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.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A system configured to interface with a top-level network management software, said system comprising:
 a server cabinet, said server cabinet including an intelligent cabinet hub and a plurality of modules, said plurality of modules being connected to said intelligent cabinet hub and including a power module, an intelligent physical layer management module, an environmental sensor module, an asset tracking module, and a cabinet security module; and   a physical infrastructure management (PIM) software, said PIM software receiving cabinet data from said intelligent cabinet hub and interfacing with said top-level network management software, said cabinet data including data obtained from said plurality of modules, wherein said PIM software uses said cabinet data to provide a user with data aggregation, data visualization, capacity planning, and alert notification, and wherein said PIM software is configured to communicate said cabinet data to said top-level network management software by processing and consolidating said cabinet data before its transmission.   
     
     
         2 . A system of  claim 1 , wherein each of said plurality of modules is serially connected to one other said module. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein no more than two of said plurality of modules are directly connected to said intelligent cabinet hub. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said PIM software receives said cabinet data from said intelligent cabinet hub via at least one of a wired and a wireless connection. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said power module is integrated with said intelligent cabinet hub. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a second server cabinet, said second server cabinet including a second plurality of modules, said second plurality of modules being connected to said intelligent cabinet hub. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein said second plurality of modules includes a second power module, a second intelligent physical layer management module, a second environmental sensor module, a second asset tracking module, and a second cabinet security module. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein each of said plurality of modules is serially connected to one other said module, and wherein one of said plurality of modules is serially connected to one of said second plurality of modules. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein each of said plurality of modules is self-identifying, self-addressing, and self-configurable.