Disk power manager for network servers

Share
Save
Discuss
Claim

Share On Facebook Share On Twitter Share By Email
Save Item
Save Item
Add to
my lists

Filing Information

  • Patent Number: US5666538
  • Application Number: US8475567
  • Filing date: 06/07/1995
  • Issue date: 09/09/1997
  • Predicted expiration date: 06/07/2015
Explore Your Innovation Network™ for an introduction to:

Innovation Network Your First Name:
 Last Name:
  
Already a member? Sign In
  • U.S. Classifications: 395/750.03  · 395/200.47  ·
  • International Classifications: G06F 1300 ·
  • International Classifications: 395750 ·
  • View document at: (opens new window):
    USPTO  ·  PAIR  ·  esp@cenet  ·  Patent Family
    * Related patent documents may or may not exist on these sites
13 Claims, No Drawings


Abstract

A computer network includes a network server in communication with a plurality of user terminals. The network server includes disk drives which store data accessible via the user terminals. To increase power efficiency of the network server, the number of accesses to the disk drives is monitored and a histogram is generated to display the distribution of disk accesses over time. A network administrator subsequently selects time intervals to spin down one or more of the disk drives during periods of disk inactivity as depicted in the histogram. In a preferred embodiment, the network administrator uses the histogram for failure analysis to determine which disks are more likely to fail over long time periods.

References Cited

U.S. Patent Documents

Document NumberAssigneesInventorsIssue/Pub Date
US5345564 Zilog, Inc. Jensen et al. Sep 1994
US5483468 International Business Machines Corporation Chen et al. Jan 1996
US5517649 Maxtor Corporation McLean May 1996
US5535400 Compaq Computer Corporation Belmont Jul 1996
US5535401 International Business Machines Corporation Rawson, III et al. Jul 1996

Referenced By

Document NumberAssigneeInventorsIssue/Pub Date
US6523131Micron Technology, Inc.Bruce Findlay et al.Feb 2003
US7281088Hitachi, Ltd.Takashi Yamazaki et al.Oct 2007
US7401198NetAppCraig Anthony Johnston et al.Jul 2008
US7558976Huron IP LLCHenry T. FungJul 2009
US7567993Netapp, Inc.Don Alvin Trimmer et al.Jul 2009
US7567665ADC DSL Systems, Inc.Dieter H. Nattkemper et al.Jul 2009
US7581118Netapp, Inc.William P. McGovernAug 2009
US6170067Micron Technology, Inc.Ji-hwan Liu et al.Jan 2001
US6145098Micron Electronics, Inc.Ahmad Nouri et al.Nov 2000
US6154835Micron Electronics, Inc.Michael Chrabaszcz et al.Nov 2000
US6553408Dell Products L.P.Alan Merrell et al.Apr 2003
US7340051ADC DSL Systems, Inc.Melvin Richard Phillips et al.Mar 2008
US7373559Copan Systems, Inc.Aloke GuhaMay 2008
US7484111Huron IP LLCHenry T. FungJan 2009
US7552350Huron IP LLCHenry T. FungJun 2009
US7562239Huron IP LLCHenry T. FungJul 2009
US6253334Micron Electronics, Inc.Carlton G. Amdahl et al.Jun 2001
US6192434Micron Electronics, INCWalter August Wallach et al.Feb 2001
US6178529Microsoft CorporationRobert T. Short et al.Jan 2001
US6484226Micron Technology, Inc.Walter August Wallach et al.Nov 2002
US6282673Micron Technology, Inc.Ji-hwan Liu et al.Aug 2001
US7023642Hitachi, Ltd.Hiroshi Suzuki et al.Apr 2006
US7321976Fujitsu LimitedToshitaka HasegawaJan 2008
US7433165ADC DSL Systems, Inc.Michael Carter et al.Oct 2008
US7461278Fujitsu LimitedYoshifusa TogawaDec 2008
US7559088NETAPP, Inc.Gavin David Cohen et al.Jul 2009
EP1502417ADC DSL Systems, Inc.Dieter NATTKEMPER et al.Jun 2007
US7487009Netapp, Inc.Don Alvin Trimmer et al.Feb 2009
US6163849Micron Electronics, Inc.Ahmad Nouri et al.Dec 2000
US6249828Micron Electronics, Inc.Walter August Wallach et al.Jun 2001
US6134673Micron Electronics, Inc.Michael ChrabaszczOct 2000
US6332202Micron Technology, Inc.Tahir Q. Sheikh et al.Dec 2001
US6449734Microsoft CorporationSunita Shrivastava et al.Sep 2002
US6697963Micron Technology, Inc.Ahmad Nouri et al.Feb 2004
US6967585ADC DSL Systems, Inc.Charles Weston Lomax, Jr. et al.Nov 2005
US7263570Micron Technology, Inc.Stephen E. J. Papa et al.Aug 2007
US6122758Micron Electronics, Inc.Karl S. Johnson et al.Sep 2000
US6170028Micron Electronics, Inc.Walter August Wallach et al.Jan 2001
US6247898Micron Electronics, Inc.Michael G. Henderson et al.Jun 2001
US6212585Micron Electronics, Inc.Michael ChrabaszczApr 2001
US6263387Micron Electronics, Inc.Michael ChrabaszczJul 2001
US6195717Micron Electronics, Inc.Michael G. Henderson et al.Feb 2001
US6499073Micron Electronics, Inc.Walter A. Wallach et al.Dec 2002
US6895526Micron Technology, Inc.Bruce Findlay et al.May 2005
US7404035Hitachi, Ltd.Tomoya Anzai et al.Jul 2008
US7490103NetApp, Inc.Roger Keith Stager et al.Feb 2009
US7590779Microsoft CorporationGregory A. Martinez et al.Sep 2009
US5961613AST Research, Inc.Richard M. DeNicolaOct 1999
US6065125Texas Instruments IncorporatedJonathan H. Shiell et al.May 2000
US6175490Micron Electronics, Inc.Stephen E. J. Papa et al.Jan 2001
US6189109Micron Electronics, Inc.Tahir Q. Sheikh et al.Feb 2001
US6243825Microsoft CorporationRod Gamache et al.Jun 2001
US6418492Micron ElectronicsStephen E. J. Papa et al.Jul 2002
US6715088Fujitsu LimitedYoshifusa TogawaMar 2004
US7065600Micron Technology, Inc.Stephen E. J. Papa et al.Jun 2006
US7426617Network Appliance, Inc.Roger Keith Stager et al.Sep 2008
US7451343Micron Technology, Inc.Bruce Findlay et al.Nov 2008
US7434090Copan System, Inc.Steve Fredrick Hartung et al.Oct 2008
US5797022International Business Machines CorporationSusumu Shimotono et al.Aug 1998
US6163825Micron Electronics, Inc.Walter August Wallach et al.Dec 2000
US6138250Micron Electronics, Inc.Ahmad Nouri et al.Oct 2000
US6148355Micron Electronics, Inc.Mallikarjunan MahalingamNov 2000
US6179486Micron Electronics, Inc.Walter August Wallach et al.Jan 2001
US6266721Micron Electronics, Inc.Tahir Q. Sheikh et al.Jul 2001
US6701453Micron Technology, Inc.Michael ChrabaszczMar 2004
US6973369Alacritus, Inc.Don Alvin Trimmer et al.Dec 2005
US7069466Alacritus, Inc.Don Alvin Trimmer et al.Jun 2006
US7406488NetAppRoger Keith Stager et al.Jul 2008
US7526620Netapp, Inc.William P. McGovernApr 2009
US7558839Netapp, Inc.William P. McGovernJul 2009
US5819030Microsoft CorporationJohn Yun-Kuang Chen et al.Oct 1998
US5987554Micron Electronics, Inc.Ji-hwan Liu et al.Nov 1999
US6249834Micron Technology, Inc.Michael G. Henderson et al.Jun 2001
US6134668Micron Electronics, Inc.Tahir Q. Sheikh et al.Oct 2000
US6202160Micron Electronics, Inc.Tahir Q. Sheikh et al.Mar 2001
US6173346Micron Electronics, Inc.Walter August Wallach et al.Jan 2001
US6269417Micron Technology, Inc.Mallikarjunan MahalingamJul 2001
US6292905Micron Technology, Inc.Walter A. Wallach et al.Sep 2001
US6625636International Business Machines CorporationJoseph Francis SkoviraSep 2003
US6526333Micron Technology, Inc.Michael G. Henderson et al.Feb 2003
US6742069Micron Technology, Inc.Stephen E. J. Papa et al.May 2004
US7552364Micron Technology, Inc.Karl S. Johnson et al.Jun 2009
US7599484ADC DSL Systems, Inc.Dieter H. NattkemperOct 2009
US6065053Micron Electronics, Inc.Ahmad Nouri et al.May 2000
US6249885Karl S. Johnson et al.Jun 2001
US6219734Micron Electronics, Inc.Walter August Wallach et al.Apr 2001
US6324608Micron ElectronicsStephen E. J. Papa et al.Nov 2001
US6604207Micron Technology, Inc.Tahir Q. Sheikh et al.Aug 2003
US7116507Hitachi, Ltd.Hiroshi Suzuki et al.Oct 2006
US7210005COPAN Systems, Inc.Aloke Guha et al.Apr 2007
US7325159Network Appliance, Inc.Roger Keith Stager et al.Jan 2008
US7437492Netapp, IncRoger Stager et al.Oct 2008
US7444550Micron Technology, Inc.Bruce Findlay et al.Oct 2008
US7380060Copan Systems, Inc.Aloke Guha et al.May 2008
US7512822Huron IP LLCHenry T. FungMar 2009
US7315965Network Appliance, Inc.Roger Keith Stager et al.Jan 2008
US6122746Micron Electronics, Inc.Ahmad Nouri et al.Sep 2000
US6138179Micron Electronics, Inc.Michael Chrabaszcz et al.Oct 2000
US6182180Micron Electronics, Inc.Ji-hwan Liu et al.Jan 2001
US6330690Micron Electronics, Inc.Ahmad Nouri et al.Dec 2001

Patent Family

Document NumberAssigneeInventorsIssue/Pub Date
US5666538AST Research, Inc.Richard M. DeNicolaSep 1997
US5961613AST Research, Inc.Richard M. DeNicolaOct 1999

Read Patent

Read patent

View Drawings


Independent Claims | See all claims (13)

  1. 1. A computer network which provides for increased power efficiency during selected time intervals, said network comprising:a plurality of user terminals;a network server in communication with said plurality of user terminals to transmit data to said user terminals and to receive data from said user terminals, said network server comprising:a processor which executes commands contained in a network operating system and an application module; anda plurality of data storage disk drives in communication with said processor, one or more of said disk drives being independently spun-down to conserve power for predetermined intervals in response to commands issued by said application module in response to commands issued by said network operating system executed by said processor, said predetermined intervals being chosen to correspond to time intervals when said one or more of said disk drives have a reduced probability of being accessed, thereby minimizing the impact on the operation of said network server.
  2. 5. A network server which provides for increased power efficiency during selected time intervals, said network server comprising:a processor which executes commands contained in a network operating system and an application module; anda plurality of data storage disk drives in communication with said processor, one or more of said disk drives being independently spun-down to conserve power for predetermined intervals in response to commands issued by said application module in response to commands issued by said network operating system executed by said processor, said predetermined intervals being chosen to correspond to time intervals when said one or more of said disk drives have a reduced probability of being accessed, thereby minimizing the impact on the operation of said network server.
  3. 6. A method of managing disk drive power within a network server having a processor which executes commands contained in a plurality of application modules, said network server having a plurality of disk drives responsive to said commands executed by said processor, said method comprising the steps of:loading a device driver application module to be executed by said processor;loading a monitoring application module to be executed by said processor;loading a console application module to be executed by said processor;monitoring accesses to each individual disk drive by said monitoring application module to generate a statistical record of said accesses for each individual disk drive;inputting data relating to spin-up and spin-down of said disk drives via said console application module based upon said statistical record of said access to said disk drives; andcontrolling spin-ups and spin-downs of said disk drives to reduce power consumption of said disk drives via commands executed by said processor to said device driver module based upon said input data, said commands based upon the time of day and day of the week.
  4. 9. A method of managing disk drive power within a network server having a processor which executes commands, said network server having a plurality of disk drives responsive to said commands executed by said processor, said disk drives being accessible from a plurality of user terminals, said method comprising the steps of:monitoring accesses to said disk drives;tabulating a number of accesses to said disk drives within a selected time interval to establish a statistical record; andcontrolling power supplied to said disk drives in response to commands executed by said processor based upon said statistical record such that said disk drives are independently spun-up and spun-down without substantially affecting an availability of said disk drives having a statistically significant probability of being accessed by said network server at a point in time.