Systems and methods for sensing, recording, analyzing and reporting environmental conditions in data centers and similar facilities

Abstract

The present disclosure pertains to utilizing hardware and software to control and record environmental and other data obtained from sensors and other devices, placed throughout a facility, and analyzing and displaying the information in a detailed status report of the environmental conditions inside facility, and once analyzed, the software can provide recommendations to implement measures that increase the efficiency of the facility.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system, comprising:
 a sensor system configured to mount to a server rack within a data center, the sensor system comprising a sensor configured to measure data within the data center; and   a computing system configured to receive the data, the computing system comprising:
 processing circuitry, and 
 memory circuitry comprising machine readable instructions which, when executed, cause the processing circuitry to:
 determine a position of the sensor within the data center, 
 determine an efficiency indicator based on the data measured by the sensor and the position of the sensor, 
 determine whether there is an inefficiency within the data center based on the efficiency indicator, and 
 in response to determining there is an inefficiency, recommend a solution to the inefficiency. 
 
   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the sensor comprises a first sensor,   the sensor system further comprises a second sensor configured to measure data within the data center,   the position of the first sensor comprises a first position,   the memory circuitry comprises machine readable instructions which, when executed, further cause the processing circuitry to determine a second position of the second sensor within the data center, and   the efficiency indicator is determined based on the data measured by the first and second sensors, as well as the first position of the first sensor, and the second position of the second sensor.   
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the position of the sensor is determined using position data obtained via a local positioning system or a relative positioning system of the data center. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the data comprises thermal data, humidity data, or pressure data. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the efficiency indicator comprises a hot spot, an airflow direction, an airflow magnitude, a horizontal temperature gradient, a vertical temperature gradient, or a server rack utilization. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the inefficiency comprises a temperature above a maximum temperature threshold, a reversed air flow, a horizontal temperature gradient below a low delta threshold, a reversed horizontal temperature gradient, a vertical temperature gradient above a high delta threshold, or a reversed vertical temperature gradient. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein recommending the solution comprises generating a diagram showing a location of a server rack or cooling component within the data center that is impacted by the inefficiency or that will be impacted by the solution, generating a cost saving analysis that includes the solution, or generating a work order to implement the solution. 
     
     
         8 . A method of determining inefficiencies in a data center, comprising:
 measuring data within the data center via a sensor of a sensor system configured to mount to a server rack;   determining a position of the sensor within the data center;   determining an efficiency indicator based on the data measured by the sensor and the position of the sensor;   determining whether there is an inefficiency within the data center based on the efficiency indicator; and   in response to determining there is an inefficiency, recommending a solution to the inefficiency.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein:
 the sensor comprises a first sensor,   the data is measured via the first sensor and a second sensor of the server rack sensor system,   the position comprises a first position,   the method further comprises determining a second position of the second sensor within the data center, and   the efficiency indicator is determined based on the first position and second position, as well as the data measured by the first sensor and second sensor.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein determining the position of the sensor comprises determining the position via a local positioning system or a relative positioning system of the data center. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the data comprises thermal data, humidity data, or pressure data. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the efficiency indicator comprises a hot spot, an airflow direction, a change in temperature, or a temperature gradient. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the inefficiency comprises a temperature above a temperature threshold, a reverse air flow, a change in temperature above a high delta threshold, a change in temperature below a low delta threshold, a temperature gradient above a gradient threshold, or a reversed temperature gradient. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the solution comprises a reconfiguration of a server mounted in the server rack, a consolidation of a processing load to fewer server racks, a disbursement of the processing load to more server racks, an installation of a blanking panel in the server rack, an installation of a containment solution around the server rack, a modification of an air supply medium, or a cooling system configuration change. 
     
     
         15 . A non-transitory machine readable medium, comprising machine readable instructions which, when executed by a processor:
 determine a position of a sensor within a data center, the sensor being part of a sensor system mounted to a server rack within the data center, the sensor being configured to measure data within the data center;   determine an efficiency indicator based on the data measured by the sensor and the position of the sensor;   determine whether there is an inefficiency within the data center based on the efficiency indicator; and   in response to determining there is an inefficiency, recommend a solution to the inefficiency.   
     
     
         16 . The non-transitory machine readable medium of  claim 15 , wherein the position of the sensor is determined using position data obtained via a local positioning system or a relative positioning system of the data center. 
     
     
         17 . The non-transitory machine readable medium of  claim 15 , wherein the data comprises thermal data, humidity data, or pressure data. 
     
     
         18 . The non-transitory machine readable medium of  claim 15 , wherein the efficiency indicator comprises a hot spot, an airflow direction, a change in temperature, or a temperature gradient. 
     
     
         19 . The non-transitory machine readable medium of  claim 15 , wherein the inefficiency comprises an temperature above a temperature threshold, a reverse air flow, a change in temperature above a high delta threshold, a change in temperature below a low delta threshold, a temperature gradient above a gradient threshold, or a reversed temperature gradient. 
     
     
         20 . The non-transitory machine readable medium of  claim 15 , wherein the solution comprises a reconfiguration of a server mounted in the server rack, a consolidation of a processing load to fewer server racks, a disbursement of the processing load to more server racks, an installation of a blanking panel in the server rack, an installation of a containment solution around the server rack, a modification of an air supply medium, or a cooling system configuration change.