Systems, apparatus and methods capable of shelf management

Abstract

A method according to one embodiment may include discovering, by software, at least one variable from at least one component populated on a shelf system. The method may also include performing, by the software, at least one shelf management function based on at least one variable. Of course, many alternatives, variations, and modifications are possible without departing from this embodiment.

1 . An article comprising:
 a non-transitory machine readable medium having stored thereon instructions that when executed by a machine result in the machine performing operations comprising:
 determining, by at least one component of a plurality of components populating a shelf system, which of the plurality of components is a component to perform shelf management; and 
 performing, via a shelf manager included within said non-transitory machine readable medium, at least one shelf management function based on said at least one variable with said component to perform shelf management, said at least one shelf management function comprising: 
 enabling said plurality of components populating said shelf system to communicate with one another; 
 adjusting power consumption of a component of said plurality of components populating said shelf system; and 
 adjusting a cooling device; 
   wherein said shelf manager is location independent within said shelf system; and   wherein said component to perform shelf management is configured to perform another function independent of said shelf manager.   
     
     
         2 . The article of  claim 1 , wherein said shelf management function further comprises:
 monitoring a thermal condition of at least one of said plurality of components populating said shelf system; and   adjusting a cooling device in response to said thermal condition when said thermal condition is in excess of a thermal threshold level.   
     
     
         3 . The article of  claim 1 , wherein said component to perform shelf management is coupled to a bus, and said shelf management function further comprises monitoring a condition of said bus. 
     
     
         4 . The article of  claim 1 , wherein said shelf manager includes an interface abstraction layer configured to provide a programming interface to said shelf manager and to exchange at least one command with at least one additional interface. 
     
     
         5 . The article of  claim 1 , wherein said shelf manager includes a shelf management abstraction layer configured to provide an interface layer for an instrumentation stack. 
     
     
         6 . An apparatus, comprising:
 at least one component of a plurality of components populating a shelf system, the at least one component comprising a circuit board comprising an integrated circuit, said integrated circuit comprising firmware configured to perform the following operations comprising:
 determining, by at least one component of a plurality of components on said circuit board, which of the plurality of components on said circuit board is a component to perform shelf management for said plurality of components populating said shelf system; 
 performing, via a shelf manager included within said firmware, at least one shelf management function based on said at least one variable with said component to perform shelf management, said at least one shelf management function comprising:
 enabling said plurality of components populating said shelf system to communicate with one another; 
 
 adjusting power consumption of said least one component of said plurality of components populating said shelf system; and 
 adjusting a cooling device; 
   wherein said shelf manager is location independent within said shelf system; and
 wherein said component to perform shelf management is configured to perform another function independent of said shelf manager. 
   
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein said shelf management function further comprises:
 monitoring a thermal condition of at least one of said components populating said shelf system; and   adjusting a cooling device in response to said thermal condition when said thermal condition is in excess of a thermal threshold level.   
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein said component to perform shelf management is coupled to a bus, and said shelf management function further comprises monitoring a condition of said bus. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein:
 said integrated circuit comprises an intelligent platform management controller (IPMC).   
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein:
 said integrated circuit comprises a chipset controller.   
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein said shelf manager includes an interface abstraction layer configured to provide a programming interface to said shelf manager and to exchange at least one command with at least one additional interface. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein said shelf manager includes a shelf management abstraction layer configured to provide an interface layer for an instrumentation stack. 
     
     
         13 . A method, comprising:
 determining, by at least one component of a plurality of components populating a shelf system, which of the plurality of components is a component to perform shelf management; and   performing, via a shelf manager associated with said at least one component, at least one shelf management function based on said at least one variable with said component to perform shelf management, said at least one shelf management function comprising:   enabling said plurality of components populating said shelf system to communicate with one another;   adjusting power consumption of said least one component of said plurality of components populating said shelf system; and   adjusting a cooling device;
 wherein said shelf manager is location independent within said shelf system; and 
 wherein said component to perform shelf management is configured to perform another function independent of said shelf manager. 
   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein said at least one component comprises a circuit board including an integrated circuit having firmware, and wherein said shelf manager is included within said firmware. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein said integrated circuit comprises an intelligent platform management controller (IPMC). 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein said at least one component comprises non-transitory machine readable medium having stored thereon instructions that when executed by a machine result in the machine performing the operations of said shelf manager. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein said shelf manager includes an interface abstraction layer configured to provide a programming interface to said shelf manager and to exchange at least one command with at least one additional interface. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein said shelf manager includes a shelf management abstraction layer configured to provide an interface layer for an instrumentation stack. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein said at least one component comprises a circuit board including an integrated circuit having firmware configured to perform the steps of  claim 13 . 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein said at least one component comprises non-transitory machine readable medium having stored thereon instructions that when executed by a machine result in the machine performing the operations of  claim 13 .