System And Method For Dynamic Utilization-Based Power Allocation In A Modular Information Handling System

Abstract

Power from a modular chassis to plural modular information handling systems contained by the chassis is dynamically allocated according to power consumed at each modular information handling system and a priority associated with each modular information handling system. A power manager of the modular chassis allocates power by setting a maximum power for each modular information handling system based upon a priority for each modular information handling system. A power monitor on a modular information handling system requests additional power allocation if power consumed is within a predetermined amount of the maximum power for that system. The power manager allocates additional power in response to the request if another modular information handling system has excess power allocated or if the requesting modular information handling system has a higher priority than another modular information handling system. The requesting system's maximum power is increased and the other system maximum power is decreased so that the maximum power available from the chassis is not exceeded.

1 . An information handling system comprising:
 a chassis having plural slots, each slot operable to accept an information handling system module;   plural information handling system modules, each information handling system module having processing components operable to process information and sized to couple to the chassis in a slot;   a power supply associated with the chassis and operable to selectively allocate power to each slot for use by the information handling system modules;   a power monitor associated with each information handling system module and operable to monitor power consumption at the associated information handling system module; and   a power manager associated with the chassis and interfaced with the power supply and the power monitors, the power manager operable to dynamically allocate power from the power supply for use by the information handling system modules including throttling a first information handling system module to reduce power consumption at the information handling system module and allocating that power from the first information handling system module for use by a second information handling system module.   
     
     
         2 . The information handling system of  claim 1  wherein the power manager dynamically allocates power by selectively increasing the maximum power allocation to a first of the information handling system modules and selectively decreasing the maximum power allocation to a second of the information handling system modules. 
     
     
         3 . The information handling system of  claim 2  further comprising a priority table interfaced with the power manager, the priority table having a power allocation priority for the information handling system modules. 
     
     
         4 . The information handling system of  claim 3  wherein the first of the information handling system modules has a lower priority than the second of the information handling system modules. 
     
     
         5 . The information handling system of  claim 3  wherein the power manager dynamically allocates power by decreasing the maximum power of the first information handling system module upon detection of increased power consumption at the second information handling system module. 
     
     
         6 . The information handling system of  claim 1  further comprising a power use table associated with each power monitor, the power use table having plural power consumption ranges, each power consumption range associated with a predetermined time period, the power monitor communicating the power consumption range to the power manager to establish initial power allocation for the associated time period. 
     
     
         7 . The information handling system of  claim 6  wherein the power monitor is further operable to populate the power use table by monitoring power consumption ranges at the associated information handling system module. 
     
     
         8 . The information handling system of  claim 1  wherein the power manager dynamically allocates power by allocating increments of power from information handling system modules having a maximum power allocation 
     
     
         9 . A method for allocating power between plural information handling system modules of a modular information handling system, the method comprising:
 establishing an initial power allocation having a maximum power for each modular information handling system;   requesting at a first of the modular information handling systems a power consumption in excess of the power allocation maximum power for the first modular information handling system;   reducing power consumption at a second of the modular information handling systems to a reduced maximum power; and   re-establishing the power allocation to increase the maximum power of the first modular information handling system and to decrease the maximum power of the second modular information handling system to the reduced maximum power.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9  wherein re-establishing the power allocation further comprises incrementally increasing a power budget associated with the first modular information handling system while incrementally decreasing a power budget associated with the second modular information handling system. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9  further comprising:
 requesting by the second modular information handling system a power consumption in excess of the maximum power for the second modular 
 detecting a higher priority associated with the second modular information handling system than with the first modular information handling system; and 
 re-allocating power from the first modular information handling system to the second modular information handling system. 
 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11  wherein re-allocating power from the first modular information handling system further comprises throttling the first modular information handling system. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 9  wherein establishing an initial power allocation further comprises:
 monitoring power consumption at the modular information handling systems to define a typical power consumption range for each modular information handling system; and 
 allocating power to each modular information handling system according to the typical power consumption range and a priority for each modular information handling system. 
 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 9  wherein monitoring power consumption further comprises defining the typical power consumption ranges for a time period. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 9  wherein re-establishing the power allocation is performed by a chassis management controller associated with a chassis that contains the first and second modular information handling systems. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 9  wherein requesting at a first of the modular information handling systems a power consumption in excess of the system is performed by a module controller associated with the first modular information handling system. 
     
     
         17 . A system for allocating power between modular information handling systems disposed in a modular information handling system chassis, the system comprising:
 a power monitor associated with each modular information handling system and operable to monitor power consumed at the associated modular information handling system compared with a maximum power allocated to the associated modular information handling system;   a power manager associated with the modular information handling system chassis and interfaced with each modular information handling system, the power manager operable to dynamically allocate power between the modular information handling systems; and   a power use table defining power consumption ranges for the modular information handling systems over predetermined time periods, the power managers establishing initial power allocation for each time period with the power use table consumption ranges.   
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 17  wherein the power manager dynamically allocates power between the modular information handling systems by incrementally increasing and decreasing the maximum power for at least the first and second modular information handling systems. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 17  wherein the power manager is further operable to initiate allocation of power to the modular information handling systems by retrieving a typical maximum power from each modular information handling system and applying the typical maximum power to a priority associated with each modular information handling system. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 17  wherein the power monitor is further operable to request an increased maximum power from the power manager if the power consumed at the modular information handling system associated with the power monitor is within a predetermined amount of the maximum power.