Virtualized bus device

• US 7,904,629 B2
• Filed: 10/02/2008
• Issued: 03/08/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/21/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Meta Platforms, Inc. (f/k/a Facebook, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: NVON Incorporated
• Inventors: Daniel, David A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Phan, Raymond N
• Application Number:
  US12/286,796
• Publication Number:
  US 20090094399A1
• Time in Patent Office: 887 Days
• Field of Search: 710306-317, 710/29, 710/31
• US Class Current: 710/311
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/4022 using switching circuits, e.g. switching matrix, connection or expansion network G06F13/4009 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2213/0026 PCI express

Abstract

A virtualization of the internal interconnection bus, which results in a virtualized switch or virtualized multi-ported bridge. In the case of a PCI Express switch, one embodiment includes virtualization of the undefined interconnection bus. In the case of a Multi-ported bridge, one embodiment includes virtualization of the internal PCI/PCI-X bus. Through virtualization of the internal interconnection bus, the integrated circuit topology (the physical bridges and ports) may advantageously be spatially separated and remotely distributed far a field from the host computer, yet appear to the host system and host system software as single physical device (i.e. a normal PCIe switch or a normal multi-ported bridge).

Claims

1. A virtualized bus device, comprising:

an upstream bridge and an associated port configured to interface with a computer processor adapted to generate data packets;

at least one downstream bridge spatially remote from and operable with the upstream bridge; and

an interface configured to encapsulate the data packets, and transport the encapsulated data packets via a network between the bridges;

wherein the virtualized bus device is configured as a virtualized multi-ported bridge, and

wherein there is a dynamic number of the downstream bridges.

2. A virtualized bus device, comprising:

an upstream bridge and an associated port configured to interface with a computer processor adapted to generate data packets;

at least one downstream bridge spatially remote from and operable with the upstream bridge; and

an interface configured to encapsulate the data packets, and transport the encapsulated data packets via a network between the bridges;

wherein the virtualized bus device is configured as a virtualized multi-ported bridge, and

wherein the number of downstream bridges is programmable.

3. A virtualized bus device, comprising:

an upstream bridge and an associated port configured to interface with a computer processor adapted to generate data packets;

at least one downstream bridge spatially remote from and operable with the upstream bridge; and

an interface configured to encapsulate the data packets, and transport the encapsulated data packets via a network between the bridges;

wherein the virtualized bus device is configured as a virtualized multi-ported bridge, and

wherein the locations of the downstream bridges are programmable.

4. A virtualized bus device, comprising:

an upstream bridge and an associated port configured to interface with a computer processor adapted to generate data packets;

at least one downstream bridge spatially remote from and operable with the upstream bridge; and

an interface configured to encapsulate the data packets, and transport the encapsulated data packets via a network between the bridges;

wherein the virtualized bus device is configured as a virtualized switch, and

wherein the virtualized switch has a dynamic number of downstream bridges and associated downstream ports.

5. A virtualized bus device, comprising:

an upstream bridge and an associated port configured to interface with a computer processor adapted to generate data packets;

at least one downstream bridge spatially remote from and operable with the upstream bridge; and

an interface configured to encapsulate the data packets, and transport the encapsulated data packets via a network between the bridges;

wherein the virtualized bus device is configured as a virtualized switch, and

wherein the number of downstream bridges and associated downstream ports is programmable.

6. A virtualized bus device, comprising:

an upstream bridge and an associated port configured to interface with a computer processor adapted to generate data packets;

at least one downstream bridge spatially remote from and operable with the upstream bridge; and

an interface configured to encapsulate the data packets, and transport the encapsulated data packets via a network between the bridges;

wherein the virtualized bus device is configured as a virtualized switch, and

wherein the locations of the downstream bridges and associated downstream ports are programmable.

7. A virtualized bus device, comprising:

an upstream bridge and an associated port configured to interface with a computer processor adapted to generate data packets;

at least one downstream bridge spatially remote from and operable with the upstream bridge; and

an interface configured to encapsulate the data packets, and transport the encapsulated data packets via a network between the bridges,

wherein the network is based on the Internet Protocol (IP).

8. The virtualized bus device as specified in claim 7 wherein the device is configured to operate without necessitating the utilization of another network element to transport the encapsulated data packets via the network.

9. A virtualized bus device, comprising:

an upstream bridge and an associated port configured to interface with a computer processor adapted to generate data packets;

at least one downstream bridge spatially remote from and operable with the upstream bridge; and

an interface configured to encapsulate the data packets, and transport the encapsulated data packets via a network between the bridges,

wherein the network implements TCP/IP.

10. The virtualized bus device as specified in claim 9 wherein the device is configured to operate without necessitating the utilization of another network element to transport the encapsulated data packets via the network.

11. A virtualized bus device, comprising:

an upstream bridge and an associated port configured to interface with a computer processor adapted to generate data packets;

at least one downstream bridge spatially remote from and operable with the upstream bridge; and

an interface configured to encapsulate the data packets, and transport the encapsulated data packets via a network between the bridges, wherein the network is a wireless protocol.

12. The virtualized bus device as specified in claim 11 wherein the device is configured to operate without necessitating the utilization of another network element to transport the encapsulated data packets via the network.

13. A virtualized bus device, comprising:

an upstream bridge and an associated port configured to interface with a computer processor adapted to generate data packets;

at least one downstream bridge spatially remote from and operable with the upstream bridge; and

an interface configured to encapsulate the data packets, and transport the encapsulated data packets via a network between the bridges;

wherein the network between the bridges is selected from the group consisting of;

direct connect, wide area network (WAN), and wireless transport.

14. The virtualized bus device as specified in claim 13 wherein the virtualized bus device includes a downstream endpoint implementing one or more functions.

15. The virtualized bus device as specified in claim 13 wherein the virtualized bus device is configured as a multi-function device that includes any allowable quantity and combination of bridges, ports, and downstream endpoints implementing any allowable quantity of functions.

16. The virtualized bus device as specified in claim 13 wherein the virtualized bus device comprises a PCIe device.

17. The virtualized bus device as specified in claim 13 wherein the virtualized bus device is a realization of and representative of an actual bus device.

18. The virtualized bus device as specified in claim 13 wherein there is a dynamic number of the downstream bridges.

19. The virtualized bus device as specified in claim 13 wherein the number of downstream bridges is programmable.

20. The virtualized bus device as specified in claim 13 wherein the locations of the downstream bridges are programmable.

21. The virtualized bus device as specified in claim 13 wherein the network is based on the Internet Protocol (IP).

22. The virtualized bus device as specified in claim 13 wherein the network implements TCP/IP.

23. The virtualized bus device as specified in claim 13 wherein the network is a wireless protocol.

24. The virtualized bus device as specified in claim 13 wherein the network between the bridges includes an i-PCI protocol.

25. The virtualized bus device as specified in claim 13 wherein the downstream bridge is spatially remote from the upstream bridge a distance greater than that allowed by a local I/O bus technology.

26. The virtualized bus device as specified in claim 13 wherein the device is configured to operate without necessitating the utilization of another network element to transport the encapsulated data packets via the network.