System and Method of Rack Management

Abstract

A rack management method and system is disclosed. The method includes detecting the presence of a computing device releasably mounted in a frame, the detecting based on an electrical connection established between a configuration bar disposed in a rear portion of the frame and the computing device, and determining a physical location of the computing device within the frame based on the electrical connection. The method also includes retrieving management information about the computing device from a profile storage disposed within the computing device via the electrical connection and storing the management information in a management table, the management table associating the computing device with the physical location within the frame.

1 - 31 . (canceled) 
     
     
         32 . A rack management method, comprising:
 detecting the presence of a first computing device releasably mounted in a frame;   retrieving, by a rack management controller (RMC), management information about the first computing device from a profile storage disposed within the first computing device, wherein the management information includes device component control algorithms for controlling device components associated with the first computing device;   establishing a control profile for the first computing device within the RMC, wherein the control profile is at least in part based upon the management information retrieved from the profile storage disposed within the first computing device; and   monitoring the first computing device via the RMC, wherein the RMC uses the device component control algorithms to operate a device component associated with the first computing device.   
     
     
         33 . The rack management method of  claim 32 , further comprising:
 detecting the presence of a second computing device releasably mounted in the frame;   retrieving, by the RMC, management information about the second computing device from a profile storage disposed within the second computing device, wherein the management information includes device component control algorithms for controlling device components associated with the second computing device;   establishing a control profile for the second computing device within the RMC, wherein the control profile is at least in part based upon the management information retrieved from the profile storage disposed within the second computing device; and   monitoring both the first and the second computing devices via the RMC, wherein the RMC uses the device component control algorithms associated with the first computing device to operate a device component associated with the first computing device, and the RMC uses the device component control algorithms associated with the second computing device to operate a device component associated with the second computing device.   
     
     
         34 . The rack management method of  claim 33 , further comprising changing the operation of a device component associated with the first computing device by the RMC, based upon one of information obtained by monitoring the first computing device, information obtained by monitoring the second computing device, and information obtained by monitoring both the first and second computing devices. 
     
     
         35 . The rack management method of  claim 32 , further comprising:
 providing a baseboard management controller (BMC) associated with the first computing device, wherein the BMC is operable to monitor and/or control a device component associated with the first computing device, and   using the RMC to monitor and/or control the device component in place of the BMC associated with the first computing device.   
     
     
         36 . The rack management method of  claim 35 , wherein using the RMC to monitor and/or control the device component in place of the BMC associated with the first computing device occurs when the BMC associated with the first computing device fails. 
     
     
         37 . The rack management method of  claim 35 , further comprising:
 retrieving, by a second RMC communicatively coupled to the first RMC, the control profile for the first computing device;   monitoring the first RMC via the second RMC; and   controlling the first computing device via the second RMC if the RMC associated with the first computing device fails.   
     
     
         38 . The rack management method of  claim 37 , wherein the second RMC retrieves the control profile for the first computing device from the first RMC. 
     
     
         39 . The rack management method of  claim 34 , wherein changing the operation of a device component associated with the first computing device by the RMC reduces thermal load across both the first and the second computing devices. 
     
     
         40 . The rack management method of  claim 39 , wherein the physical location of the first and second computing devices is used to evaluate the change in the operation of the device component to reduce the thermal load across both the first and the second computing devices. 
     
     
         41 . A rack management system, comprising:
 a frame configured to support computing devices releasably mounted therein;   a configuration bar disposed in a rear portion of the frame, the configuration bar having a first coupling assembly and a second coupling assembly;   a first computing device releasably mounted within the frame such that a third coupling assembly disposed on the first computing device is releasably coupled to the first coupling assembly, an electrical connection being established between the first coupling assembly and the third coupling assembly;   a second computing device releasably mounted within the frame such that a fourth coupling assembly disposed on the second computing device is releasably coupled to the second coupling assembly, an electrical connection being established between the second coupling assembly and the fourth coupling assembly;   a first profile storage that stores first management information about the first computing device, wherein the first management information includes first device component control algorithms for controlling device components associated with the first computing device;   a second profile storage that stores second management information about the second computing device, wherein the second management information includes second device component control algorithms for controlling device components associated with the second computing device; and   a rack management controller (RMC) communicatively coupled with the first and second computing devices, the RMC configured to:
 retrieve the first and second management information; 
 store the retrieved first and second management information in a management table; and 
 perform management tasks associated with the first computing device based on the management information including the first device component control algorithms stored in the management table. 
   
     
     
         42 . The rack management system of  claim 41 , wherein the management table associates the first computing device with a physical location within the frame. 
     
     
         43 . The rack management system of  claim 41 , wherein the RMC is further configured to perform management tasks associated with the second computing device based on the management information including the second device component control algorithms stored in the management table. 
     
     
         44 . The rack management system of  claim 43 , wherein the RMC is further configured to perform management tasks associated with the first computing device using one of information obtained from device components associated with the first computing device, information obtained from device components associated with the second computing device, information obtained from device components associated with both the first and second computing devices. 
     
     
         45 . The rack management system of  claim 44 , wherein the physical location of the first computing device is discoverable based upon the coupling of the first and third coupling assemblies, and wherein the physical location of the second computing device is discoverable based upon the coupling of the second and fourth coupling assemblies. 
     
     
         46 . The rack management system of  claim 45 , wherein the management tasks associated with the first computing device vary according to the relationship of the physical location of the first computing device and the physical location of the second computing device. 
     
     
         47 . The rack management system of  claim 45 , wherein the management tasks associated with the first computing device reduce thermal load associated with the second computing device.