Managing network configurations in a server system

• US 9,794,120 B2
• Filed: 04/14/2015
• Issued: 10/17/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 04/14/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Quanta Computer
• Original Assignee: Quanta Computer
• Inventors: Chou, Le-Sheng, Shih, Sz-Chin
• Primary Examiner(s): SERRAO, RANODHI N
• Application Number:
  US14/686,217
• Publication Number:
  US 20160308717A1
• Time in Patent Office: 917 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/128 for dedicated transfers to a network for protocol converters G06F13/387
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/385 for adaptation of a particular data processing system to different peripheral devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0816 the condition being an adaptation, e.g. in response to network events
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/20 Network management software packages

Abstract

A controller in a server system can determine whether to share a network connection of the server system. In response to determining to share the network connection, the controller can disable a dedicated network connection between the controller and a network interface controller (NIC) in the server system, enable a first shared network connection between the controller and a computing module in the server system, and enable a second shared network connection between the computing module and the NIC. In response to determining not to share the network connection, the controller can enable the dedicated network connection between the controller and the NIC.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

determining, by a controller in a server system, whether to share a network connection of the server system;

determining to share the network connection;

enabling a first shared network connection between the controller and a computing module in the server system, and enabling a second shared network connection between the computing module and a network interface controller (NIC) in the server system, wherein the controller is coupled to the NIC via the first shared network connection and the second shared network connection, wherein the computing module is coupled to the NIC via either the second shared network connection, or via the first shared network connection, the controller and a dedicated network connection between the controller and the NIC; and

disabling the dedicated network connection between the controller and the NIC by changing a PHY chip hardware strapping.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising enabling the dedicated network connection between the controller and the NIC in the server system, in response to determining to share the network connection.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein determining whether to share a network connection of the server system comprises detecting whether the computing module is present.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein determining whether to share a network connection of the server system is at least in part based on whether the server system is powered down.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein determining whether to share a network connection of the server system is at least in part based on whether the dedicated network connection between the controller and the NIC is disconnected or malfunctioning.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

detecting for a malfunction in the second shared network connection; and

in response to detecting the malfunction in the second shared network connection, enabling the dedicated network connection.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the server system includes only one NIC.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the second shared network connection comprises a Serializer/Deserializer (SERDES) interface.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein enabling the second shared network connection comprises changing a PHY chip hardware strapping.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the dedicated network connection comprises a Media Independent Interface (MII), Reduced Media Independent Interface (RMII), Gigabit Media Independent Interface (GMII), or Reduced Gigabit Media Independent Interface (RGMII) between the controller and the NIC.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the NIC comprises a PHY chip.

12. A server system comprising:

a network interface controller (NIC);

a controller configured to;

determine whether to share a network connection of the server system;

determine to share the network connection;

enable a first shared network connection between the controller and a computing module in the server system, and enable a second shared network connection between the computing module and a network interface controller (NIC) in the server system, wherein the controller is coupled to the NIC via the first shared network connection and the second shared network connection, wherein the computing module is coupled to the NIC via either the second shared network connection, or via the first shared network connection, the controller and a dedicated network connection between the controller and the NIC; and

disable the dedicated network connection between the controller and the NIC by changing a PHY chip hardware strapping.

13. The server system of claim 12, wherein determine whether to share a network connection of the server system comprises detecting whether the computing module is present.

14. The server system of claim 12, wherein determine whether to share a network connection of the server system is at least in part based on whether the server system is powered down.

15. The server system of claim 12, wherein determine whether to share a network connection of the server system is at least in part based on whether the dedicated network connection between the controller and the NIC is disconnected or malfunctioning.

16. The server system of claim 12, wherein the first shared network connection comprises a Network Controller Sideband Interface (NCSI) or a System Management Bus (SMBus).

17. The server system of claim 12, wherein the second shared network connection comprises a Serializer/Deserializer (SERDES) interface.

19. The server system of claim 12, wherein the controller is further configured to:

detect for a malfunction in the second shared network connection; and

in response to detecting the malfunction in the second shared network connection, enable the dedicated network connection.

18. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing executable instructions which cause a data processing device to:

determine whether to share a network connection of the server system;

determine to share the network connection;

disable a dedicated network connection between the controller and a network interface controller (NIC) in the server system by changing a PHY chip hardware strapping;

enable a first shared network connection between the controller and a computing module in the server system; and

enable a second shared network connection between the computing module and the NIC, wherein the controller is coupled to the NIC via the first shared network connection and the second shared network connection, wherein the computing module is coupled to the NIC via either the second shared network connection, or via the first shared network connection, the controller and a dedicated network connection between the controller and the NIC.