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 .- 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . At least one machine readable storage medium having instructions stored thereon, the instructions when executed on a machine, to cause the machine to:
 discover a plurality of shelf system components;   enable two or more of the plurality of shelf system components to communicate with one another;   negotiate a power budget for at least one of the plurality of shelf system components;   monitor power consumption of at least one of the plurality of shelf system components; and   adjust power consumption of at least one of the plurality of shelf system components.   
     
     
         22 . The medium of  claim 21 , the instructions to further enable the shelf manager to:
 monitor a thermal condition of at least one of the plurality of shelf system components; and   adjust a cooling device of the shelf system based on the monitoring of the thermal condition.   
     
     
         23 . The medium of  claim 21 , the instructions to further enable the shelf manager to communicate with a remote management client and to perform one or more shelf management functions on behalf of the remote management client. 
     
     
         24 . The medium of  claim 23 , the instructions to further enable the machine to determine whether a message received from the remote management client should be delivered to the shelf manager or bridged to an Intelligent Platform Management Bus (IPMB) of the shelf system. 
     
     
         25 . The medium of  claim 23 , the instructions to further enable the shelf manager to perform a user-definable set of shelf management functions, the user-definable set of shelf management functions to be received from the remote management client. 
     
     
         26 . The medium of  claim 21 , the instructions to further cause a second shelf manager to operate in a standby mode. 
     
     
         27 . The medium of  claim 21 , wherein a mezzanine card of the shelf system comprises the medium. 
     
     
         28 . The medium of  claim 21 , wherein the negotiating a power budget for at least one of the plurality of shelf system components comprises setting a power budget for the at least one of the plurality of shelf system components. 
     
     
         29 . An apparatus, comprising:
 a circuit board to comprise a shelf manager that is at least in part comprised of firmware, software, or a combination of firmware and software, the shelf manager to:
 discover a plurality of shelf system components; 
 enable two or more of the plurality of shelf system components to communicate with one another; 
 negotiate a power budget for at least one of the plurality of shelf system components; 
 monitor power consumption of at least one of the plurality of shelf system components; and 
 adjust power consumption of at least one of the plurality of shelf system components. 
   
     
     
         30 . The apparatus of  claim 29 , the shelf manager further to:
 monitor a thermal condition of at least one of the plurality of shelf system components; and   adjust a cooling device of the shelf system based on the monitoring of the thermal condition.   
     
     
         31 . The apparatus of  claim 29 , the shelf manager further to communicate with a remote management client and to perform one or more shelf management functions on behalf of the remote management client. 
     
     
         32 . The apparatus of  claim 31 , the shelf manager further to determine whether a message received from the remote management client should be bridged to an Intelligent Platform Management Bus (IPMB) of the shelf system. 
     
     
         33 . The apparatus of  claim 31 , the shelf manager further to perform a user-definable set of shelf management functions, the user-definable set of shelf management functions to be received from the remote management client. 
     
     
         34 . The apparatus of  claim 29 , the shelf manager further to communicate with a second shelf manager that is to operate in a standby mode. 
     
     
         35 . The apparatus of  claim 29 , wherein the circuit board is to comprise a mezzanine card that is to comprise the firmware. 
     
     
         36 . The apparatus of  claim 29 , wherein the negotiating a power budget for at least one of the plurality of shelf system components comprises setting a power budget for the at least one of the plurality of shelf system components. 
     
     
         37 . A method comprising:
 performing a plurality of shelf management functions by a shelf manager implemented at least in part with firmware, software, or a combination of firmware and software, the shelf management functions to comprise:   discovering a plurality of shelf system components;   enabling two or more of the plurality of shelf system components to communicate with one another;   negotiating a power budget for at least one of the plurality of shelf system components;   monitoring power consumption of at least one of the plurality of shelf system components; and   adjusting power consumption of at least one of the plurality of shelf system components.   
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 37 , wherein the shelf management functions are further to comprise:
 monitoring a thermal condition of at least one of the plurality of shelf system components; and   adjusting a cooling device of the shelf system based on the monitoring of the thermal condition.   
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 37 , wherein the shelf management functions are further to comprise communicating with a remote management client and performing one or more shelf management functions on behalf of the remote management client. 
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 39 , wherein the shelf management functions are further to comprise determining whether a message received from the remote management client should be bridged to an Intelligent Platform Management Bus (IPMB) of the shelf system. 
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 39 , wherein the shelf management functions are further to comprise performing a user-definable set of shelf management functions, the user-definable set of shelf management functions to be received from the remote management client. 
     
     
         42 . The method of  claim 37 , wherein the shelf management functions are further to comprise communicating with a second shelf manager that is to operate in a standby mode. 
     
     
         43 . The method of  claim 37 , wherein a mezzanine card is to comprise the shelf manager. 
     
     
         44 . The method of  claim 37 , wherein the negotiating a power budget for at least one of the plurality of shelf system components comprises setting a power budget for the at least one of the plurality of shelf system components. 
     
     
         45 . A system to comprise:
 a shelf system to comprise
 a shelf comprising a plurality of slots, a slot to couple a shelf system component to the shelf; 
 a shelf manager comprised at least in part of firmware, software, or a combination of firmware and software, the shelf manager to:
 discover a plurality of shelf system components; 
 enable two or more of the plurality of shelf system components to communicate with one another; 
 negotiate a power budget for at least one of the plurality of shelf system components; 
 monitor power consumption of at least one of the plurality of shelf system components; and 
 adjust power consumption of at least one of the plurality of shelf system components. 
 
   
     
     
         46 . The system of  claim 45 , the system to further comprise a rack system comprising the shelf system. 
     
     
         47 . The system of  claim 45 , the shelf system to further comprise the plurality of shelf system components. 
     
     
         48 . The system of  claim 45 , the shelf manager further to:
 monitor a thermal condition of at least one of the plurality of shelf system components; and   adjust a cooling device of the shelf system based on the monitoring of the thermal condition.   
     
     
         49 . The system of  claim 45 , the shelf manager further to communicate with a remote management client and to perform one or more shelf management functions on behalf of the remote management client. 
     
     
         50 . The system of  claim 47 , the shelf manager further to determine whether a message received from the remote management client should be bridged to an Intelligent Platform Management Bus (IPMB) of the shelf system. 
     
     
         51 . The system of  claim 47 , the shelf manager further to perform a user-definable set of shelf management functions, the user-definable set of shelf management functions to be received from the remote management client. 
     
     
         52 . The system of  claim 45 , the shelf manager further to communicate with a second shelf manager that is to operate in a standby mode. 
     
     
         53 . The system of  claim 45 , wherein the circuit board is to comprise a mezzanine card that is to comprise the firmware. 
     
     
         54 . The system of  claim 45 , wherein the negotiating a power budget for at least one of the plurality of shelf system components comprises setting a power budget for the at least one of the plurality of shelf system components.