Modular data center

Abstract

Provided is a modular datacenter having a moveable rack assembly configured to selectively provide access to rack-mounted computing devices, with access barriers selectively providing access to rack-mounted computing devices within an exposed rack or portion of a rack or device mounted thereon, safety interlocks controlling when the rack assembly moves, and space-efficient thermal management systems.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An apparatus, comprising:
 a modular datacenter, comprising:
 a rack configured to hold rack-mounted computing equipment; 
 a heat pump coupled to the modular datacenter and configured to reject waste heat from the rack-mounted computing equipment; 
 an integrated building and rack management system controller comprising one or more processors and memory storing instructions that when executed by at least some of the processors effectuate operations comprising:
 receiving a first signal indicative of a current or future computing load of the rack-mounted computing equipment; and 
 in response to the first signal, adjusting an amount of work done by the heat pump to reject waste heat; and 
 
 one or more networks communicatively coupling the integrated building and rack management system controller to the heat pump, 
   wherein the integrated building and rack management system controller is configured to control environmental parameters of the modular data center in response to the current or future computing load of the rack-mounted computing equipment and to control the current or future computing load of the rack-mounted computing equipment in response to at least some of the environmental parameters.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , comprising:
 a fire-suppression system configured to suppress fires within the rack-mounted computing equipment and communicatively coupled to the integrated building and rack management system controller, wherein the operations comprise:
 receiving a second signal from the fire-suppression system indicative of a fire within the modular datacenter; and 
 in response to the second signal, actuating the fire suppression system. 
   
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , comprising:
 a blower or fan configured to circulate air between the heat pump and the rack-mounted computing equipment, wherein the operations comprise:
 in response to the second signal, instructing the blower or fan to reduce or stop circulating air between the heat pump and the rack-mounted computing equipment. 
   
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the operations comprise:
 sending a request over the Internet to transfer at least a portion of the computing load to another data center in response to the second signal.   
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , comprising:
 a blower or fan configured to circulate air between the heat pump and the rack-mounted computing equipment, wherein the operations comprise:
 in response to the first signal, instructing the blower or fan to increase a flow rate of air circulated between the heat pump and the rack-mounted computing equipment. 
   
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , where the one or more networks comprise:
 an in-band network by which inputs of the computing load are received and outputs of the computing load are sent; and   an out-of-band network by which the rack-mounted computing equipment is remotely managed and monitored by the integrated building and rack management system controller, wherein managing includes configuring a Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI) or Basic Input/Output System (BIOS) setting and monitoring includes sensing a temperature of a central processing unit (CPU) of one of the rack-mounted computing devices.   
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the out-of-band network comprises a direct-current (DC) power network through which both DC power and control signals are distributed to the rack-mounted computing devices, and wherein the rack comprises blind-mate connections between the DC power network and the rack mounted computing devices. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , comprising:
 a set of sensors configured to measure and report to the integrated building and rack management system controller signals indicative of at least four of the following:
 cooling fluid flow rate; 
 cooling fluid temperature before flowing past rack-mounted computing equipment; 
 cooling fluid temperature after flowing past rack-mounted computing equipment; 
 humidity; 
 temperature; 
 pressure; 
 vibrations; 
 airborne particulates; 
 the presence of a person in the modular datacenter; 
 a person requesting access to the modular datacenter a fluid leak; or fire. 
   
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , comprising:
 a set of actuators configured to modulate, at the instruction of the integrated building and rack management system controller, at least three of the following parameters of the modular datacenter:
 an amount of lighting; 
 an amount of humification; 
 an amount of dehumidification; 
 a state of a lock as unlocked or locked; 
 chemical release of a fire suppression system; 
 an amount of cooling; or 
 an amount of airflow. 
   
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , comprising:
 a set of sensors configured to measure and report to the integrated building and rack management system controller signals indicative of each of the following:
 cooling fluid flow rate; 
 cooling fluid temperature before flowing past rack-mounted computing equipment; 
 cooling fluid temperature after flowing past rack-mounted computing equipment; 
 humidity; 
 temperature; 
 pressure; 
 vibrations; 
 airborne particulates; 
 the presence of a person in the modular datacenter; 
 a person requesting access to the modular datacenter; 
 a fluid leak; and 
 and fire; and 
   a set of actuators configured to modulate, at the instruction of the integrated building and rack management system controller, each of the following parameters of the modular datacenter:
 an amount of lighting; 
 an amount of humification; 
 an amount of dehumidification; 
 a state of a lock as unlocked or locked; 
 chemical release of a fire suppression system; 
 an amount of cooling; and 
 an amount of airflow. 
   
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , comprising:
 an actuator configured to drive movement of the rack relative to the modular data center at the instruction of the integrated building and rack management system controller.   
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the operations comprise:
 steps for calibrating a position of the rack.   
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the operations comprise:
 receiving a second signal requesting access to the rack;   receiving a third signal indicative of a user requesting access to the rack presenting a security credential demonstrating that the request is authorized; and   in response to the second and third signals collectively, changing a target state of the actuator to cause the actuator to move the rack from an inaccessible position in the modular data center to an accessible position in the modular data center.   
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , comprising:
 means for adjusting an aperture size by which access is selectively granted to the rack.   
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , the operations comprising:
 sensing an external ambient temperature of an environment of the modular data center; and   causing a workload of the modular datacenter to be adjusted responsive to the external ambient temperature.   
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , the operations comprising:
 sensing an external ambient temperature and an external ambient humidity of the modular datacenter; and   shifting a heat rejection load between a refrigeration-cycle cooler and an evaporative cooler responsive to the external ambient temperature and the external ambient humidity of the modular datacenter.   
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , the operations comprising:
 changing a lock state of an electronic lock of a locker door by which access is selectively granted to a subset of space to hold the rack-mounted computing devices the rack.   
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the modular data center is configured and sized to be transported on a truck from a factory where the modular data center is assembled to an installation site.   
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 18 , comprising:
 a cellular tower coupled to the modular data center at the installation site.   
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , comprising:
 a drone mount on the modular data center; or   a solar panel on the modular data center.