US 9,544,221 B2Granted

Temperature sensitive routing of data in a computer system

AssigneeInternational Business Machines Corporation

InventorsBrett J. Reese, Gary R. Ricard, Jaimeson J. Saley

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Abstract

An apparatus and method routes data over network links based on a temperature of the network links. When the temperature of a link meets a first threshold a routing mechanism re-routes a portion of the network traffic over a lower temperature link to reduce the likelihood that the link will exceed a second threshold that necessitates that the link be throttled back or disabled. Re-routing data to cooler links allows the system to maintain the lowest possible temperature of the network links to gain optimal performance of the system. In the disclosed example, the network links include interconnect cable connections and backplane connections. A temperature of the network links is determined by monitoring a region of an integrated circuit near a line driver driving the network link.

Claims12

Dependent claims

A method for routing data over network links based on temperature of the network links comprising:

monitoring the temperature of a plurality of network links during a test run to determine a first threshold temperature and second threshold temperature based on performance of the network link while sending data over the network link;
monitoring the temperature of the plurality of network links during operation by monitoring a plurality of regions on an integrated circuit wherein each of the plurality of regions comprises a line driver to drive one of the plurality of network links;
re-routing data traffic on the network link to a second network link to reduce the temperature of the network link when the temperature of the network link exceeds a first threshold;
throttling data traffic on the network link when the temperature of the network link exceeds a second threshold;
and
wherein monitoring the temperature of a plurality of network links during a test run further comprises:
adjusting the network link load to determine performance of each network link as a function of temperature;
determining a desired temperature based on performance of the network link as a function of temperature;
and
determining a first and second desired temperature threshold to maintain a desired temperature of the network link.

7 more elements

A method for routing data over network links based on temperature of the network links comprising:

monitoring the temperature of a plurality of network links during a test run to determine a first threshold temperature and second threshold temperature based on performance of the network link while sending data over the network link, wherein monitoring the temperature of the plurality of network links comprises monitoring a temperature for each of a plurality of regions on an integrated circuit where each of the plurality of regions comprises a line driver to drive one of the plurality of network links;
monitoring the temperature of the plurality of network links during operation and selecting a network link;
re-routing data traffic on the network link to a second network link to reduce the temperature of the network link when the temperature of the network link exceeds a first threshold;
throttling data traffic on the network link when the temperature of the network link exceeds a second threshold;
and
wherein monitoring the temperature of a plurality of network links during a test run further comprises:
adjusting the network link load to determine performance of each network link as a function of temperature;
determining a desired temperature based on performance of the network link as a function of temperature;
and
determining a first and second desired temperature threshold to maintain a desired temperature of the network link.

7 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 14/254,041Filed 16 Apr 2014 · continuation
Priority: 3 Oct 2013
Published: US 2015/0098476 A19 Apr 2015
Granted: 10 Jan 2017
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification5 codes

H04L 43/0817
By checking availability: by checking functioning
H04L 45/12
Routing or path finding of packets in data switching networks: shortest path evaluation
H04L 45/14
Routing or path finding of packets in data switching networks: routing performance; Theoretical aspects
H04L 45/28
Routing or path finding of packets in data switching networks: using route fault recovery

Family

Application14/045,032Parent of this continuation · filed 3 Oct 2013
US 2015/0100681 A1Pre-grant publication · published 9 Apr 2015
US 2015/0098476 A1Published application
US 9,485,168 B2Related patent
US 9,544,221 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.