Physical infrastructure management system having an integrated cabinet

Abstract

A data center physical infrastructure management system has a cabinet having rack spaces and a sensor. A data communication system transmits signals to a management database. Personal or automated intervention is determined algorithmically by a data processor. A human interface for the data center management system is provided. Removable electronic assets contained in the rack spaces each have an identifier tag. An identifier tag reader is installed on the cabinet body. A door sensor provides a signal responsive to whether a cabinet door is closed, open, locked, or unlocked. Also, a secure contact arrangement has a base terminal formed of electrically conductive material, and first and second electrically conductive elements. A resilient non-conductive element is interposed between the first and second electrically conductive elements, and a compression element compresses the resilient non-conductive element to cause the first and second electrically conductive elements to communicate with one another.

1 . A data center physical infrastructure capacity management system, the system being managed by IT personnel, the system comprising:
 a server cabinet having rack spaces and a sensor;   a data communication arrangement for propagating communications signals from the sensor to a management database that receives information from the communications signals, the received information being stored;   a data processor for determining algorithmically the need for intervention to the data center physical infrastructure, the intervention taking the form of:
 changes to the physical infrastructure; 
 alerts to IT personnel; and 
   a human interface for enabling human interaction with the data center management system.   
     
     
         2 . The data center physical infrastructure capacity management system of  claim 1 , wherein the received information corresponds to environmental data. 
     
     
         3 . The data center physical infrastructure capacity management system of  claim 1 , wherein the intervention determined by said data processor comprises a selectable one of human and automated intervention. 
     
     
         4 . The data center physical infrastructure capacity management system of  claim 1 , wherein the intervention determined by said data processor takes the additional form of changes to the representative underlying data center system management database. 
     
     
         5 . The data center physical infrastructure capacity management system of  claim 1 , wherein said human interface comprises a graphical user interface for displaying icons representative of predetermined condition states of the data center. 
     
     
         6 . The data center physical infrastructure capacity management system of  claim 1 , wherein said data processor comprises a computer, and the algorithmic determination of the need for intervention is responsive to any combination of:
 temperature data;   humidity data;   a sensor address;   a device serial number;   the adequacy of a system ground connection; and   the number of occupied rack spaces.   
     
     
         7 . A cabinet for holding removable electronic assets, the cabinet comprising:
 a cabinet body having a plurality of rack spaces, each for accommodating one of the removable electronic assets;   a plurality of identifier tags, each attached to a respectively associated one of the removable electronic assets;   an identifier tag reader installed on said cabinet body for communicating with at least one of said plurality of identifier tags and providing a tag reader electrical signal responsive to the communication with the at least one of said plurality of identifier tags;   a cabinet door movably attached to said cabinet body; and   a door sensor for providing an electrical signal responsive to closed, open, locked, and unlocked states of said cabinet door.   
     
     
         8 . The cabinet of  claim 7 , wherein there is further provided a data output for providing data responsive to the tag reader electrical signal. 
     
     
         9 . The cabinet of  claim 7 , wherein there is further provided a database for storing asset information responsive to the presence of the removable electronic assets in respective ones of the rack spaces, the asset information being obtained from the tag reader electrical signal derived from said identifier tag reader. 
     
     
         10 . The cabinet of  claim 9 , wherein said identifier tag reader comprises an elongated antenna element affixed to said cabinet body and extending proximal to a plurality of the rack spaces. 
     
     
         11 . The cabinet of  claim 9 , wherein said database is maintained in a remote server. 
     
     
         12 . The cabinet of  claim 9 , wherein there is further provided an integrated cabinet hub disposed in said server cabinet for coordinating respective data signals from any combination of:
 a power monitoring arrangement;   a physical layer management system;   an environmental control system;   an asset tracking system;   a grounding monitoring system; and   a security system.   
     
     
         13 . The cabinet of  claim 12 , wherein there is provided a wireless communication arrangement for delivering data from said integrated cabinet hub to a physical infrastructure management system. 
     
     
         14 . The cabinet of  claim 7 , wherein there is further provided a monitoring arrangement, said monitoring arrangement having a graphical user interface for displaying icons representative of predetermined condition states of the cabinet. 
     
     
         15 . The cabinet of  claim 7 , wherein there are further provided:
 an environmental sensor installed on said cabinet door; and   an electrical contact arrangement having a cabinet door portion and a cabinet body portion for conducting signals from said environmental sensor containing environmental information to said cabinet body.   
     
     
         16 . The cabinet of  claim 7 , wherein there is further provided a credentials monitoring arrangement for controlling the state of said cabinet door. 
     
     
         17 . A secure contact arrangement comprising:
 a base terminal formed of electrically conductive material;   first and second electrically conductive elements;   a resilient non-conductive element interposed between said first and second electrically conductive elements; and   a compression element for applying an axial force through said first electrically conductive element, said resilient non-conductive element, said second electrically conductive element, and said base terminal, whereby a compression force applied by said compression element compresses said resilient non-conductive element to cause said first and second electrically conductive elements to communicate electrically with one another.   
     
     
         18 . The secure contact arrangement of  claim 17 , wherein there is further provided an electrical contact monitoring arrangement for determining whether adequate axial force has been applied by said compression element to compress said resilient non-conductive element and thereby cause said first and second electrically conductive elements to communicate electrically with one another. 
     
     
         19 . The secure contact arrangement of  claim 18 , wherein said electrical contact monitoring arrangement additionally serves to determine whether adequate axial force has been applied by said compression element to urge said first and second electrically conductive elements into electrical communication with said base terminal. 
     
     
         20 . The secure contact arrangement of  claim 17 , wherein at least one of said first and second electrically conductive elements is provided with a resilient contact element for communicating electrically with the other of said first and second electrically conductive elements.