Data center management with rack-controllers

A tangible, non-transitory, machine-readable medium storing instructions that when executed by one or more processors of a rack-controller effectuate operations to control a plurality of rack-mounted computing devices, the operations comprising:

• receiving, with a rack-controller, via a first network, an application program interface (API) request, wherein:
• the rack-controller is configured to control a plurality of rack-mounted computing devices mounted in a plurality of different rack units of one or more racks;
• the rack-controller is configured to control the rack-mounted computing devices via a second network, different from the first network;
• the rack-controller includes a gateway between the first network and the second network;
• the second network is an out-of-band network distinct from an in-band network with which data is conveyed between rack-mounted computing devices or between rack-mounted computing devices and the internet;
• and
• the API request is encoded in a first protocol;
• based on the API request, selecting, with the rack-controller, one of a plurality of routines to effectuate control via the second network of at least some of the plurality of rack-mounted computing devices, the plurality of routines including:
• a first routine that reads a sensor via the second network on one of the rack-mounted computing devices;
• a second routine that reads a sensor via the second network on the rack but not on one of the rack-mounted computing devices;
• a third routine that scans computing devices on the second network and produces an inventory of the scanned computing devices on the second network;
• a fourth routine by which a configuration of an extensible firmware interface (EFI) of a given one of the rack-mounted computing device is adjusted;
• and
• executing, with the rack-controller, the selected routine and, as a result, sending one or more commands via the second network encoded in a second protocol different from the first protocol to effectuate an action indicated by the API request.