Local Error Restoration in Acceleration Components

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Data centers face challenges in increasing processing capabilities and efficiency due to power limitations and the impracticality of non-programmable hardware features, with computing device specialization leading to management issues and inconsistent platforms.

Innovation Solution

Implementing local error detection and restoration mechanisms at acceleration components within a hardware acceleration plane, allowing for self-detection and correction of errors without external intervention, thereby maintaining service acceleration and reducing resource intensity.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If computing device specialization is implemented to increase processing capabilities, then processing efficiency is improved, but management complexity and platform inconsistency worsen

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveprocessing efficiencyVSAvoidmanagement complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system segments acceleration functionality into independent, interchangeable acceleration components that can be individually managed and replaced. Each component is a self-contained unit providing specific acceleration functions, allowing the system to maintain specialization benefits while simplifying management through modular replacement rather than complex configuration.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements a universal acceleration component architecture where multiple acceleration functions can be loaded onto the same physical component through different software images or configurations. This allows a single hardware platform to provide diverse acceleration capabilities, reducing platform inconsistency while maintaining processing efficiency through specialized functions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Reliability

If error detection and restoration mechanisms are implemented at acceleration components, then service reliability is improved, but resource consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveservice reliabilityVSAvoidresource consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The acceleration component incorporates self-diagnostic capabilities that automatically detect errors in its own operation without requiring external monitoring. The component can autonomously initiate restoration procedures, such as reloading its software image or resetting its state, thereby improving reliability while minimizing the resource overhead associated with external error management systems.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements preliminary error detection mechanisms that continuously monitor the acceleration component's behavior against expected patterns. By detecting errors early in their development and initiating restoration before they propagate to affect overall service reliability, the system maintains high reliability while reducing the resource intensity of corrective actions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Speed

If local restoration is performed at the acceleration component, then restoration speed is improved, but impact on other components increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improverestoration speedVSAvoidimpact on other components
Core Design Contradiction:
SpeedVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The acceleration component is designed as an isolated, modular unit with defined interfaces to other system components. When an error is detected, the restoration process is confined to this single component, allowing rapid local restoration without requiring system-wide interventions. The modular design ensures that restoration activities remain localized and do not propagate harmful effects to other components.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements preliminary isolation mechanisms that prevent error propagation from the acceleration component to other system components. By containing the component's operations and restoring it in isolation, the system achieves fast restoration speed while the isolation mechanisms prevent harmful effects from spreading to other parts of the system.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #9Preliminary anti-action

Data Source

PatentEP3283961B1Locally restoring functionality at acceleration components
Publication Date: 2020.06.03 MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING LLC
  • EP3283961B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3283961B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3283961B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4

AI summary

Aspects extend to methods, systems, and computer program products for locally restoring functionality at acceleration components. A role can be locally restored at an acceleration component when an error is self-detected at the acceleration component (e.g., by local monitoring logic). Locally restoring a role can include resetting internal state (application logic) of the acceleration component providing the role. Self-detection of errors and local restoration of a role is less resource intensive and more efficient than using external components (e.g., high-level services) to restore functionality at an acceleration component and/or to reset an entire graph. Monitoring logic at multiple acceleration components can locally reset roles in parallel to restore legitimate behavior of a graph.