초록 ▼

An object of the present invention is to provide a management technique for managing power supply modules. In multiple computer equipment 100, in response to a load state, if an operation system 1101 issues a command that changes a processor state of a processor 1021 to a sleep state, a management m

An object of the present invention is to provide a management technique for managing power supply modules. In multiple computer equipment 100, in response to a load state, if an operation system 1101 issues a command that changes a processor state of a processor 1021 to a sleep state, a management module 107 is notified through a management network MI that the processor state has changed. The management module 107 holds a system information 108, and performs the steps of: updating system information 108 because the processor state has changed; from this system information 108, calculating the power consumption required for the multiple computer equipment 100; determining the number of required AC-DC power supply modules 1061, 1062, . . . to be operated; and changing the number of operating AC-DC power supply modules 1061, 1062, . . . by use of a control interface PA.

대표청구항 ▼

What is claimed is: 1. Multiple computer equipment comprising: at least one CPU module comprising a processor, and a DC-DC power supply for supplying power to the processor; AC-DC power supply modules each being connected to a corresponding one of the CPU modules, each of said AC-DC power supply mo

What is claimed is: 1. Multiple computer equipment comprising: at least one CPU module comprising a processor, and a DC-DC power supply for supplying power to the processor; AC-DC power supply modules each being connected to a corresponding one of the CPU modules, each of said AC-DC power supply modules comprising an AC-DC power supply unit for supplying a required amount of power to the DC-DC power supply in response to an operation state of the processor; a CPU module controller included in the CPU module, said CPU module controller controlling power supply even when the processor is not operating, said CPU module controller being connected to the AC-DC power supply modules through a power supply control interface so as to control the output of the AC-DC power supply modules; and a management module which is connected to the CPU module controller through a management interface so as to control the power supply of the CPU module; wherein said management module: holds system information including status information of the processor, operation information of the CPU module, and power consumption information provided on a processor kind basis; on the basis of the system information, calculates power consumption required for each of the CPU modules; calculates the number of operating AC-DC power supply modules required to ensure the calculated power consumption; and on the basis of the result of the calculation, determines the number of AC-DC power supply modules to be operated. 2. The multiple computer equipment according to claim 1, wherein: said CPU module controller notifies the management module that a state of the processor has changed; and on the basis of the notification, said management module updates system information held in the management module; on the basis of the updated system information, said management module calculates the number of AC-DC power supply modules to be operated; and on the basis of the result of the calculation, said management module determines the number of AC-DC power supply modules to be operated. 3. The multiple computer equipment according to claim 1, wherein: said power consumption information provided on a processor basis includes a normal operation state, a sleep state (high-speed return), a sleep state (low-speed return), and a stop state; and the capacity of the power supply required for each of the states is determined on the basis of ON/OFF switching operation speed of the AC-DC power supply modules. 4. The multiple computer equipment according to claim 1, wherein: from the power consumption required for each of the CPU modules, which is calculated on the basis of the system information, said management module judges whether or not a required external power supply unit can be operated, and on the basis of the result of the judgment, said management module controls the operation of the external power supply unit. 5. Multiple computer equipment comprising: at least one AC-DC power supply module comprising an AC-DC power supply unit, said AC-DC power supply module supplying electric power to each equipment; a CPU module comprising: at least one processor; a DC-DC power supply for DC-DC converting electric power supplied from the AC-DC power supply module; and a CPU module controller for controlling the power supply even when the processor is not operating, said CPU module controller being connected to the AC-DC-power supply module through a power supply control interface so as to control the output of the AC-DC power supply module; a management module which is connected through a management interface so as to control the power supply of the CPU module; and an operation system and system firmware, both of which operate on a CPU module basis when the power supply of the CPU module is turned ON, wherein: if said processor has a sleep state, said processor has either at least one state as a sleep state of the processor, or at least one state as a system sleep state provided on a CPU module basis; if a state of the processor changes from a normal operation state to a sleep state, said CPU module controller comprises: a timer function of keeping the processor state in the sleep state for a fixed period of time by a command for making a transition to the sleep state, said command being issued from the system firmware; and a function of notifying the management module that the processor state has changed; if the processor state changes from the sleep state to the normal operation state, said CPU module controller comprises: a function of, on completion of the timer function, notifying the management module that the processor state has changed; and a function of, on receipt of a notification from the management module that settings of the AC-DC power supply module have been completed, sending the processor an interrupt request to return from the sleep state to the normal operation state; said management module comprises, as system information, CPU module operation information including: CPU module power ON or OFF; a normal operation state and a sleep state of a system of the CPU module; and information about a kind of included processor; as processor information, said management module comprises: processor state information including a normal operation state and a sleep state of a processor in the CPU module; and processor power-consumption information that is required for each state on a processor kind basis; and if the processor state changes from the normal operation state to the sleep state, or if the processor state changes from the sleep state to the normal operation state, said management module comprises: a control function of: on receipt of a notification from the CPU module controller that the processor state has changed, calculating the power consumption required for the whole multiple computer equipment from the CPU module operation information, the processor state information, and the processor power-consumption information; on the basis of the power consumption, calculating the number of AC-DC power supply modules to be operated; and if it is necessary to change the number of AC-DC power supply modules that are operating, changing the number of operating AC-DC power supply modules that are operating; and a notification function of notifying the CPU module controller of the completion of settings, said completion of settings indicating that the AC-DC power supply modules are stably operating. 6. The multiple computer equipment according to claim 5, wherein: in the case of having the sleep state of the system, if the system state changes from the normal operation state to the sleep state, said CPU module controller comprises: a function of notifying the management module that the processor state has been changed by a transition command for making the transition to the sleep state, said transition command being issued from the system firmware; if the system state changes from the sleep state to the normal operation state, said CPU module controller comprises: a function of starting up the CPU module on receipt of a startup request to start up the CPU module, said startup request being issued from the management module; if the system state changes from the normal operation state to the sleep state, said management module comprises: a control function of: on the receipt of a notification from the CPU module controller that the system state has changed, calculating the power consumption required for the whole multiple computer equipment from the CPU module operation information, the processor state information, and the processor power-consumption information; on the basis of the power consumption, calculating the number of AC-DC power-supply modules to be operated; and if it is necessary to change the number of AC-DC power supply modules that are operating, changing the number of AC-DC power supply modules that are operating; and if the system state changes from the sleep state to the normal operation state, said management module comprises: a function of receiving a power-on request to power on the CPU module; a control function of: calculating the power consumption required for the whole multiple computer equipment from the CPU module operation information, the processor state information, and the processor power-consumption information; on the basis of the power consumption, calculating the number of AC-DC power supply modules to be operated; and if it is necessary to change the number of AC-DC power supply modules that are operating, changing the number of AC-DC power supply modules that are operating; and a function of sending the CPU module controller the startup request to start up the CPU module. 7. The multiple computer equipment according to claim 5, wherein: if a processor included in the CPU module has two or more processor cores, as the processor state information, said management module includes: a normal operation state, and a sleep state, for each core of a processor included in the CPU module; and a normal operation state, and a sleep state, of a system of the CPU module; and said management module includes a control function of: on the basis of said information, when a transition is made from the normal operation state of the processor to the sleep state, calculating the power consumption required for the whole multiple computer equipment; on the basis of the power consumption, calculating the number of AC-DC power supply modules to be operated; and if it is necessary to change the number of AC-DC power supply modules that are operating, changing the number of AC-DC power supply modules that are operating. 8. The multiple computer equipment according to claim 5, wherein: on the basis of the calculated power consumption required for the whole multiple computer equipment, said management module judges whether or not a required external power supply unit can be operated, and on the basis of the result of the judgment, said management module controls the operation of the external power supply unit. 9. A management method of multiple computer equipment, said multiple computer equipment comprising: at least one AC-DC power supply module for supplying electric power to the whole equipment; a CPU module comprising: at least one processor; a DC-DC power supply for DC-DC converting the electric power supplied from the AC-DC power supply module; and a CPU module controller for controlling the power supply even when the processor is not operating, said CPU module controller being connected to the AC-DC power supply module through a power supply control interface so as to control the output of the AC-DC power supply module; a management module which is connected through a management interface so as to control the power supply of the CPU module; and an operation system and system firmware, both of which operate on a CPU module basis when the power supply of the CPU module is turned ON, wherein: if said processor has a sleep state, said processor has either at least one state as a sleep state of the processor, or at least one state as a system sleep state provided on a CPU module basis; if the processor state changes from a normal operation state to the sleep state, said operation system operating on the CPU module performs the step of: issuing to the system firmware a command for changing the processor state from the normal operation state to the sleep state; on receipt of the command, said system firmware operating on the CPU module performs the steps of: notifying the CPU module controller that the processor state has changed; and performing the sleep control of the processor; said CPU module controller performs the step of: notifying the processor-management module that the processor state has changed; and on receipt of this notification, said processor management module performs the steps of: updating processor state information including a normal operation state, and the sleep state, of the processor in the processor CPU module; calculating the power consumption required for the whole multiple computer equipment from information including: the processor state information; CPU module operation information including a power ON/OFF state of the processor CPU module, the normal operation state, and the sleep state, of the system of the processor CPU module, and information about a kind of included processor; and processor power-consumption information required for each state on a processor kind basis; on the basis of the power consumption, calculating the number of AC-DC power supply modules to be operated; and if it is necessary to change the number of AC-DC power supply modules that are operating, changing the number of AC-DC power supply modules that are operating. 10. The management method of the multiple computer equipment according to claim 9, wherein: if said processor has the sleep state of the processor and the processor state changes from the sleep state to the normal operation state, as a result of the time out of a timer set by the CPU module controller, the management module is notified that the processor state has changed; on the receipt of this notification, said management module performs the steps of: updating the processor state information; calculating the power consumption required for the whole multiple computer equipment from the processor state information, the operation information, and the processor power-consumption information; on the basis of the power consumption, calculating the required number of AC-DC power supply modules to be operated; and if it is necessary to change the number of AC-DC power supply modules that are operating, changing the number of AC-DC power supply modules that are operating; after checking the operation state of the AC-DC power supply modules, said management module performs the step of: notifying the CPU module controller that the control of the AC-DC power supply modules has been completed: and on receipt of the notification, said CPU module controller performs the step of: sending the processor an interrupt signal that causes the processor state to change to the normal operation state. 11. The management method of the multiple computer equipment according to claim 9, wherein: if said processor has the sleep state of the system and the system state changes from the normal operation state to the sleep state, said operation system operating on the CPU module performs the step of: issuing to the system firmware a command for changing the system state from the normal operation state to the sleep state; on receipt of the command, said system firmware operating on the CPU module performs the steps of: notifying the CPU module controller that the system state has changed; and performing the sleep control of the system; said CPU module controller performs the step of: notifying the management module that the system state has changed; and on receipt of this notification, said management module performs the steps of: updating the processor state information and the CPU module operation information; calculating the power consumption required for the whole multiple computer equipment from the processor state information, the CPU module operation information, and the processor power-consumption information; calculating the number of AC-DC power supply modules to be operated; and if it is necessary to change the number of AC-DC power supply modules that are operating, changing the number of AC-DC power supply modules that are operating; 12. The management method of the multiple computer equipment according to claim 9, wherein: if said processor has the system sleep state and the system state changes from the sleep state to the normal operation state, said management module performs the steps of: on receipt of a power-on request to power on the CPU module, updating the processor state information and the CPU module operation information; calculating the power consumption required for the whole multiple computer equipment from the processor state information, the CPU module operation information, and the processor power-consumption information; on the basis of the power consumption, calculating the number of AC-DC power supply modules to be operated; and if it is necessary to change the number of AC-DC power supply modules that are operating, changing the number of AC-DC power supply modules that are operating; after checking the operation state of the AC-DC power supply modules, said management module performs the step of: issuing a CPU module power-on command to the CPU module controller; and on receipt of the CPU module power-on command, said CPU module controller performs the step of: starting up the CPU module. 13. The management method of the multiple computer equipment according to claim 9, wherein: if a processor included in the CPU module has two or more processor cores, as the processor state information, said management module includes: a normal operation state, and a sleep state, for each core of a processor included in the CPU module; and a normal operation state, and a sleep state, of a system of the CPU module; and on the basis of the information, when a transition is made from the normal operation state of the processor to the sleep state, said management module calculates the power consumption required for the whole multiple computer equipment. 14. The management method of the multiple computer equipment according to claim 9, wherein: the number of AC-DC power supply modules to be operated, which is calculated by the management module from the power consumption required for the whole multiple computer equipment, is specified as the number obtained by adding one to the required minimum number of AC-DC power supply modules that can supply the required power consumption; and on the basis of the number of AC-DC power supply modules to be operated, the number of AC-DC power supply modules that are operating is controlled. 15. The management method of the multiple computer equipment according to claim 9, wherein: the sleep time of the processor used by a timer function of the CPU module controller is set at the time from which the control time required to control the AC-DC power supply modules by the management module is subtracted. 16. The management method of the multiple computer equipment according to claim 9, wherein: the processor power-consumption information held by the management module is such that, in the relationship between the sleep time of the processor and the control time required to control the AC-DC power supply modules by the management module, if the sleep time of the processor is longer than the control time, the power consumption is specified as 0 W or a value of power consumption at the time of the sleep state of the processor, whereas if the sleep time of the processor is shorter than the control time, the power consumption is specified as a value of power consumption at the time of the normal operation state of the processor. 17. The management method of the multiple computer equipment according to claim 9, wherein: on the basis of the calculated power consumption required for the whole multiple computer equipment, said management module judges whether or not a required external power supply unit can be operated, and on the basis of the result of the judgment, said management module controls the operation of the external power supply unit.