Computer Server System and Computer Server for a Computer Server System

• US 20090006685A1
• Filed: 04/22/2008
• Published: 01/01/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Staiger, Dieter, Rieke, Reiner
• Granted Patent: US 8,612,548 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 710/104
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/385 for adaptation of a particular data processing system to different peripheral devices
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management

Abstract

A computer server system comprises multiple computer server units, each computer server comprising a server processing system. Each computer server comprises a local subsystem access module which is standardized for the multiple computer servers and which provides virtual control function for a single instantiation of a hardware resource of the computer server system, wherein the hardware resource is shared between each of the computer servers.

Claims

1. A computer server system comprising a plurality of computer servers, each computer server comprising a server processing system, each server processing system comprising a substantially identical local subsystem access module, each local subsystem access module configured to provide a virtual control function for a single instantiation of a hardware resource of the computer server system, wherein the hardware resource is shared between each of the computer servers.

2. The computer server system of claim 1, wherein each local subsystem access module comprises display control functions and specific subsystem-access ports.

3. The computer server system of claim 1, wherein each local subsystem access module comprises a sequencer engine to coupled to a respective system bus adapter controller, a configuration storage and a register file.

4. The computer server system of claim 3, wherein a serializer/deserializer unit is coupled to the sequencer engine (110).

5. The system of claim 3, wherein the sequencer engine is a register-file programmable sequencer.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the local subsystem access module comprises a frame-buffer memory.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the local subsystem access module is integrated in a field programmable gate array.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein a receptor device is provided which is common for all local subsystem access modules.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the receptor device is coupled to the local subsystem access module of each computer server via a multiplexer.

10. A computer server of a computer server system comprising a plurality of computer servers, the computer server comprising a server processing system, the server processing system comprising a local subsystem access module, the local subsystem access module configured to provide a virtual control function for a single instantiation of a hardware resource of the computer server system, wherein the hardware resource is to be shared between each of the computer servers.

11. The computer server of claim 10, wherein the local subsystem access module comprises display control functions and specific subsystem-access ports.

12. The computer server of claim 10, wherein the local subsystem access module comprises a sequencer engine to coupled to a respective system bus adapter controller, a configuration storage and a register file.

13. The computer server system of claim 12, wherein a serializer/deserializer unit is coupled to the sequencer engine (110).

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the sequencer engine is a register-file programmable sequencer.

15. The system of claim 10, wherein the local subsystem access module comprises a frame-buffer memory.

16. The system of claim 10, wherein the local subsystem access module is integrated in a field programmable gate array.

17. The system of claim 10, wherein a receptor device is provided which is common for all local subsystem access modules.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the receptor device is coupled to the local subsystem access module of the computer server via a multiplexer.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the receptor device coupled to the hardware resource common to all computer servers is a single graphics controller subsystem.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the receptor device, the multiplexer and the graphics controller subsystem are integrated on a common board.