air pressure of the cold aisle  110 , absolute air pressure of the hot aisle  120  or a pressure difference between the cold aisle  110  and the hot aisle  120 . The sensors  117  communicate the monitored attributes to the control system  150  and/or the load balancer  160 . The control system generates a control signal modifying operation of the cold air supply  115  and/or the cooling system  210  to modify the cold air supplied to the cold aisle  110 . For example, responsive to a sensor  117  detecting a temperature above a threshold value, an air flow below a threshold flow rate or a pressure difference between the cold aisle  110  and the hot aisle  120  falling below a threshold value, the control system generates a control signal increasing the rate or direction at which the cold air supply  115  supplies cold air to the cold aisle  110  or generates a control signal directing cold air from the cold air supply  115  towards certain areas in the cold aisle  110  needing increased cooling. For example, the control signal causes the cold air supply  115  to more cold air towards a region of the partition  102  where a sensor  117  indicates a temperature above a threshold value or an airflow rate below a threshold value. Alternatively, the control system generates a control signal causing the cooling system  210  to further reduce the temperature of the air provided to the cold aisle  110 . 
     In an embodiment, the partition  102  is configured so that air flow paths external to the servers  105  are substantially blocked such that the airflow path of least resistance from the cold aisle  110  to the hot aisle  120  is through the servers  105 . Configuring the partition  102  so that the airflow path of least resistance is through the servers  105  allows more efficient server  105  cooling by increasing the amount of air passing through the servers  105 . In another embodiment, the partition  102  blocks substantially all airflow from the cold aisle  110  to the hot aisle  120  except for the airflow through the servers  105 , so that substantially all of the airflow from the cold aisle  110  to the hot aisle  120  is through the servers  105 . To facilitate airflow from the cold aisle  110  to the hot aisle, in one embodiment the cold aisle  110  may be pressurized while the hot aisle  120  is depressurized to facilitate airflow from the cold aisle  110  to the hot aisle  120 . As the cold air passes through the server  105 , it flows over components within the server  105 , dissipating heat generated from operation of the electric components in the servers  105 . 
     In different embodiments, the cold air supply  115  may statically or dynamically control the amount of air supplied to the cold aisle  110  to modify the airflow through the servers  105 . In an embodiment where the air supply is statically controlled, the cold air supply  115  is louver-based and supplies cold air in different directions, at different flow rates, and/or at different temperature levels. In an alternative embodiment, the cold air supply  115  dynamically modifies the airflow supplied to the cold aisle  110  by changing the speed of one or more supply fans, repositioning one or more air supply louvers (or otherwise redirecting the airflow), or changing the temperature to which the airflow is cooled. Modifying the supply fan speed, supply louver position, and/or air temperature allows the cold air supply  115  to more suitably cool the servers  105  included in the partition  102 . Hence, implementations of the cold air supply  115  allow non-uniform air flow and/or air temperature throughout the cold aisle  110 , enabling different locations within the cold aisle  110 , such as locations proximate to different servers  105 , to have a different air flow rate and/or a different air temperature. Additionally, the air flow from the cold air supply  115  may be determined or modified based on the size of the servers  105  being cooled. 
     After flowing through the servers  105 , cold air enters the hot aisle  120  because it has a lower pressure than the cold aisle  110 . Because the air extracts heat from components within one or more servers  105 , when passing from the cold aisle  110  to the hot aisle  120 , the air temperature increases so that air in the hot aisle  120  has a higher temperature than air in the cold aisle  110 . 
     The data center  100  also includes one or more sensors  117  in locations where air flows from the cold aisle  110  to the hot aisle  120 . The sensors  117  monitor air flow, air temperature, air humidity, absolute air pressure, differential air pressure, or any other data that describes air flow or air temperature, and combinations thereof. In an embodiment, the sensors  117  are placed in locations where airflow is likely to be less than other locations, such as a ceiling or a wall where the partition  102  abuts another surface, so that the temperature of the sensor locations is likely to be higher than other locations. For example, sensors  117  are placed in various locations in the cold aisle  110  to monitor airflow through these locations, the temperature of these locations, the pressure difference between the cold aisle  110  and the hot aisle  120  or another value characterizing air flow through the sensor location. In another embodiment, sensors  117  are positioned at locations within the cold aisle  110 , at locations within the hot aisle  120 , at locations within one or more servers  105  or in any combination of the above-described locations. 
     The sensors  117  communicate with a control system coupled to, or included in, the cooling system and/or the cold air supply  115  to modify how air is cooled by the cooling system or how cold air is supplied to the cold aisle  110  by the cold air supply  115 . The control system generates a control signal responsive to data from one or more sensors  117  to modify operation of the cooling system and/or the cold air supply  115 . For example, responsive to detecting a temperature reaching a threshold value, an air flow reaching a threshold flow rate, or a pressure difference between the cold aisle  110  and the hot aisle  120  falling below a threshold value, a sensor  117  communicates with the control system, which generates a control signal increasing the rate at which the cold air supply  115  supplied to the cold aisle  110  or modifying the direction in which cold air is supplied to the cold aisle  110  by the cold air supply  115 . Hence, the sensors  117  and control system implement a feedback loop allowing the data center  100  to modify how cold air flows through the servers  105  responsive to changes in the data center environment, improving the cooling efficiency. 
     Because the pressure differential between cold aisle  110  and hot aisle  120  causes air to flow through the partition  102 , and electronic devices included in the partition  102 , electronic devices included in the data center  100  are cooled without relying on air moving devices, such as fans, operating at individual electronic devices. Additionally, reducing the use of locally-implemented air moving devices reduces power consumption of the electronic devices, making the data center  100  more power efficient. This is due, at least in part, to the increased efficiency of the larger fans as compared to the smaller fans typically found in servers. 
     Server Load Balancing 
     By modifying the workload of various servers  105  within a data room  110 , a load balancer  160  dynamically adjusts the number of requests processed by various servers to avoid large variations in the temperature of different servers which reduces or eliminates the need for internal fans to cool the server  105 , at least under normal operating conditions. For multiple servers in the data room  110 , the load balancer includes data associating a number of requests for processing by a server  105 , or a “server workload,” with a pressure difference between a cold aisle  110  and a hot aisle  120  in the data room  100 .  FIG. 2A  shows one example of a load balancing table  200  maintained by the load balancer  160 . In one embodiment, the load balancer  160  includes a load balancing table  200  associated with each server  105  in a data room  100 , allowing modification of individual server workload. In another embodiment, the load balancer  160  includes load balancing tables  200  associated with various groupings of servers, so that the workload of different groups of servers is modified by the load balancer  160 . For example, different load balancing tables  200  are associated with different types or configurations of servers, allowing modification of the workload of multiple types or configurations of servers. 
     For purposes of illustration, the example load balancing table  200  shown in  FIG. 2A  associates a pressure difference between the cold aisle  110  and the hot aisle  120  with a server workload, such as a number of requests per second. This allows the load balancing table  200  to identify a maximum server workload for a particular pressure difference. Each entry in the load balancing table  200  identifies a maximum server workload for a specified pressure difference. When the load balancer  160  receives a pressure difference from one or more sensors  117 , the load balancer  160  determines the maximum workload for a server  105  at the received pressure difference and directs requests to different servers  105  based on the maximum server workload for the received pressure difference. For example, the load balancer  160  allocates received requests to different servers  105  so that multiple servers  105  operate at their maximum workload for the received pressure difference. For purposes of illustration, the example load balancing table  200  shown in  FIG. 2A  includes data associated with a single server  105 ; however, in other embodiments, the load balancing table  200  may include data associated with different groups of servers. For example, the load balancing table  200  may include data associated with different models, or types, of servers. 
     As shown in the example of  FIG. 2A , in addition to data associating workload with a pressure difference, the load balancing table  200  may also include additional data. For example, the load balancing table  200  may identify the server power and the cubic feet per minute of air flowing from the cold aisle  110  to the hot aisle  120  at different pressure differences. This additional information may be used to determine server  105  and/or data room  100  characteristics at various combinations of server workloads and data room pressure differences. 
       FIG. 2B  graphically illustrates use of the load balancing table  200  to determine server workload based on the pressure difference between the cold aisle  110  and the hot aisle  120  of the data room  110 . For purposes of illustration,  FIG. 2B  shows a graph illustrating server workload against pressure difference is shown for three servers  210 A,  210 B,  210 C. After receiving data describing a pressure difference  220  between the cold aisle  110  and the hot aisle  120  from one or more sensors  117  in the data room  100 , the load balancer  160  identifies server workloads associated with the pressure difference  220 . As shown in  FIG. 2B , at the pressure difference  220 , a first server  210 A has a first maximum workload  230  while a second server  210 B and a third server  210 B have a second maximum workload  230 B and a third maximum workload  230 C, respectively. Based on the maximum workload  230 A,  230 B,  230 C of the servers  210 A,  210 B,  210 C, the load balancer  160  allocates requests to each of the servers  210 A,  210 B,  210 C. For example, based on the maximum workload  230 A,  230 B,  230 C, the load balancer  160  modifies the workload of each server  210 A,  210 B,  210 C so that each server operates at, or near, the maximum workload  230 A,  230 B,  230 C. In one embodiment, the load balancer  160  directs received requests to the servers  210 A,  210 B,  210 C to increase the number of requests processed by each server  210 A,  210 B,  210 C until each server  210 A,  210 B,  210 C is operating at its maximum workload  230 A,  230 B,  230 C. For example, the load balancer  160  directs requests to the first server  210 A until the a first server  210 A is operating at its maximum workload  230 A or at a fraction of its maximum workload  230 A then directs requests to the second server  210 B or the third server  230 C. In the example of  FIG. 2B , at the pressure difference  220 , the third workload  230 C of the third server  210 C is larger than the first workload  210 A of the first server  210 A, allowing the third server  210 C to process more requests at the pressure difference  220 . This allows the load balancer  160 , at the pressure difference  220 , to allocate requests so that the third server  210 C receives a greater number of requests than the first server  210 A. Thus, by modifying the server  210 A,  210 B,  210 C used to process requests, the load balancer  160  allows each server  210 A,  210 B,  210 C to operate at maximum performance by maximizing the number of requests processed by each server  210 A,  210 B,  210 C at a particular pressure difference  220 . 
     In one embodiment, when each server  210 A,  210 B,  210 C is processing the maximum number of requests at a pressure difference  220  and the load balancer  160  receives additional requests, the load balancer  160  communicates a control signal to the control system  150  so that the exhaust unit  125  draws more heated air from the hot aisle  120 . This increases the pressure difference between the cold aisle  110  and the hot aisle  120 . Pressure in the cold aisle  110  may also be increased by increasing the supply of air from the cold air supply  115 . Based on the increased pressure difference, the load balancer  160  allocates the additional requests so that different servers  210 A,  210 B,  210 C have their maximum workload at the increased pressure difference. 
     SUMMARY 
     The foregoing description of the embodiments of the invention has been presented for the purpose of illustration; it is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed. Persons skilled in the relevant art can appreciate that many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above disclosure. 
     Some portions of this description describe the embodiments of the invention in terms of algorithms and symbolic representations of operations on information. These algorithmic descriptions and representations are commonly used by those skilled in the data processing arts to convey the substance of their work effectively to others skilled in the art. These operations, while described functionally, computationally, or logically, are understood to be implemented by computer programs or equivalent electrical circuits, microcode, or the like. Furthermore, it has also proven convenient at times, to refer to these arrangements of operations as modules, without loss of generality. The described operations and their associated modules may be embodied in software, firmware, hardware, or any combinations thereof. 
     Any of the steps, operations, or processes described herein may be performed or implemented with one or more hardware or software modules, alone or in combination with other devices. In one embodiment, a software module is implemented with a computer program product comprising a computer-readable medium containing computer program code, which can be executed by a computer processor for performing any or all of the steps, operations, or processes described. 
     Embodiments of the invention may also relate to an apparatus for performing the operations herein. This apparatus may be specially constructed for the required purposes, and/or it may comprise a general-purpose computing device selectively activated or reconfigured by a computer program stored in the computer. Such a computer program may be stored in a tangible computer readable storage medium, which include any type of tangible media suitable for storing electronic instructions, and coupled to a computer system bus. Furthermore, any computing systems referred to in the specification may include a single processor or may be architectures employing multiple processor designs for increased computing capability. 
     Embodiments of the invention may also relate to a computer data signal embodied in a carrier wave, where the computer data signal includes any embodiment of a computer program product or other data combination described herein. The computer data signal is a product that is presented in a tangible medium or carrier wave and modulated or otherwise encoded in the carrier wave, which is tangible, and transmitted according to any suitable transmission method. 
     Finally, the language used in the specification has been principally selected for readability and instructional purposes, and it may not have been selected to delineate or circumscribe the inventive subject matter. It is therefore intended that the scope of the invention be limited not by this detailed description, but rather by any claims that issue on an application based hereon. Accordingly, the disclosure of the embodiments of the invention is intended to be illustrative, but not limiting, of the scope of the invention, which is set forth in the following claims.

Technology Category: 4