System and method for determining power availability to control the number of computing processors in operation

A power detection unit for a data center comprising:

• a test load, an amplifier, a variable current source, a voltage monitor, a voltage set point, and a control system including measurement logic configured to sense voltage and current across the test load;
• wherein the test load is set to the power load of one or more computing systems within the data center;
• wherein the voltage set point is set to a voltage below the mains voltage line of the data center;
• wherein the control system receives an input voltage from the voltage across the test load and receives an input from the voltage mains line;
• wherein the variable current source is driven by the output of the amplifier;
• and
• wherein the control system processes the sensed voltage and current to determine power through the test load and determines whether power through the test load is equal to, greater than, or less than the power required for one or more computing systems of the plurality of computing systems.

A method of incrementally increasing or decreasing a plurality of computing systems in operation in a data center based on available power from a variable power source, comprising the steps of:

• a) determining by a power detection unit if a mains voltage of the data center is less than a voltage set point;
• b) reducing, if the mains voltage of the data center is less than the voltage set point, the number of computing systems in operation by at least one computing system;
• c) analyzing, if the mains voltage of the data center is greater than the voltage set point, if there is enough power to power an additional computing system by:
• 1) powering an amplifier in the power detection unit, wherein the amplifier is used to power a variable current source;
• 2) analyzing a voltage of the variable current source across a test load;
• 3) determining available power based on the voltage of the variable current source across the test load and the variable current;
• d) determining if the available power is equal to or greater than a power level required for at least one computing system of the plurality of computing systems;
• e) verifying at least one computing system of the plurality of computing systems is not in operation;
• f) transmitting, if at least one computing system of the plurality of computing systems is not in operation, a signal to a data center load manager to increase the number of computing systems in operation by at least one computing system;
• and
• g) repeating, if at least one computing system of the plurality of computing systems is not in operation, steps a-f.