System and method for dynamically modeling data center partitions

Abstract

A method implemented in a computer infrastructure having computer executable code tangibly embodied on a computer readable medium having programming instructions operable to perform a thermal analysis of a data center and overlay the thermal analysis on a map of the data center to provide an overlaid thermal analysis. Additionally, the programming instructions are operable to receive a user selection of at least one modeled partition location based on the overlaid thermal analysis and dynamically model a modeled partition for each of the at least one modeled partition location in the data center to create a modeled data center region.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method implemented in a computer infrastructure, comprising computer implemented steps of:
 performing a thermal analysis of a data center;   overlaying the thermal analysis on a map of the data center to provide an overlaid thermal analysis;   receiving a user selection of at least one modeled partition location based on the overlaid thermal analysis; and   dynamically modeling a modeled partition for each of the at least one modeled partition location in the data center to create a modeled data center region.   updating at least one of the performing, the overlaying, the receiving and the modeling after a predetermined time has expired.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the dynamically modeling comprises modeling at least one HVAC system parameter comprising:
 calculating a volume of the modeled data center region;   determining the desired temperature of the modeled data center region; and   modeling at least one HVAC parameter so that cooling provided by the HVAC system for the volume counteracts heat generated by computing resources in the modeled data center region and maintains the modeled data center region at the desired temperature.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the at least one HVAC system parameter comprises:
 a number of air conditioning units;   an amount of air conditioning tonnage;   a partition material R value;   a ceiling tile R value;   a floor R value;   an HVAC air flow rate;   an HVAC air flow temperature;   a number of diffusers;   a degree of opening of the diffusers;   a placement of the diffusers; and   a diffuser orientation.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the modeled partition comprises at least one of a modeled wall partition, a modeled ceiling partition and a modeled floor partition composed of a thermally insulative material. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the modeled data center region segregates at least one of:
 a hotter area of the data center from a cooler area of the data center; and   an area of the data center where a job is scheduled from an area of the data center not being utilized.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the performing the thermal analysis comprises:
 receiving real-time temperature readings from at least one environmental sensor in the data center; and at least one of:
 determining average temperatures for regions of the data center based on the real-time temperature readings; and 
 determining air flow paths in the data center. 
   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the map of the data center comprises at least one of:
 a physical layout of computing resources of the data center;   an indication of a portion of the computing resources that is to be maintained in a cool environment and an indication of a portion of the computing resources that is to operate in higher temperature environments; and   a real-time indication of the computing resources that are currently operating.   
     
     
         8 . A system, comprising:
 a thermal analysis tool configured to perform a thermal analysis of a data center;   a mapping tool configured to overlay the thermal analysis over a map of the data center to provide an overlaid thermal analysis; and   a partition and heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) modeling tool configured to:
 receive a user selection of at least one modeled partition location based on the overlaid thermal analysis; and 
 dynamically model a partition for each of the at least one modeled partition location in the data center to create a modeled data center region; and 
   update at least one of the overlaying, the receiving and the modeling after a predetermined time has expired,   wherein at least the thermal analysis tool is implemented on a computer infrastructure, and   the modeled partition comprises a modeled wall partition.   
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein further comprising dynamically modeling a heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system based on the overlaid thermal analysis and the at least one modeled partition location to provide a desired temperature in the model data center region, wherein
 the partition and HVAC modeling tool is further configured to model an HVAC system based on the overlaid thermal analysis to provide a desired temperature in the modeled data center region.   
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the modeling the HVAC system comprises modeling at least one HVAC system parameter. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the at least one HVAC system parameter comprises:
 a number of air conditioning units;   an amount of air conditioning tonnage;   a partition material R value;   a ceiling tile R value;   a floor R value;   an HVAC air flow rate;   an HVAC air flow temperature;   a number of diffusers;   a degree of opening of the diffusers;   a placement of the diffusers; and   a diffuser orientation.   
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the partition and HVAC modeling tool is further configured to:
 calculate a volume of the modeled data center region;   determine the desired temperature of the modeled data center region; and   model at least one HVAC system parameter so that cooling provided by the HVAC system for the volume counteracts heat generated by computing resources in the modeled data center region and maintains the modeled data center region at the desired temperature.   
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the modeled data center region segregates at least one of:
 a hotter area of the data center from a cooler area of the data center; and   an area of the data center where a job is scheduled from an area of the data center not being utilized.   
     
     
         14 . A method comprising:
 providing a computer infrastructure operable to:
 perform a thermal analysis of a data center to identify cooler regions of the data center and hotter regions of the data center; 
 overlay the thermal analysis on a map of the data center to provide an overlaid thermal analysis which correlates the cooler regions of the data center and the hotter regions of the data center with computational resources of the data center; 
 receive a user selection of at least one modeled partition location based on the overlaid thermal analysis; 
 dynamically model a modeled partition for each of the at least one modeled partition location in the data center to create a modeled data center region; and 
 dynamically model an HVAC system based on the overlaid thermal analysis and the at least one modeled partition location to provide a desired temperature in the modeled data center region, wherein: 
   the thermal analysis is overlaid on an elevation plan such that cool or hot regions of the data center are identified relative to a vertical axis of the data center; and   the dynamically modeling comprises modeling at least one vertical or at least one horizontal partition at the location of the at least one vertical or the at least one horizontal partition to display airflow patterns relative to the vertical axis of the data center.