Input/output controller for coupling the processor-memory complex to the fabric in fabric-backplane interprise servers
First Claim
1. An apparatus for use with one or more external networks having links and devices, the apparatus including:
- at least one network module having one or more physical network interfaces adapted to couple with the links of the external networks;
at least one processor-memory module adapted to run software processes and provide programmable registers for each of a plurality of logical network interfaces;
a multi-ported switching fabric, each module being adapted to couple to a respective port of the switching fabric at a respective fabric address;
wherein the network interfaces are adapted to selectively exchange frames among the links and the software processes;
wherein for each frame received by the network interfaces of each module, the module is adapted to use a destination address of the frame to search a repository of forwarding information and to present the frame to the switch fabric encapsulated with a search-result-provided destination fabric address; and
wherein each processor-memory module has a processor-memory portion and an input-output portion, each processor-memory portion providing circuitry in support of the running of the software processes, the input-output portion providing the coupling to the switching fabric for the processor-memory module via one or more virtual input-output controllers, each virtual input-output controller providing circuitry in support of the programmable registers of the logical network interfaces.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A hybrid server and multi-layer switch system architecture, referred to hereinafter as the Enterprise Fabric (EF) architecture, forms the basis for a number of Enterprise Server (ES) chassis embodiments. Each ES embodiment generally includes one or more Processor Memory Modules (PMMs, each generally having one or more symmetric multiprocessor complexes), one or more Network Modules, and a System Control Module (SCM). The SCM includes a cellified switching-fabric core (SF) and a System Intelligence Module (SIM). Each PMM has one or more resident Virtual IO Controller (VIOC) adapters. Each VIOC is a specialized I/O controller that includes embedded layer-2 forwarding and filtering functions and tightly couples the PMM to the SF. Thus the layer-2 switch functionality within the ES chassis is distributed over all of the SCM, NM, and PMM modules. Through the use of VIOC/VNIC device drivers, host operating system software (Host O/S) running on the PMMs is presented with a plurality of Virtual Network Interface Cards (VNICs). In some embodiments, each VNIC behaves as a high-performance Ethernet interface at the full disposal of the Host O/S. In other embodiments, at least some of the VNICs behave as high-performance Fiber Channel Host Bus Adapters.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. An apparatus for use with one or more external networks having links and devices, the apparatus including:
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at least one network module having one or more physical network interfaces adapted to couple with the links of the external networks; at least one processor-memory module adapted to run software processes and provide programmable registers for each of a plurality of logical network interfaces; a multi-ported switching fabric, each module being adapted to couple to a respective port of the switching fabric at a respective fabric address; wherein the network interfaces are adapted to selectively exchange frames among the links and the software processes; wherein for each frame received by the network interfaces of each module, the module is adapted to use a destination address of the frame to search a repository of forwarding information and to present the frame to the switch fabric encapsulated with a search-result-provided destination fabric address; and wherein each processor-memory module has a processor-memory portion and an input-output portion, each processor-memory portion providing circuitry in support of the running of the software processes, the input-output portion providing the coupling to the switching fabric for the processor-memory module via one or more virtual input-output controllers, each virtual input-output controller providing circuitry in support of the programmable registers of the logical network interfaces. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification