Fan failure detection and reporting

A computer program product comprising a computer-readable memory having computer program logic recorded thereon that when executed by at least one processor causes the at least one processor to perform a method for automatically detecting and reporting fans experiencing operational problems in a system that includes a plurality of fans for cooling electronic devices, the method comprising:

• establishing one or more reference characteristics for a group of fans by comparing or combining determined performance characteristics associated with two or more fans in the group;
• identifying a measure of tolerance for each of the one or more reference characteristics;
• activating the group of fans;
• determining, through monitoring, one or more monitored performance characteristics of each fan in the group of fans after activating the same;
• identifying as a problem fan a fan in the group of fans that has at least one monitored performance characteristic that differs from a corresponding reference characteristic by an amount that exceeds the measure of tolerance for the corresponding reference characteristic;
• and
• generating a notification that at least identifies the problem fan.

A fan management system, comprising:

• one or more processors;
• one or more memory devices connected to the one or more processors, the one or more memory devices storing instructions for execution by the one or more processors, the instructions comprising:
• fan monitoring logic configured to obtain monitored performance characteristics for each fan in a plurality of fans;
• fan grouping logic configured to analyze information associated with each fan in the plurality of fans and, based at least on the analysis, to selectively assign one or more of the plurality of fans to a group;
• and
• fan failure detection and reporting logic configured to determine one or more reference characteristics for the group by comparing or combining determined performance characteristics associated with two or more fans in the group, to identify as a problem fan a fan within the group having at least one monitored performance characteristic that deviates from a corresponding one of the one or more reference characteristics by an amount that exceeds a measure of tolerance associated with the corresponding one of the one or more reference characteristics, and to generate a notification that at least identifies the problem fan.