HP BladeSystem p-Class rack-centralized (3U) power solutions

Special considerations for users of facility DC power
It is important to note that if a customer uses a facility DC power source, iLO assumes that there is a
limitless supply of –48 VDC. Therefore, the iLO management device on the server blade does no
calculations to ensure that adequate power is available to power up another blade; a newly installed
server blade is always allowed to power up in a BladeSystem configured to use facility DC.
Combining single-phase and three-phase power enclosures
It is possible to use both single-phase and three-phase power enclosures in a single power zone of a
rack.
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If multiple 3U power enclosures are combined in a rack in the same power zone, the power
management firmware selects one of the power management modules to manage all the power
redundancy calculations for that power zone. The power firmware selects which is the “master”
power management module for a specific power zone. The master power management module keeps
track of all power-related calculations for both power enclosures, such as amount of power available
and redundancy requirements.
Managing power consumption
HP ProLiant BL server blades include HP Power Regulator, a firmware utility that enables system
administrators to manage the power consumption of server blades. This utility takes advantage of Intel
processors that allow their power states to be monitored and controlled with software. A processor on
a server blade can be set to full power (maximum operating frequency or operating voltage) when
applications demand it and later returned to a lower power state when application activity is
reduced.
Unlike software solutions that take only a periodic snapshot of application activity, the ROM-based HP
Power Regulator collects and analyzes all system activity to ensure maximum efficiency. Using
automated, policy-based power management allows the system to operate at peak efficiency while
maintaining performance goals. A static power saving mode allows the administrator to set the server
to run continuously in its lowest power state for maximum power conservation.
Since HP Power Regulator is a ROM-based utility, it is independent of operating system constraints.
Key benefits of the HP Power Regulator include:
• Reduced cooling costs from lowered BTU generation by equipment
• Increased compute capacity for a given facility by allowing more installed servers
• Compatible with Intel Speedstep® technology
• OS independent, ROM-based utility that does not require software upgrades
• Multiple modes (dynamic and static) of power management
• Easy, flexible deployment on single or large systems through the iLO scripting interface
Additional information on the HP Power Regulator is provided in the paper titled “Power Regulator for
ProLiant,” available from
www.hp.com/servers/iLO.
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See “Properly configure power zones” under the “Recommendations” section for additional details about the
power zones.
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