Management of a memory subsystem

• US 6,948,043 B2
• Filed: 08/12/2002
• Issued: 09/20/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 08/12/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hewlett Packard Enterprise Development LP (Hewlett-Packard Enterprise Company)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Espinoza-Ibarra, Ricardo, Barr, Andrew H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Moazzami, Nasser
• Assistant Examiner(s): DINH, NGOC V
• Application Number:
  US10/216,435
• Publication Number:
  US 20040027867A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,135 Days
• Field of Search: 711170- 4, 708/309, 708/311
• US Class Current: 711/170
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/20 Cooling means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/1689 Synchronisation and timing concerns synchronisation on a memory bus G06F13/4234
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/1694 Configuration of memory controller to different memory types
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 2207/2254 Calibration
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 7/22 Read-write [R-W] timing or clocking circuits; Read-write [R-W] control signal generators or management

Abstract

A method of optimizing performance of a memory subsystem in a computer system. This method including the step of informing the computer system of what type of memory module loading is present in the memory subsystem. The method also includes operating the memory subsystem at a first frequency that is at a chosen ratio to a second frequency at which a frontside bus (FSB) operates. Further, the method includes optimizing the performance of the memory subsystem by changing the ratio.

Claims

1. A method of optimizing performance of a memory subsystem in a computer system, the method comprising the steps of:

informing the computer system of what type of memory module loading is present in the memory subsystem, wherein a particular type of memory module loading has a spacing between memory modules different from other types of memory module loading;

operating the memory subsystem at a first frequency that is at a chosen ratio to a second frequency at which a frontside bus (FSB) operates; and

optimizing performance of the memory subsystem by changing the ratio based on the spacing between the memory modules.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the informing step comprises using a serial presence detect (SPD) mechanism.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the informing step comprises using the SPD to configure memory modules included in the memory subsystem.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the informing step comprises using an I²C-based Intelligent Platform Bus (IPBM) interface.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the informing step comprises making use of a user interface to change the first frequency.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the informing step comprises using an SPD to enforce proper loading of memory modules in the memory subsystem.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the optimizing step comprises setting the ratio via a Guardian Service Processor (GSP) console.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the optimizing step comprises automatically configuring the ratio based on results of SPD detection of the memory module loading.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the optimizing step comprises setting the memory subsystem to run at full speed with the first frequency in a substantially 1:

1 ratio to the second frequency.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the optimizing step comprises setting the memory subsystem to run at full speed with the first frequency in a greater than 1:

1 ratio to the second frequency.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the optimizing step comprises setting the memory subsystem to run at less than full speed.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

modulating a voltage of the memory subsystem.

13. A method of optimizing performance of a memory subsystem in a computer system, the method comprising the steps of:

informing the computer system of what type of memory module loading is present in the memory subsystem, wherein a particular type of memory module loading has a spacing between memory modules different from other types of memory module loading;

operating the memory subsystem at a first frequency that is asynchronous to a second frequency at which a Frontside Bus (FSB) is operating;

controlling the first frequency via a separate frequency generator based on the spacing between the memory modules; and

inputting a signal into the frequency generator.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the operating step comprises operating the memory subsystem at the first frequency which is independent of other frequencies in the computer system.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the operating step comprises operating the memory subsystem at the first frequency which is at a ratio to another frequency in the computer system.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the controlling step comprises using an I²C-based I/OX.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein the inputting step comprises controlling the signal with a manual configuration device.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein the inputting step comprises controlling the signal with an Input/Output Expander (I/OX) chip.

19. The method of claim 13, wherein the inputting step comprises controlling the signal with at least one of a microprocessor and a microcontroller.

20. The method of claim 13, wherein the inputting step comprises controlling the signal with a resistor jumper.

21. The method of claim 13, further comprising the step of:

modulating a voltage of the memory subsystem.