Data I/O management system and method

• US 6,747,878 B1
• Filed: 07/20/2000
• Issued: 06/08/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 07/20/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hewlett Packard Enterprise Development LP (Hewlett-Packard Enterprise Company)
• Original Assignee: RLX Technologies, Inc. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Hipp, Christopher G., Irving, Guy B., Kirkeby, David M., Johnston, Walter L. Jr., Otto, Walter R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Martin, David
• Assistant Examiner(s): BUI, HUNG S
• Application Number:
  US09/620,108
• Time in Patent Office: 1,419 Days
• Field of Search: 361/801, 361/686, 361/777, 361/785, 361/788, 361/802, 361/683, 324/760, 370/401, 370/236, 709/250
• US Class Current: 361/801
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/183 Internal mounting support structures, e.g. for printed circuit boards, internal connecting means for buses G06F13/409
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/189 Power distribution

Abstract

A network interface card including a first printed circuit board is provided. First and second connectors may be coupled with the first printed circuit board, and a plurality of ethernet communications links may form at least a portion of a coupling between the first and second connectors. The first connector may be configured to receive a third connector associated with a midplane. A chip may be coupled with the first printed circuit board wherein the plurality of ethernet communications links couple the first connector with the chip. A second communication link may also be provided which couples the chip and the second connector. In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention the chip consolidates data received through the first connector for distribution of the data to the second connector. A single board computer may be coupled with the first printed circuit board, and a third communication link may couple the chip with the single board computer.

Claims

1. A network interface card, comprising:

a first printed circuit board;

first and second connectors coupled with the first printed circuit board;

a plurality of ethernet communication paths forming at least a portion of a communication coupling between the first and second connectors;

the first connector configured to receive a third connector associated with a midplane;

a chip coupled with the first printed circuit board wherein the plurality of ethernet communications paths couple the first connector with the chip;

a first communication link coupling the chip and the second connector;

wherein the chip consolidates data received through the first connector for distribution of the data to the second connector;

a single board computer coupled with the first printed circuit board; and

a second communication link coupling the chip with the single board computer.

2. The network interface card of claim 1, further comprising:

a fourth connector coupled with the first printed circuit board; and

wherein the plurality of ethernet paths form at least a portion of the coupling between the fourth connector and the chip.

3. The network interface card of claim 2, wherein the third connector includes a gigabit ethernet connector.

4. The network interface card of claim 2, wherein the third connector includes a gigabit interface connector (GBIC).

5. The network interface card of claim 1, further comprising:

a fourth connector coupled with the single board computer; and

wherein the fourth connector is operable to distribute data between the single board computer and a management network.

6. The network interface card of claim 1, further comprising a fourth connector forming the coupling between the single board computer and the second communication link.

7. The network interface card of claim 1, wherein the single board computer comprises:

a second printed circuit board coupled with the first printed circuit board;

a central processing unit coupled with the second printed circuit board; and

memory integrated circuits coupled with the second printed circuit board.

8. The network interface card of claim 1, wherein the chip includes a repeater chip.

9. The network interface card of claim 1, wherein the chip includes a switch chip.

10. The network interface card of claim 1, wherein the information received by the single board computer comprises telemetry data.

11. The network interface card of claim 1, wherein the single board computer communicates with the management network in response to received information indicating that a first computer communicating with the midplane has exceeded a set temperature.

12. The network interface card of claim 1, wherein the single board computer communicates with the management network by instructing a first component of the management network to replicate the data of a second component of the management network.

13. The network interface card of claim 1, wherein the single board computer communicates with the management network by instructing a first component of the management network to assume the operations of a second component of the management network.

14. The network interface card of claim 1, wherein the first and second connectors comprise first and second high density connectors, the first and second connectors each operable to receive traffic from a plurality of web servers.

15. A network interface card, comprising:

a first printed circuit board;

a chip coupled with the first printed circuit board;

first and second connectors coupled with the first printed circuit board, each of the first and second connectors configured to receive a plurality of first ethernet communications links, through a midplace associated with a plurality of web server processing cards;

a plurality of second ethernet communications links coupling the first connector and the chip;

a plurality of third ethernet communications links coupling the second connector and the chip;

a high density communication path coupling the chip with a third connector; and

wherein the chip is operable to distribute data communications between one of the first and second connectors, and the third connector.

16. The network interface card of claim 15, wherein the chip includes a repeater chip.

17. The network interface card of claim 16, wherein the repeater chip includes an integrated network hub and the repeater chip is operable to aggregate all 10 100 1000 megabits per second ethernet communications received through the first and second connectors.

18. The network interface card of claim 17, wherein the integrated network hub includes a repeater chip having at least ten ports.

19. The network interface card of claim 15, wherein the chip includes a switch chip.

20. The network interface card of claim 19, wherein the switch chip includes an integrated network switch and the switch chip is operable to aggregate all 10/100/1000 megabits per second ethernet communications received through the first and second connectors.

21. The network interface card of claim 20, wherein the integrated network switch includes a switch chip having at least ten ports.

22. The network interface card of claim 19, wherein the switch chip includes a multiple port 10,100 Base T switch having fiber gigabit uplinks.

23. The network interface card of claim 19, wherein the switch chip includes a multiple port 10 100 Base T switch having copper gigabit uplinks.

24. The network interface card of claim 19, wherein the switch chip is operable to address and distribute messages according to packet headers including port addresses associated with network components.

25. The network interface card of claim 15, further comprising:

a fourth connector coupled with the first printed circuit board;

a second high density communication path coupling the repeater chip with the fourth connector; and

wherein the second high density communication path and the fourth connector provide at least a portion of a redundant communication path between the chip and a network router.

26. The network interface card of claim 15, further comprising:

a fourth connector coupled with the first printed circuit board;

a second high density communication path coupling the repeater chip with the fourth connector; and

wherein the fourth connector is operable to receive a fifth connector associated with a second network interface card.

27. The network interface card of claim 15, wherein the third connector includes an RJ-21 connector adapted to receive a fourth connector associated with a network router.

28. The network interface card of claim 15, wherein the first connector includes a built-in serial port.

29. The network interface card of claim 15, further comprising:

a single board computer coupled with the first printed circuit board; and

a second high density communication path coupling the chip with the single board computer.

30. The network interface card of claim 29, wherein the single board computer comprises:

a second printed circuit board coupled with the first printed circuit board;

a central processing unit coupled with the second printed circuit board; and

memory integrated circuits coupled with the second printed circuit board.

31. A network interface card, comprising:

a first printed circuit board;

a chip coupled with the first printed circuit board;

first and second connectors coupled with the first printed circuit board, each of the first and second connectors configured to receive a plurality of first ethernet communications links, through a midplane associated with a plurality of web server processing cards;

a plurality of second ethernet communications links coupling the first connector and the chip;

a plurality of third ethernet communications links coupling the second connector and the chip;

a high density communication path coupling the chip with a third connector, the chip operable to distribute data communications between one of the first and second connectors, and the third connector, the third connector operable to communicate data communications to a management network; and

a communication path coupling the chip with a fourth connector, the chip operable to distribute data communications between one of the first and second connectors and the fourth connector, the fourth connector operable to communicate data communications to an internet.