Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC

Mark A Shaw

Bryan David Kelly

Sriram Govindan

Badriddine Khessib

Shaun L Harris

Scott Chao-Chueh Lee

John Joseph Siegler

J Michael Andrewartha

Banha Sok

Rameez Kadar Kazi

Martha Geoghegan Peterson

Fredrick Anthony Constantino

Christopher Lawrence Weimer

Priya Raghu

Gong Ouyang

Alexander Levin

The present disclosure relates to systems, methods, and computer readable media for enabling a power shelf unit to communicate a power throttle signal to devices of a power rack (or other grouping of devices) via a busbar. In particular, systems disclosed herein involve detecting a trigger condition associated with throttling power on server devices of a server rack. In response to detecting the trigger condition, systems here cause a direct current (DC) power supply voltage to change from an operating voltage to a notification voltage for a period of time to alert or otherwise communicate to server devices coupled to the busbar of the trigger condition. Causing the DC power supply voltage to change to the notification voltage may cause processors on server devices to throttle power consumption in accordance with one or more power capping policies implanted thereon.

Power throttling based on input voltage monitoring

A processor may be coupled to a flash memory by way of an interface. The processor may be caused to read and/or write data, such as computer executable instructions, from/to the flash memory via the interface. An interface filter may be interposed between the processor and the flash memory to enhance the security and validity of data transactions associated with the processor and the flash memory.

Serial peripheral interface filter for processor security

Aspects extend to methods, systems, and computer program products for remediating power loss at a server. Aspects of the invention increase the likelihood of gracefully shutting down a server and associated components in a data center when mains power is lost for a specified amount of time (e.g., an amount of time beyond transition to generator power). A server can include a management module (e.g., a BMC) and a watchdog module. When the management controller detects loss of power at a power supply unit, the management controller orchestrates a graceful shutdown of the server in response to power loss. When the management module is unresponsive, the watchdog module provides backup functionality for orchestrating a graceful shutdown in response to power loss. As such, data can be saved from RAM to more durable storage even when the management module is unresponsive.

Remediating power loss at a server

A data carrying cable to connect computing devices includes a first cable portion including a first conductor having a circular cross-section and a first gauge. A first port connector is connected to one end of the first cable portion. A second cable portion includes a second conductor having a circular cross-section and a second gauge that is different than the first gauge. The first conductor and the second conductor are arranged in series and are configured to carry a data signal between the computing devices.

Data carrying cable with mixed-gauge conductors to achieve longer reach and flexibility

Embodiments of memory backup management in computing devices and associated methods of operations are disclosed therein. In one embodiment, a method of managing memory backup includes in response to a system error being detected, causing a memory controller to disengage from communicating with and controlling a hybrid memory device having a volatile memory module and a non-volatile memory module. The method can also include causing the hybrid memory device to copy data from the volatile memory module to the non-volatile memory module subsequent to disengaging the memory controller communicating with and controlling the storage device and without operating the main processor and the memory controller.

Memory backup management in computing systems

A volatile memory data save subsystem may include a coupling to a shared power source such as a chassis or rack battery, or generator. A data save trigger controller sends a data save command toward coupled volatile memory device(s) such as NVDIMMs and PCIe devices under specified conditions: a programmable amount of time passes without AC power, a voltage level drops below normal but is still sufficient to power the volatile memory device during a data save operation, the trigger controller is notified of an operating system shutdown command, or the trigger controller is notified of an explicit data save command without a system shutdown command. NVDIMMs can avoid reliance on dedicated supercapacitors and dedicated batteries. An NVDIMM may perform an asynchronous DRAM reset in response to the data save command. Voltage step downs may be coordinated among power supplies. After data is saved, power cycles and the system reboots.

Growing community of inventors

Sammamish, WA, United States of America

Mark A Shaw