Automated data center maintenance

Abstract

Techniques for automated data center maintenance are described. In an example embodiment, an automated maintenance device may comprise processing circuitry and non-transitory computer-readable storage media comprising instructions for execution by the processing circuitry to cause the automated maintenance device to receive an automation command from an automation coordinator for a data center, identify an automated maintenance procedure based on the received automation command, and perform the identified automated maintenance procedure. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An automated maintenance device, comprising:
 processing circuitry; and   non-transitory computer-readable storage media comprising instructions for execution by the processing circuitry to cause the automated maintenance device to:
 receive an automation command from an automation coordinator for a data center; 
 identify an automated maintenance procedure based on the received automation command; and 
 perform the identified automated maintenance procedure in the data center. 
   
     
     
         2 . The automated maintenance device of  claim 1 , the automated maintenance procedure to comprise replacing a compute sled in the data center. 
     
     
         3 . The automated maintenance device of  claim 2 , the automated maintenance procedure to comprise:
 removing the compute sled from a sled space within a rack;   removing a memory card from a connector slot of the compute sled, the memory card to store a compute state of the compute sled;   inserting the memory card into a connector slot of a replacement compute sled;   inserting the replacement compute sled into the sled space; and   initiating a restoration of the stored compute state on the replacement compute sled.   
     
     
         4 . The automated maintenance device of  claim 1 , the automated maintenance procedure to comprise replacing one or more cache memory modules of a processor on a sled. 
     
     
         5 . The automated maintenance device of  claim 4 , the automated maintenance procedure to comprise:
 removing the processor from a socket to facilitate access to one or more cache memory modules underlying the processor;   removing the one or cache memory modules;   inserting one or more replacement cache memory modules; and   reinserting the processor into the socket.   
     
     
         6 . The automated maintenance device of  claim 5 , the automated maintenance procedure to comprise:
 removing a heat sink from atop the processor prior to removing the processor from the socket; and   reinstalling the heat sink after reinserting the processor into the socket.   
     
     
         7 . The automated maintenance device of  claim 1 , comprising a radio frequency (RF) interface to receive a wireless signal comprising the automation command. 
     
     
         8 . An apparatus for coordination of automated data center maintenance, comprising:
 processing circuitry; and   non-transitory computer-readable storage media comprising instructions for execution by the processing circuitry to:
 identify a maintenance task to be performed in a data center; 
 determine to initiate automated performance of the maintenance task; 
 select an automated maintenance device to which to assign the maintenance task; and 
 send an automation command to cause the automated maintenance device to perform an automated maintenance procedure associated with the maintenance task. 
   
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , the non-transitory computer-readable storage media comprising instructions for execution by the processing circuitry to identify the maintenance task based on telemetry data associated with one or more physical resources of the data center. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , the non-transitory computer-readable storage media comprising instructions for execution by the processing circuitry to identify the maintenance task based on environmental data received from one or more automated maintenance devices of the data center. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , the non-transitory computer-readable storage media comprising instructions for execution by the processing circuitry to add the maintenance task to a pending task queue following identification of the maintenance task. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , the non-transitory computer-readable storage media comprising instructions for execution by the processing circuitry to determine to initiate automated performance of the maintenance task based on a determination that the maintenance task constitutes a highest priority task among one or more maintenance tasks comprised in the pending task queue. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , the non-transitory computer-readable storage media comprising instructions for execution by the processing circuitry to select the automated maintenance device from among one or more automated maintenance devices in a candidate device pool. 
     
     
         14 . A method for automated data center maintenance, comprising:
 receiving, at an automated maintenance device, an automation command from an automation coordinator for a data center;   identifying, by processing circuitry of the automated maintenance device, an automated maintenance procedure based on the received automation command; and   performing the identified automated maintenance procedure in the data center.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , the automated maintenance procedure to comprise replacing a compute sled in the data center. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , the automated maintenance procedure to comprise:
 removing the compute sled from a sled space within a rack;   removing a memory card from a connector slot of the compute sled, the memory card to store a compute state of the compute sled;   inserting the memory card into a connector slot of a replacement compute sled;   inserting the replacement compute sled into the sled space; and   initiating a restoration of the stored compute state on the replacement compute sled.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 14 , the automated maintenance procedure to comprise replacing one or more cache memory modules of a processor on a sled. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , the automated maintenance procedure to comprise:
 removing the processor from a socket to facilitate access to one or more cache memory modules underlying the processor;   removing the one or cache memory modules;   inserting one or more replacement cache memory modules; and   reinserting the processor into the socket.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , the automated maintenance procedure to comprise:
 removing a heat sink from atop the processor prior to removing the processor from the socket; and   reinstalling the heat sink after reinserting the processor into the socket.   
     
     
         20 . At least one non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising a set of instructions that, when executed by an automation coordinator for a data center, cause the automation coordinator to:
 identify a maintenance task to be performed in a data center;   determine to initiate automated performance of the maintenance task;   select an automated maintenance device to which to assign the maintenance task; and   send an automation command to cause the automated maintenance device to perform an automated maintenance procedure associated with the maintenance task.   
     
     
         21 . The at least one non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 20 , comprising instructions that, when executed by the automation coordinator, cause the automation coordinator to identify the maintenance task based on telemetry data associated with one or more physical resources of the data center. 
     
     
         22 . The at least one non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 20 , comprising instructions that, when executed by the automation coordinator, cause the automation coordinator to identify the maintenance task based on environmental data received from one or more automated maintenance devices of the data center. 
     
     
         23 . The at least one non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 20 , comprising instructions that, when executed by the automation coordinator, cause the automation coordinator to add the maintenance task to a pending task queue following identification of the maintenance task. 
     
     
         24 . The at least one non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 23 , comprising instructions that, when executed by the automation coordinator, cause the automation coordinator to determine to initiate automated performance of the maintenance task based on a determination that the maintenance task constitutes a highest priority task among one or more maintenance tasks comprised in the pending task queue. 
     
     
         25 . The at least one non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 24 , comprising instructions that, when executed by the automation coordinator, cause the automation coordinator to select the automated maintenance device from among one or more automated maintenance devices in a candidate device pool.