Oracle America, Inc.

Sun Microsystems, Inc.

Hewlett-packard Development Company, L.p.

Oracle International Corporation

Hewlett-packard Company

Other

David K McElfresh

Kenny C Gross

Aleksey M Urmanov

Anton A Bougaev

Dan Vacar

Leoncio D Lopez

Joseph Edward Scheffelin

Janis Horvath

Brian J Keefe

Noah C Lassar

Mohammad Akhavain

Ramakrishna C Dhanekula

Dale Dean Timm, Jr

Robert H Melanson

Mohammad Akhavin

Naoto A Kawamura

Kenneth Clayton Gross

Satya Prakash

Pere Esterri

Ashok V Krishnamoorthy

Robert Paul Masleid

Xuezhe Zheng

John E Cunningham

Ronald Ho

Kalyanaraman Vaidyanathan

Dawei Huang

Donald A Kearns

Alan Paul Wood

Andrew J Lewis

Michael Oliver McCracken

Kannan Raj

Christopher Haydn Lowery

Gerald Vincent Rapp

Charles E Kinney

Ronald J Melanson

Robert-Scott Melendrino Lopez

Douglas B Adolf

George C Zacharisen

Nicholas E Aneshansley

James Martin

Steve Burchet

Theresa Sze

The disclosed embodiments provide a system that estimates a remaining useful life (RUL) for a fan. During operation, the system receives telemetry data associated with the fan during operation of the critical asset, wherein the telemetry data includes a fan-speed signal. Next, the system uses the telemetry data to construct a historical fan-speed profile, which indicates a cumulative time that the fan has operated in specific ranges of fan speeds. The system then computes an RUL for the fan based on the historical fan-speed profile and empirical time-to-failure (TTF) data, which indicates a TTF for the same type of fan as a function of fan speed. Finally, when the RUL falls below a threshold, the system generates a notification indicating that the fan needs to be replaced.

Estimating the remaining useful life for cooling fans based on a wear-out index analysis

The disclosed embodiments relate to a system that characterizes I/O performance of a computing device in terms of energy consumption across a range of vibrational operating environments. During operation, the system executes a test script on a computing device that is affixed to a programmable vibration table, wherein the test script causes the computing device to perform a predetermined I/O workload. While the test script is executing, the system controls the programmable vibration table to subject the computing device to different vibrational operating environments. At the same time, the system obtains test results by monitoring a progress of the test script and an associated power consumption of the computing device. Finally, the system uses the obtained test results to characterize the I/O performance of the computing device in terms of energy consumption across the range of vibrational operating environments.

Characterizing the I/O-performance-per-watt of a computing device across a range of vibrational operating environments

A system for characterizing vibration of a rack structure having at least one hard disk drive disposed therein and a vibration exciter operatively associated with the rack structure includes one or more computers. The one or more computers are configured to command the vibration exciter to provide vibration input to the rack structure and to command a plurality of reads from the at least one hard disk drive such that, for each of the plurality of reads, data stored on the at least one hard disk drive is retrieved from the at least one hard disk drive. The one or more computers are also configured to obtain read rate information related to the plurality of reads and to identify at least one resonant frequency of the rack structure based on the read rate information.

Methods for characterizing vibration of a rack structure

Some embodiments of the present invention provide a system for in-situ characterization of a solid-state light. First, a voltage and a current of the solid-state light source are monitored. Then, the health of the solid-state light source is characterized based on an analysis of the monitored voltage and current.

In-situ characterization of a solid-state light source

Some embodiments of the present invention provide a system that characterizes a response of a component in a computer system to vibrations generated by the computer system. First, the system measures the response of the component to vibrations in a frequency range while the component is located outside of the computer system. The system also measures vibrations generated by the computer system in the frequency range during operation of the computer system, wherein the vibrations are measured at a location in the computer system which is configured to receive the component. The system then characterizes the response of the component to vibrations generated by the computer system based on the measured response of the component to vibrations in the frequency range and the measured vibrations in the frequency range at the location.

Characterizing the response of a computer system component to vibrations

A method for generating a service action for a computer system is described. During the method, a longevity index value for a packaging technology in the computer system is calculated using a longevity model and thermal and vibration telemetry data that is collected in the computer system. This longevity model may be based on accelerated failure testing of the packaging technology, field failures of the packaging technology in a group of computer systems that includes the computer system, and/or thermal and vibration telemetry data for the group of computer systems. Furthermore, using the longevity index value, the service action for the computer system is determined. Based on the longevity index value, remedial as action, e.g., repairs to the computer system, may be scheduled and performed.

Estimating ball-grid-array longevity in a computer system

An electronic system includes an accelerometer. A method for excessive mechanical shock feature extraction for overstress event registration and cumulative tracking includes obtaining a sample from the accelerometer. Feature extraction is performed on the sample using empirical mode decomposition (EMD) to produce a plurality of modes. A pattern classifier is utilized for processing the plurality of modes to determine if the sample classifies as a shock event. If the sample classifies as a shock event, a shock event counter is incremented. If the shock event counter reaches a specified count, an indication to a user is generated.

Mechanical shock feature extraction for overstress event registration

Some embodiments of the present invention provide a system that schedules read operations for disk drives in a set of disk drives. During operation, the system monitors a write rate for write operations to a given disk drive in the set of disk drives, wherein vibrations generated by the read operations directed to disk drives in the set of disk drives are transmitted to the given disk drive. Then, the read operations for disk drives in the set of disk drives are scheduled based on the write rate for the given disk drive, thereby limiting interference between the write operations and the vibrations generated by the read operations.

Scheduling read operations during drive reconstruction in an array of redundant disk drives

One embodiment provides a system that analyzes a target electromagnetic signal radiating from a monitored system. During operation, the system monitors the target electromagnetic signal using a near-isotropic antenna that includes a set of receiving surfaces arranged in a regular polyhedron. Next, the system obtains a set of received target electromagnetic signals from the receiving surfaces. Finally, the system assesses the integrity of the monitored system by separately analyzing each of the received target electromagnetic signals.

Near-isotropic antenna for monitoring electromagnetic signals

Some embodiments of the present invention provide a system that detects the presence of constrained motion in one or more components in a computer system. First, a vibrational spectrum of the computer system is monitored while the computer system operates. Then, the vibrational spectrum is analyzed using a pattern-recognition model to detect constrained motion in one or more components in the computer system, wherein the pattern-recognition model classifies the vibrational spectrum as indicating constrained motion or as not indicating constrained motion.

Detecting constrained motion of a component in a computer system

One embodiment of the present invention provides a system for predicting a remaining useful life (RUL) for a component in a set of components within a computer system. The system starts by collecting values of at least one degradation-related parameter associated with the operation of a monitored component within the computer system. Note that the degradation-related parameter is a direct measurement of a degree of degradation of the monitored component. The system additionally collects values of at least one stress-based parameter from the computer system. Note that the stress-based parameter measures an accumulative stress in the operating environment of the set of components which can cause degradation of the set of components. The system then uses the values of the at least one degradation-related parameter and the values of the at least one stress-based parameter to predict an RUL for a component in the set of components.

Predicting remaining useful life for a computer system using a stress-based prediction technique

A method and system for identifying voids in solder balls in a ball-grid array (BGA) using an image of the BGA include localizing an image of a solder ball on the BGA image, the solder ball image having a radius and having multiple points each having an image intensity, and producing a void-free model image of the solder ball based on the radius of the solder ball image, the void-free model image having multiple points each having an image intensity. The method and system also include computing a difference between the image intensities of the points of the solder ball image and the image intensities of the points of the void-free model image to produce a residual image, and identifying a void using the residual image.

Method and system for automated ball-grid array void quantification

One embodiment provides a technique for analyzing a target electromagnetic signal radiating from a monitored system. During the technique, the monitored system is positioned at a first locus of an ellipsoidal surface to amplify the target electromagnetic signal received at a second locus of the ellipsoidal surface. Next, the amplified target electromagnetic signal is monitored using an antenna positioned at the second locus of the ellipsoidal surface. Finally, the integrity of the monitored system is assessed by analyzing the amplified target electromagnetic signal monitored by the antenna.

Radio frequency microscope for amplifying and analyzing electromagnetic signals by positioning the monitored system at a locus of an ellipsoidal surface

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San Diego, CA, United States of America

David K McElfresh