# US 2019/0171276 A1 · Efficient utilization of spare datacenter capacity > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2019/0171276 A1 - Document ID: US20190171276A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 15/832,704 - Filed: 2017-12-05 - Published: 2019-06-06 - Earliest claimed: 2017-12-05 - Assignees: Facebook, Inc. - Applicants: Facebook, Inc. - Inventors: Kevin H. Lin; Min Ni; Ephraim Donghyun Park - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190171276A1 ## CPC - G06F 1/3287: by switching off individual functional units in the computer system - G06F 1/266: {Arrangements to supply power to external peripherals either directly from the computer or under computer control, e.g. supply of power through the communication port, computer controlled power-strips} - G06F 1/3209: Monitoring remote activity, e.g. over telephone lines or network connections - G06F 9/5094: {where the allocation takes into account power or heat criteria (power management in computers in general G06F1/3203; thermal management in computers in general G06F1/206)} - Y02D 10/00: Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) - Y02D: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES [ICT], I.E. INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES AIMING AT THE REDUCTION OF THEIR OWN ENERGY USE ## Abstract A spare capacity status of each of multiple computing systems in a data center is monitored. Temporary workloads are assigned to these computing systems if there exists sufficient additional electrical power supply and capacity on power distribution lines. Thus, computing systems that are typically not productively used, such as those that are about to be decommissioned, have not yet been assigned for normal servicing, are reserved for special circumstances, or that are assigned to services that are currently in low demand, are temporarily used for productive data center purposes. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method, comprising: monitoring, by a processor, a spare capacity status of each of multiple computing systems in a data center; identifying a particular computing system of the multiple computing systems, the particular computing system being identified for an allocation of a temporary workload; determining availability of an additional power supply to allocate to the particular computing system; determining availability of a capacity on a power distribution line connected to the particular computing system to provide the additional power supply to the particular computing system; and allocating the temporary workload to the particular computing system if there is availability of the additional power supply and capacity on the power distribution line. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein allocating the temporary workload to the particular computing system further comprises: sending a signal to the particular computing system to retrieve the workload. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein determining the availability of the capacity on the power distribution line further comprises: determining a current power load of a circuit breaker associated with the power distribution line connected to the particular computing system; determining an expected peak power load of the circuit breaker as a function of the current power load and the additional power supply; and determining the availability of the capacity on the power distribution line as a function of the expected peak power load of the circuit breaker and a maximum power threshold of the circuit breaker. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein monitoring the spare capacity status of each of multiple computing systems in a data center further comprises: monitoring a decommissioning status for at least some of the multiple computing systems; and gathering a scheduled decommissioning date and/or time. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the allocating further comprises identifying a cluster of computing systems that has a highest number of computing devices with spare capacity and a highest available power budget. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5, further comprising iteratively allocating the temporary workload to computing devices in the identified cluster until a power budget for the cluster would be exhausted. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6, further comprising allocating a portion of the workload to computing devices in a different server cluster. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method If claim 1, further comprising moving a portion of the workload from a first computing device to a second computing device. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein if the spare capacity of an allocated computing device becomes unavailable before completion of a portion of the workload assigned to it, causing the portion of the workload to be re-started at a different computing device. ### Claim 10 A system, comprising: a processor and memory; a component configured to monitor a spare capacity status of each of multiple computing systems in a data center; a component configured to identify a particular computing system of the multiple computing systems using the monitored performance, the particular computing system being identified for an allocation of additional computing power; a component configured to determine availability of an additional power supply to allocate to the particular computing system, the additional power supply being a function of the additional computing power; a component configured to determine availability of a capacity on a power distribution line connected to the particular computing system to provide the additional power supply to the particular computing system; and a component configured to allocate the temporary workload to the particular computing system if there is availability of the additional power supply and capacity on the power distribution line. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The system of claim 10, wherein allocating the temporary workload to the particular computing system further comprises: sending a signal to the particular computing system to retrieve the workload. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The system of claim 10, further comprising: a component configured to determine a current power load of a circuit breaker associated with the power distribution line connected to the particular computing system; a component configured to determine an expected peak power load of the circuit breaker as a function of the current power load and the additional power supply; and a component configured to determine the availability of the capacity on the power distribution line as a function of the expected peak power load of the circuit breaker and a maximum power threshold of the circuit breaker. ### Claim 13 (depends on 8) The system of claim 8, further comprising: a component configured to gather one or more of: a scheduled of decommissioning dates and/or times; a scheduled of assigning servicing to newly added servers; a schedule of returning servers with spare capacity to their normal servicing; or any combination thereof. ### Claim 14 (depends on 8) The system of claim 8, further comprising a component configured to identify a cluster of computing systems that has a highest number of computing devices with spare capacity and a highest available power budget. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The system of claim 14, further comprising a component configured to iteratively allocate the temporary workload to computing devices in the identified cluster until a power budget for the cluster would be exhausted. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The system of claim 15, further comprising a component configured to allocate a portion of the workload to computing devices in a different server cluster. ### Claim 17 A computer readable storage memory storing computer executable instructions, comprising: instructions for monitoring, by a processor, a spare capacity status of each of multiple computing systems in a data center; instructions for identifying a particular computing system of the multiple computing systems, the particular computing system being identified for an allocation of a temporary workload; instructions for determining availability of an additional power supply to allocate to the particular computing system; instructions for determining availability of a capacity on a power distribution line connected to the particular computing system to provide the additional power supply to the particular computing system; and instructions for allocating the temporary workload to the particular computing system if there is availability of the additional power supply and capacity on the power distribution line. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, wherein allocating the temporary workload to the particular computing system further comprises instructions for sending a signal to the particular computing system to retrieve the workload. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, wherein monitoring the spare capacity status of each of multiple computing systems in a data center further comprises: instructions for gathering a scheduled decommissioning date and/or time. ### Claim 20 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, wherein the allocating further comprises instructions for identifying a cluster of computing systems that has a highest number of computing devices with spare capacity and a highest available power budget.