Front and rear panel management structure and server system

Abstract

The utility model provides a front and rear panel management structure and a server system.The front and rear panel management structure comprises a substrate management controller, a signal switching circuit, a front panel and a rear panel, and a universal asynchronous receiver / transmitter (UART) interface of the substrate management controller is in communication connection with a first interface of the signal switching circuit; a second interface of the signal switching circuit is in communication connection with the front panel, and a third interface of the signal switching circuit is in communication connection with the rear panel; and the signal switching circuit is used for selectively connecting the substrate management controller with any one of the front panel and the rear panel in a communication manner. According to the front and rear panel management structure, the signal switching circuit is arranged, so that the substrate management controller can be in communication connection with the front panel or the rear panel quickly, and front and rear maintenance of the server can be performed more efficiently through the substrate management controller, the front panel and the rear panel.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to server technology, and in particular to a front and rear panel management structure and a server system. Background Art

[0002] Modern data center servers not only need to have high-performance computing capabilities, but also need to be flexible in responding to various maintenance scenarios, especially in complex environments that need to support both front maintenance (i.e., maintenance operations from the front end of the server) and back maintenance (i.e., maintenance operations from the back end of the server).

[0003] An existing server system expands the switch and the management network to the front and rear panels and introduces a universal asynchronous receiver-transmitter interface to support debugging and monitoring functions. However, when performing front and rear maintenance, the universal asynchronous receiver-transmitter interface needs to be manually connected to a plug in the front panel or the rear panel, which results in low efficiency in front and rear maintenance of the server during actual maintenance. Utility Model Content

[0004] The present application provides a front and rear panel management structure and a server system, which are used to solve the problem of low maintenance efficiency of the existing server system during front and rear maintenance.

[0005] In a first aspect, the present application provides a front and rear panel management structure, including:

[0006] A baseboard management controller, a signal switching circuit, a front panel and a rear panel, wherein a universal asynchronous receiver / transmitter (UART) interface of the baseboard management controller is communicatively connected to a first interface of the signal switching circuit, a second interface of the signal switching circuit is communicatively connected to the front panel, and a third interface of the signal switching circuit is communicatively connected to the rear panel;

[0007] The signal switching circuit is used to selectively connect the baseboard management controller to any one of the front panel and the rear panel for communication.

[0008] In a possible implementation, the signal switching circuit includes:

[0009] A signal processing module and a switching module, wherein the signal processing module is communicatively connected to the switching module, a UART interface of the baseboard management controller is communicatively connected to a first interface of the switching module, a second interface of the switching module is communicatively connected to the front panel, and a third interface of the switching module is communicatively connected to the rear panel;

[0010] The signal processing module is used to receive a control code and send a switching control signal based on the control code;

[0011] The switching module is used to receive the switching control signal and selectively connect the baseboard management controller to any one of the front panel and the rear panel based on the switching control signal.

[0012] In a possible implementation, the signal processing module is communicatively connected to the front panel and the rear panel, and the front panel and the rear panel are further communicatively connected to a host device, and the host device is used to send the control code.

[0013] In a possible implementation, the signal processing module includes:

[0014] A memory, a comparator and a transceiver, wherein the comparator is communicatively connected with the memory and the transceiver;

[0015] The memory is used to store a first preset control code, a second preset control code, a first switching control signal and a second switching control signal, the first preset control code corresponds to the first switching control signal, and the second preset control code corresponds to the second switching control signal;

[0016] The transceiver is used to receive the control code;

[0017] The comparator is used to compare the control code with the first preset control code and the second preset control code and output a comparison result; the comparison result includes that the control code is consistent with the first preset control code, or the control code is consistent with the second preset control code;

[0018] The transceiver is also used to send the first switching control signal or the second switching control signal based on the comparison result, the first switching control signal is used to control the UART interface of the baseboard management controller to communicate with the front panel, and the second switching control signal is used to control the UART interface of the baseboard management controller to communicate with the rear panel.

[0019] In a possible implementation manner, both the first preset control code and the second preset control code are ASCII codes.

[0020] In a possible implementation, the switching module is a multiplexer.

[0021] In a possible implementation, it further includes:

[0022] A first signal converter and a second signal converter, the second interface of the signal switching circuit is connected to the front panel through the first signal converter, and the third interface of the signal switching circuit is connected to the rear panel through the second signal converter.

[0023] In a second aspect, the present application further provides a server system, comprising: a physical layer interface chip, a switch, and a front and rear panel management structure as described in any one of the first aspects;

[0024] The Gigabit Media Independent Interface of the baseboard management controller is communicatively connected to the first interface of the physical layer interface chip, the second interface of the physical layer interface chip is communicatively connected to the first interface of the switch, and the switch is also communicatively connected to the front panel and the rear panel.

[0025] In a possible implementation manner, the second interface of the switch is communicatively connected to the front panel, and the third interface of the switch is communicatively connected to the rear panel.

[0026] In a possible implementation, it further includes:

[0027] A mid-backplane, the second interface of the switch is communicatively connected to the mid-backplane, and the mid-backplane is also communicatively connected to the front panel and the rear panel.

[0028] The present application provides a front and rear panel management structure and a server system, the front and rear panel management structure includes: a baseboard management controller, a signal switching circuit, a front panel and a rear panel. When it is necessary to perform front maintenance of the server through the baseboard management controller and the front panel, the UART interface of the baseboard management controller, the first interface of the signal switching circuit, the second interface of the signal switching circuit and the front panel are connected by communication through the signal switching circuit, so that the server is maintained and managed through the baseboard management controller and the front panel. Similarly, when it is necessary to perform rear maintenance of the server through the baseboard management controller and the rear panel, the baseboard management controller, the first interface of the signal switching circuit, the third interface of the signal switching circuit and the rear panel are connected by communication through the signal switching circuit, so that the server can be maintained and managed through the basic management controller and the rear panel. Compared with the prior art, the front and rear panel management structure of the present application can quickly connect the baseboard management controller to the front panel or the rear panel by setting the signal switching circuit, so that the front and rear maintenance and management of the server can be performed more efficiently through the baseboard management controller, the front panel and the rear panel. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0029] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments consistent with the present application and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the present application.

[0030] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the structure of the front and rear panel management provided in the first embodiment of the present application;

[0031] Figure 2 A schematic diagram of another front and back management structure provided in Embodiment 1 of the present application;

[0032] Figure 3 A flowchart of the signal processing module provided in Example 1 of the present application;

[0033] Figure 4 A schematic diagram of the structure of the server system provided in Example 2 of the present application.

[0034] Description of reference numerals:

[0035] 1-Baseboard management controller;

[0036] 2-signal switching circuit; 21-signal processing module; 211-memory; 212-transceiver; 213-comparator; 22-switching module;

[0037] 3-Front panel;

[0038] 4- Rear panel;

[0039] 5-Host device;

[0040] 6- a first signal converter;

[0041] 7- second signal converter;

[0042] 8-Physical layer interface chip;

[0043] 9-Switch.

[0044] The above drawings have shown clear embodiments of the present application, which will be described in more detail later. These drawings and text descriptions are not intended to limit the scope of the present application in any way, but to illustrate the concept of the present application to those skilled in the art by referring to specific embodiments. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0045] Exemplary embodiments will be described in detail herein, examples of which are shown in the accompanying drawings. When the following description refers to the drawings, the same numbers in different drawings represent the same or similar elements unless otherwise indicated. The implementations described in the following exemplary embodiments do not represent all implementations consistent with the present application. Instead, they are merely examples of devices and methods consistent with some aspects of the present application as detailed in the appended claims.

[0046] The terms "including" and "having" in this application are used to express an open-ended inclusion, and mean that in addition to the listed elements / components / etc., there may be additional elements / components / etc.; the terms "first" and "second" etc. are only used as marks or distinctions, and are not intended to limit the order or quantity of their objects. In addition, the different elements and areas in the drawings are only shown schematically, and are therefore not limited to the sizes or distances shown in the drawings. The technical solution is described in detail below with specific embodiments. The following specific embodiments can be combined with each other, and the same or similar concepts or processes may not be repeated in some embodiments. The embodiments of the present application will be described below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

[0047] First, the terms involved in this application are explained:

[0048] Server: A dedicated computer that provides some kind of service to other clients (such as PCs, smartphones, terminals such as ATMs, and even large equipment such as train systems) in a network environment.

[0049] Baseboard Management Controller (BMC): A core component used to monitor and manage servers, network devices, and other computer systems.

[0050] Server front panel: used to connect and display various hardware devices and interfaces of the server, providing convenient operation and management functions to ensure the normal operation and security of the server. The front panel includes but is not limited to indicator lights, buttons and interfaces.

[0051] Server rear panel: An important component of the rear of the server chassis, it carries multiple functions and interfaces such as network interface, storage interface, power interface, management interface, etc.

[0052] Server midplane: A circuit board installed at the back of the server chassis. It has multiple functions such as connecting expansion slots, storage devices, memory modules, motherboard components, and providing power supply interfaces. The normal operation and coordinated work of these functions are important guarantees for the smooth operation of the server and the provision of various services.

[0053] Switch: A device that can automatically or manually complete information exchange according to the needs of information transmission at both ends of the communication. Its main function is to provide an exclusive electrical signal path for any two network nodes connected to the switch to achieve fast and accurate data transmission. At the same time, the switch also supports a variety of network protocols and interfaces, such as Ethernet, fiber distributed data interface FDDI, asynchronous transfer mode ATM, etc., to adapt to different network environments.

[0054] Physical Layer chip: Responsible for the signal conversion and transmission of the physical layer in the data communication system. It can complete tasks such as encoding and decoding from digital signals to analog signals, modulation and demodulation of signals, channel transmission and link management.

[0055] In order to clearly understand the technical solution of the present application, the solution of the prior art is first introduced in detail.

[0056] At present, the overall server architecture is becoming increasingly complex, and the requirements for server maintenance and management are also increasing. Modern data center servers not only need to have high-performance computing capabilities, but also need to flexibly respond to various maintenance scenarios, especially in complex environments that need to support both front maintenance (i.e. maintenance operations from the front end of the server) and back maintenance (i.e. maintenance operations from the back end of the server).

[0057] An existing server system adds a universal asynchronous receiver-transmitter (UART) interface for data exchange. The UART interface, as a widely used serial communication interface, has the advantages of low cost, high reliability and easy implementation, enabling the server system to exchange data stably and efficiently, and the UART interface plays an important role in the debugging and monitoring of the server system. However, when the existing server system needs to perform front and back maintenance of the server through the baseboard management controller and the front and back panels, the UART interface must be manually connected to a plug in the front panel or the rear panel. This manual switching method not only increases the complexity and time cost of the maintenance operation, but may also cause connection errors and unstable connections, thereby reducing the maintenance efficiency of the front and back maintenance of the server.

[0058] Therefore, in the face of the technical problem of the above-mentioned prior art, in order to improve the efficiency of front and rear maintenance and management of the server through the baseboard management controller and the front and rear panels, a signal switching circuit or a signal switching unit is set up, the signal switching circuit is communicatively connected with the baseboard management controller and the front and rear panels, and the connection between the baseboard management controller and the front and rear panels is flexibly switched through the signal switching circuit, so as to realize efficient use of the baseboard management controller and the front and rear panels to perform front and rear maintenance and management of the server.

[0059] The technical solution of the present application and how the technical solution of the present application solves the above-mentioned technical problems are described in detail below with specific embodiments. The following specific embodiments can be combined with each other, and the same or similar concepts or processes may not be repeated in some embodiments. The embodiments of the present application will be described below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

[0060] Embodiment 1

[0061] Figure 1This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the front and rear panel management structure provided in the first embodiment. Specifically, the front and rear panel management structure includes: a baseboard management controller 1, a signal switching circuit 2, a front panel 3 and a rear panel 4.

[0062] Among them, the universal asynchronous receiver / transmitter UART interface of the baseboard management controller 1 is communicatively connected to the first interface of the signal switching circuit 2, the second interface of the signal switching circuit 2 is communicatively connected to the front panel 3, and the third interface of the signal switching circuit 2 is communicatively connected to the rear panel 4.

[0063] In this embodiment, the signal switching circuit 2 is used to selectively connect the baseboard management controller 1 to any one of the front panel 3 and the rear panel 4 for communication.

[0064] Among them, the UART interface follows the asynchronous serial communication protocol, including start bit, data bit, check bit (optional) and stop bit. The baud rate (data transmission rate) is an important parameter in UART communication and needs to be agreed upon between the communicating parties.

[0065] Optionally, the communication protocol between the second interface of the signal switching circuit 2 and the front panel 3 and between the signal switching circuit 2 and the rear panel 4 varies depending on the design of the system. For example, if the rear panel 4 is connected to an Ethernet network, it may be necessary to follow the Ethernet communication protocol (such as the Transmission Control Protocol TCP / Internet Protocol IP). If it is connected to other types of serial interfaces (such as RS-485, a universal serial bus communication protocol standard), it is necessary to follow the corresponding serial communication protocol.

[0066] Optionally, in this embodiment, the signal switching circuit 2 can receive an instruction from the control device and enable the baseboard management controller 1 to communicate with the front panel 3 or the rear panel 4 based on the instruction.

[0067] Optionally, the signal switching circuit 2 is communicatively connected to the control device via a line.

[0068] Optionally, the signal switching circuit 2 can be connected to the control device by wireless communication, for example, WiFi (Wireless Fidelity) connection or Bluetooth connection.

[0069] Specifically, in the actual application process of the front and rear panel management structure provided by this embodiment, when it is necessary to use the baseboard management controller 1 and the front panel 3 to perform front maintenance and management of the server, the UART interface of the baseboard management controller 1, the first interface of the signal switching circuit 2, the second interface of the signal switching circuit 2 and the front panel 3 are communicatively connected through the signal switching circuit 2, so that the front maintenance and management of the server can be performed through the baseboard management controller 1 and the front panel 3. Similarly, when it is necessary to use the baseboard management controller 1 and the rear panel 4 to perform post maintenance and management of the server, the baseboard management controller 1, the first interface of the signal switching circuit 2, the third interface of the signal switching circuit 2 and the rear panel 4 are communicatively connected through the signal switching circuit 2, so that the post maintenance and management of the server can be performed through the baseboard management controller and the rear panel 4. Compared with the prior art method of manually disassembling the connection interface and plugging it into the front panel 3 or the rear panel 4 to achieve front and rear maintenance management of the server, the front and rear panel management structure of this embodiment can quickly communicate and connect the baseboard management controller 1 with the front panel 3 or the rear panel 4 by setting a signal switching circuit 2, thereby enabling more efficient front and rear maintenance and management of the server through the baseboard management controller 1, the front panel 3 and the rear panel 4.

[0070] Figure 2 A schematic diagram of another front and rear panel management structure provided in the first embodiment is shown in FIG. Figure 2 As shown in , in this embodiment, the signal switching circuit 2 includes: a signal processing module 21 and a switching module 22 .

[0071] Specifically, the signal processing module 21 is communicatively connected to the switching module 22, the UART interface of the baseboard management controller 1 is communicatively connected to the first interface of the switching module 22, the second interface of the switching module 22 is communicatively connected to the front panel 3, and the third interface of the switching module 22 is communicatively connected to the rear panel 4.

[0072] The signal processing module 21 is used to receive a control code and send a switching control signal based on the control code.

[0073] The switching module 22 is used to receive a switching control signal, and selectively connect the baseboard management controller 1 to communicate with either the front panel 3 or the rear panel 4 based on the switching control signal.

[0074] The control code is a control information code sent by the control device, and the control information code has information for controlling the communication connection between the BMC 1 and the front panel 3 or between the BMC 1 and the rear panel 4. The switching control signal is a signal for controlling the switching module 22 to perform an action.

[0075] Optionally, the signal processing module 21 may receive a remote control code from a network, thereby controlling the signal switching circuit 2 .

[0076] Optionally, in this embodiment, the switching module 22 is a multiplexer.

[0077] Among them, the multiplexer is a combinational logic circuit with multiple inputs and a single output. It can select one output from multiple inputs to a common output terminal according to the different channel selection control signals. Its principle is based on the combination of Boolean algebra and logic gates. Through the cooperation of the control terminal and multiple logic gates, it can realize the selection and conversion of input signals. Multiplexers can be classified according to the number of input terminals. Common ones include 2-to-1, 4-to-1, 8-to-1, 16-to-1 and other multiplexers.

[0078] Specifically, in this embodiment, the multiplexer is a 2-to-1 type multiplexer. Of course, in other embodiments, the type of the multiplexer can be flexibly adjusted as the number of structural components increases.

[0079] Specifically, the front and rear panel management structure provided in this embodiment, the signal switching circuit 2 includes: a signal processing module 21 and a switching module 22. When the signal switching circuit 2 performs line switching, the signal processing module 21 can receive a control code and send a switching control signal to the switching module 22 based on the control code. When the switching module 22 receives the switching control signal, the baseboard management controller 1 is connected to any one of the front panel 3 and the rear panel 4 in communication according to the switching control signal. The front and rear panel management structure of this embodiment realizes flexible communication switching between the baseboard management controller 1 and the front and rear panels by using the signal processing module 21 and the switching module 22 to work together.

[0080] Figure 3 This is a working flow chart of the signal processing module provided in the first embodiment, wherein the signal processing module specifically includes: a memory 211 , a comparator 213 and a transceiver 212 , and the comparator 213 is communicatively connected with the memory 211 and the transceiver 212 .

[0081] The memory 211 is used to store a first preset control code, a second preset control code, a first switching control signal and a second switching control signal. The first preset control code corresponds to the first switching control signal, and the second preset control code corresponds to the second switching control signal.

[0082] The transceiver 212 is used to receive the control code.

[0083] The comparator 213 is used to compare the control code with the first preset control code and the second preset control code and output a comparison result; the comparison result includes that the control code is consistent with the first preset control code, or the control code is consistent with the second preset control code;

[0084] Among them, the transceiver 212 is also used to send a first switching control signal or a second switching control signal based on the comparison result. The first switching control signal is used to control the UART interface of the baseboard management controller 1 to communicate with the front panel 3, and the second switching control signal is used to control the UART interface of the baseboard management controller 1 to communicate with the rear panel 4.

[0085] The first preset control code and the second preset control code are control codes preset by the user for controlling the communication connection between the BMC 1 and the front panel 3 or the rear panel 4. The first switching control signal and the second switching control signal are switching control signals preset by the user for controlling the switching module 22 to perform switching actions.

[0086] Optionally, in this embodiment, the first switching control signal is used to control the communication connection between the baseboard management controller 1 and the front panel 3, and the second switching control signal is used to control the communication connection between the baseboard management controller 1 and the rear panel 4. Of course, in other embodiments, the first switching control signal is used to control the communication connection between the baseboard management controller 1 and the rear panel 4, and the second switching control signal is used to control the communication connection between the baseboard management controller 1 and the front panel 3.

[0087] Optionally, the first preset control code and the second preset control code are both ASCII codes. ASCII (American Standard Code for Information Interchange) is a computer coding system based on Latin letters. ASCII uses a specified 7-bit or 8-bit binary number combination to represent 128 or 256 possible characters, including uppercase and lowercase English letters, numbers 0 to 9, punctuation marks, and special control characters.

[0088] Specifically, the front and rear panel management structure provided in this embodiment, the signal processing module specifically includes: a memory 211, a comparator 213 and a transceiver 212. When the signal processing module is working, the transceiver 212 receives the control code, the comparator 213 obtains the control code received by the transceiver 212, and compares the control code with the first preset control code and the second preset control code. When the control code is consistent with the first preset control code, the comparator 213 sends the result that the control code is consistent with the first preset controller to the transceiver 212, and the transceiver 212 sends the first switching control signal corresponding to the first preset controller based on this result. When the control code is consistent with the second preset control code, the comparator 213 sends the result that the control code is consistent with the second preset control code to the transceiver 212, and the transceiver 212 sends the second switching control signal corresponding to the second preset controller based on this result. When the control code is inconsistent with both the first preset control code and the second preset control code, the comparator 213 does not perform the next step. The signal processing module provided in this embodiment can accurately send the corresponding switching control signal according to the received control code by utilizing the memory 211, the comparator 213 and the transceiver 212 to ensure that the signal switching circuit 2 can accurately switch the lines between the baseboard management controller 1 and the front and rear panels.

[0089] Alternatively, if Figure 2 As shown in FIG. 1 , in this embodiment, the signal processing module 21 is connected to the front panel 3 and the rear panel 4 for communication. The front panel 3 and the rear panel 4 are also connected to the host device 5 for communication. The host device 5 is used to send control codes.

[0090] Specifically, when the baseboard management controller 1 needs to communicate with the front panel 3 or the rear panel 4, the user inputs a corresponding switching command through the host device 5, and the host device 5 sends a corresponding control code based on the switching command. The control code is transmitted to the signal processing module 21 via the front panel 3 or the rear panel 4.

[0091] Optionally, the host device 5 includes an input device, and the user inputs a corresponding switching command through the input device.

[0092] Optionally, in this embodiment, the input device is a keyboard, and the user inputs the switching command by inputting a specific key combination. For example, "Ctrl+u, Ctrl+r, Ctrl+t, F" is a switching command for the communication connection between the baseboard management controller 1 and the front panel 3, and "Ctrl+u, Ctrl+r, Ctrl+t, R" is an example of a switching command for the communication connection between the baseboard management controller 1 and the rear panel 4. Among them, the ASCII code corresponding to "Ctrl+u, Ctrl+r, Ctrl+t, F" is 32'h15121446, and the ASCII code corresponding to "Ctrl+u, Ctrl+r, Ctrl+t, R" is 32'h15121446.

[0093] Specifically, the front and rear panel management structure of the present application connects the signal processing module 21 to the front panel 3 and the rear panel 4, and connects the front panel 3 and the rear panel 4 to the host device 5. The control code is sent by the host device 5 and transmitted to the signal processing module 21 via the front panel 3 or the rear panel 4, so that the user can conveniently issue a switching command through the host device 5.

[0094] Alternatively, if Figure 2 As shown in , the front and rear panel management structure of the present application further includes: a first signal converter 6 and a second signal converter 7 .

[0095] The second interface of the signal switching circuit 2 is connected to the front panel 3 through the first signal converter 6 , and the third interface of the signal switching circuit 2 is connected to the rear panel 4 through the second signal converter 7 .

[0096] Specifically, the first signal converter 6 and the second signal converter 7 are devices for converting one signal into another signal. The first signal converter 6 is used to implement the adaptation and conversion of the signal between the signal switching circuit 2 and the front panel 3, and the second signal converter 7 is used to implement the adaptation and conversion of the signal between the signal switching circuit 2 and the rear panel 4.

[0097] Optionally, the first signal converter 6 and the second signal converter 7 can be signal converters of the same type or signal converters of different types. Specifically, if the front panel is an RS-232 interface, the first signal converter 6 may be an RS-232 converter responsible for converting the signal of the signal switching circuit 2 into a serial signal of the RS-232 standard; if the front panel is a universal serial bus USB interface, the first signal converter 6 may be a USB interface converter that converts the signal into a USB signal; if the front panel is a network interface, the first signal converter 6 may be an Ethernet converter that converts the signal into an Ethernet data packet; if the front panel is a specific industrial interface, the first signal converter 6 will be a corresponding industrial protocol converter. If the rear panel is a video transmission standard VGA or a high-definition multimedia HDMI interface, the second signal converter 7 may be a video signal converter that converts the signal into a VGA or HDMI signal; if the rear panel is a serial interface, the second signal converter 7 will be a corresponding serial interface converter; if the rear panel is a high-speed interface, the second signal converter 7 may be a high-speed interface bridge or adapter; if the rear panel is a specific storage or expansion interface, the second signal converter 7 will be a corresponding interface converter or adapter.

[0098] The front and rear panel management structure of the present application, by setting a first signal converter 6 and a second signal converter 7, can enable the signal switching circuit 2 to flexibly process and forward signals from the front panel 3 or the rear panel 4, thereby ensuring the compatibility and stability of the signal during transmission.

[0099] Embodiment 2

[0100] like Figure 4 As shown in , the second embodiment of the present application provides a server system, including: a physical layer interface chip 8, a switch 9, and the front and rear panel management structure provided by the first embodiment.

[0101] Among them, the gigabit medium independent interface of the baseboard management controller 1 is communicatively connected to the first interface of the physical layer interface chip 8, the second interface of the physical layer interface chip 8 is communicatively connected to the first interface of the switch 9, and the switch 9 is also communicatively connected to the front panel 3 and the rear panel 4.

[0102] Specifically, when the server system is working, the baseboard management controller 1 sends control signals and data to the physical layer interface chip 8 through its reduced gigabit media independent interface (Reduced Gigabit Media Independent Interface). The physical layer interface chip 8 processes the control signals and data and sends them to the switch 9. The switch 9 sends the data to the corresponding port of the front panel 3 or the rear panel 4 according to the destination address of the data. At the same time, the switch 9 also sends the data sent from the port of the front panel 3 or the rear panel 4 to the physical layer interface chip 8. The physical layer interface chip 8 processes the data and sends it to the baseboard management controller 1 for processing, thereby realizing the data interaction process.

[0103] Among them, the Gigabit Media Independent Interface is mainly used to connect the MAC (Media Access Control) layer and the physical layer interface chip layer. It uses a 4-bit data interface, a working clock of 125MHz, supports double-edge transmission, and is compatible with 10M / 100M / 1000Mbps (i.e. 1Gbps) working mode.

[0104] The second interface of the physical layer interface chip 8 and the first interface of the switch 9 need to comply with the Ethernet protocol and the physical layer protocol. Specifically, the Ethernet protocol includes the data link layer protocol and the network layer protocol, which define how data is encapsulated, transmitted and parsed in the network; the physical layer protocol: such as IEEE802.3 (a local area network standard developed by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, dedicated to Ethernet technology), which defines the functions of the Ethernet physical layer, including signal encoding, transmission media and interface standards.

[0105] Optionally, the second interface of the switch 9 is connected to the front panel 3, and the third interface of the switch 9 is connected to the rear panel 4. By directly connecting the switch 9 to the front and rear panels, the data transmission link between the switch 9 and other intermediate devices is avoided, which can reduce the transmission delay and packet loss rate.

[0106] Optionally, the server system further includes a midplane.

[0107] Specifically, the second interface of the switch 9 is connected to the mid-backplane for communication, and the mid-backplane is also connected to the front panel 3 and the rear panel 4 for communication. The mid-backplane is a key component in the server system, and as a communication hub within the server system, it can connect various key components in the system, including the switch 9, the front panel 3 and the rear panel 4, and other processing units or storage units.

[0108] In this embodiment, the communication connection between the switch 9 and the front panel 3 and the rear panel 4 is realized through the mid-backplane, so that the switch 9 and the front panel 3 and the rear panel 4 can exchange data and control signals at high speed and stably.

[0109] It should be noted that when the second interface of the switch 9 communicates with the front panel 3, the third interface of the switch 9 communicates with the rear panel 4, or the second interface of the switch 9 communicates with the mid-backplane, the communication protocols and interface standards inside the switch are mainly followed, rather than the network communication protocols in the usual sense. These internal communication protocols and interface standards are usually customized by the switch manufacturer. These protocols may include various commands and message formats for management, control and data transmission to ensure efficient and reliable communication between the components inside the switch.

[0110] Finally, it should be noted that those skilled in the art will readily come up with other embodiments of the present application after considering the specification and practicing the utility model disclosed herein. The present application is intended to cover any variations, uses or adaptations of the present application, which follow the general principles of the present application and include common knowledge or customary technical means in the art that are not disclosed in the present application. The description and examples are to be regarded as exemplary only, and the true scope and spirit of the present application are indicated by the following claims.

[0111] It should be understood that the present application is not limited to the precise structures that have been described above and shown in the drawings, and that various modifications and changes may be made without departing from the scope thereof. The scope of the present application is limited only by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A front and rear panel management structure, characterized in that: include: A baseboard management controller, a signal switching circuit, a front panel and a rear panel, wherein a universal asynchronous receiver / transmitter (UART) interface of the baseboard management controller is communicatively connected to a first interface of the signal switching circuit, a second interface of the signal switching circuit is communicatively connected to the front panel, and a third interface of the signal switching circuit is communicatively connected to the rear panel; The signal switching circuit is used to selectively connect the baseboard management controller to any one of the front panel and the rear panel for communication.

2. The front and rear panel management structure according to claim 1, characterized in that: The signal switching circuit comprises: A signal processing module and a switching module, wherein the signal processing module is communicatively connected to the switching module, a UART interface of the baseboard management controller is communicatively connected to a first interface of the switching module, a second interface of the switching module is communicatively connected to the front panel, and a third interface of the switching module is communicatively connected to the rear panel; The signal processing module is used to receive a control code and send a switching control signal based on the control code; The switching module is used to receive the switching control signal and selectively connect the baseboard management controller to any one of the front panel and the rear panel based on the switching control signal.

3. The front and rear panel management structure according to claim 2, characterized in that: The signal processing module is connected to the front panel and the rear panel for communication. The front panel and the rear panel are also connected to a host device for communication. The host device is used to send the control code.

4. The front and rear panel management structure according to claim 3, characterized in that: The signal processing module comprises: A memory, a comparator and a transceiver, wherein the comparator is communicatively connected with the memory and the transceiver; The memory is used to store a first preset control code, a second preset control code, a first switching control signal and a second switching control signal, the first preset control code corresponds to the first switching control signal, and the second preset control code corresponds to the second switching control signal; The transceiver is used to receive the control code; The comparator is used to compare the control code with the first preset control code and the second preset control code and output a comparison result; the comparison result includes that the control code is consistent with the first preset control code, or the control code is consistent with the second preset control code; The transceiver is also used to send the first switching control signal or the second switching control signal based on the comparison result, the first switching control signal is used to control the UART interface of the baseboard management controller to communicate with the front panel, and the second switching control signal is used to control the UART interface of the baseboard management controller to communicate with the rear panel.

5. The front and rear panel management structure according to claim 4, characterized in that: The first preset control code and the second preset control code are both ASCII codes.

6. The front and rear panel management structure according to claim 2, characterized in that: The switching module is a multiplexer.

7. The front and rear panel management structure according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that: Also includes: A first signal converter and a second signal converter, the second interface of the signal switching circuit is connected to the front panel through the first signal converter, and the third interface of the signal switching circuit is connected to the rear panel through the second signal converter.

8. A server system, characterized in that: include: A physical layer interface chip, a switch, and a front and rear panel management structure as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 7; The Gigabit Media Independent Interface of the baseboard management controller is communicatively connected to the first interface of the physical layer interface chip, the second interface of the physical layer interface chip is communicatively connected to the first interface of the switch, and the switch is also communicatively connected to the front panel and the rear panel.

9. The server system according to claim 8, characterized in that: The second interface of the switch is connected to the front panel for communication, and the third interface of the switch is connected to the rear panel for communication.

10. The server system according to claim 8, characterized in that: Also includes: A mid-backplane, the second interface of the switch is communicatively connected to the mid-backplane, and the mid-backplane is also communicatively connected to the front panel and the rear panel.

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