Reprogramming a field programmable device on-demand

• US 10,417,012 B2
• Filed: 09/21/2016
• Issued: 09/17/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 09/21/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Chan, Yuk L., Wack, Andrew P., Yocom, Peter B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Derose, Volvick
• Application Number:
  US15/271,728
• Publication Number:
  US 20180081701A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,091 Days
• Field of Search: 713100
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/65 Updates security arrangements therefor G06F21/57
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/654 using techniques specially adapted for alterable solid state memories, e.g. for EEPROM or flash memories
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4411 Configuring for operating with peripheral devices; Loading of device drivers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/44505 Configuring for program initiating, e.g. using registry, configuration files
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/5083 Techniques for rebalancing the load in a distributed system

Abstract

Examples of techniques for reprogramming a field programmable device on demand are disclosed. According to aspects of the present disclosure, a computer-implemented method may include: identifying a first field programmable device as being over utilized; responsive to identifying the first field programmable device that is over utilized, identifying a second field programmable device that is underutilized; determining whether to reprogram the second field programmable device; responsive to determining to reconfigure the second field programmable device, stopping the second field programmable device from performing a workload; moving the workload to another field programmable device configured to perform the workload; and reprogramming the second field programmable device.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for reprogramming a field programmable device on demand, the method comprising:

identifying, by a processing device, a first field programmable device as being over utilized, wherein the first field programmable device is configured with a first set of computer readable instructions to perform a first workload type, wherein the first field programmable device is identified as being over utilized when a number of requests waiting to be executed by the first field programmable device exceeds a threshold;

responsive to identifying the first field programmable device that is over utilized, identifying, by the processing device, a second field programmable device that is underutilized, wherein the second field programmable device is configured with a second set of computer readable instructions different from the first set of computer readable instructions to perform a second workload type;

determining whether to reprogram the second field programmable device with the first set of computer readable instructions;

responsive to determining to reprogram the second field programmable device with the first set of computer readable instructions, stopping the second field programmable device from performing a workload of the second workload type;

moving the workload of the second workload type to another field programmable device configured to perform the workload of the second workload type; and

reprogramming the second field programmable device with the first set of computer readable instructions by loading the first set of computer readable instructions to the second field programmable device to cause the second field programmable device to perform the first workload type instead of the second workload type.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein reprogramming the second field programmable device with the first set of computer readable instructions to perform the first workload type further comprises:

bringing the second field programmable device offline;

loading the first set of computer readable instructions to the second field programmable device subsequent to bringing the second field programming device offline; and

bringing the second field programmable device online subsequent to the loading.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, further comprising executing a workload of the first workload type on the second field programmable device after bringing the second field programmable device online.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein determining whether to reprogram the second field programmable device with the first set of computer readable instructions is based on at least one of a priority of a workload type, a performance of the first field programmable device, a performance of the second field programmable device, a demand level, and a redundancy requirement.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the field programmable device is one of a field-programmable gate array, a programmable read-only memory, or a programmable logic device.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein loading the first set of computer readable instructions to the second field programmable device comprises receiving the first set of computer readable instructions from the processing device.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein stopping the second field programmable device from performing the workload of the second workload type further comprises completing an executing workload of the second workload type before stopping the second field programmable device from performing an additional workload of the second workload type.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein determining whether to reprogram the second field programmable device with the first set of computer readable instructions further comprises:

considering an impact to the first field programmable device as a result of reprogramming the second field programmable device with the first set of computer readable instructions; and

considering an impact to other field programmable devices as a result of reprogramming the second field programmable device with the first set of computer readable instructions.

9. A system for reprogramming a field programmable device on demand, the system comprising:

a memory having computer readable instructions; and

a processing device for executing the computer readable instructions, the computer readable instructions comprising;

identifying a first field programmable device as being over utilized, wherein the first field programmable device is configured with a first set of computer readable instructions to perform a first workload type, wherein the first field programmable device is identified as being over utilized when a number of requests waiting to be executed by the first field programmable device exceeds a threshold;

responsive to identifying the first field programmable device that is over utilized, identifying a second field programmable device that is underutilized, wherein the second field programmable device is configured with a second set of computer readable instructions different from the first set of computer readable instructions to perform a second workload type;

determining whether to reprogram the second field programmable device with the first set of computer readable instructions;

responsive to determining to reprogram the second field programmable device with the first set of computer readable instructions, stopping the second field programmable device from performing a workload of the second workload type;

moving the workload of the second workload type to another field programmable device configured to perform the workload of the second workload type; and

reprogramming the second field programmable device with the first set of computer readable instructions by loading the first set of computer readable instructions to the second field programmable device to cause the second field programmable device to perform the first workload type instead of the second workload type.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein reprogramming the second field programmable device with the first set of computer readable instructions to perform the first workload type further comprises:

bringing the second field programmable device offline;

loading the first set of computer readable instructions to the second field programmable device subsequent to bringing the second field programming device offline; and

bringing the second field programmable device online subsequent to the loading.

11. The system of claim 10, the computer readable instructions further comprising executing a workload of the first workload type on the second field programmable device after bringing the second field programmable device online.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein determining whether to reprogram the second field programmable device with the first set of computer readable instructions is based on at least one of a priority of a workload type, a performance of the first field programmable device, a performance of the second field programmable device, a demand level, and a redundancy requirement.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein the field programmable device is one of a field-programmable gate array, a programmable read-only memory, or a programmable logic device.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein loading the first set of computer readable instructions to the second field programmable device comprises receiving the first set of computer readable instructions from the processing device.

15. The system of claim 9, wherein stopping the second field programmable device from performing the workload of the second workload type further comprises completing an executing workload of the second workload type before stopping the second field programmable device from performing an additional workload of the second workload type.

16. The system of claim 9, wherein determining whether to reprogram the second field programmable device with the first set of computer readable instructions further comprises:

considering an impact to the first field programmable device as a result of reprogramming the second field programmable device with the first set of computer readable instructions; and

considering an impact to other field programmable devices as a result of reprogramming the second field programmable device with the first set of computer readable instructions.

17. A computer program product for reprogramming a field programmable device on demand, the computer program product comprising:

a computer readable storage medium having program instructions embodied therewith, the program instructions executable by a processing device to cause the processing device to;

identifying a first field programmable device as being over utilized, wherein the first field programmable device is configured with a first set of computer readable instructions to perform a first workload type, wherein the first field programmable device is identified as being over utilized when a number of requests waiting to be executed by the first field programmable device exceeds a threshold;

responsive to identifying the first field programmable device that is over utilized, identify a second field programmable device that is underutilized, wherein the second field programmable device is configured with a second set of computer readable instructions different from the first set of computer readable instructions to perform a second workload type;

determine whether to reprogram the second field programmable device with the first set of computer readable instructions;

responsive to determining to reprogram the second field programmable device with the first set of computer readable instructions, stop the second field programmable device from performing a workload of the second workload type;

move the workload of the second workload type to another field programmable device configured to perform the workload of the second workload type; and

reprogram the second field programmable device with the first set of computer readable instructions by loading the first set of computer readable instructions to the second field programmable device to cause the second field programmable device to perform the first workload type instead of the second workload type.

18. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein reprogramming the second field programmable device with the first set of computer readable instructions to perform the first workload type further comprises:

bringing the second field programmable device offline;

loading the first set of computer readable instructions to the second field programmable device subsequent to bringing the second field programming device offline; and

bringing the second field programmable device online subsequent to the loading.

19. The computer program product of claim 18, the program instructions further causing the processing device to execute a workload of the first workload type on the second field programmable device after bringing the second field programmable device online.

20. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein determining whether to reprogram the second field programmable device with the first set of computer readable instructions is based on at least one of a priority of a workload type, a performance of the first field programmable device, a performance of the second field programmable device, a demand level, and a redundancy requirement.