Application-Specific Cartridges in Shared Chassis Infrastructure

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Solution Overview

Problem

General purpose servers in data centers are inefficient for hyper-scale applications, leading to sub-optimal total cost of ownership due to high power consumption and resource redundancy, as they are not optimized for specific applications and lack specialized hardware.

Innovation Solution

Implementing system on a chip (SoC) technology and designing servers as application-specific cartridges that connect into a chassis with shared infrastructure, including management, cooling, and power components, allowing for efficient resource allocation and reduced complexity, enabling higher density and lower power usage.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If general purpose servers are used to meet diverse application demands, then versatility and adaptability are improved, but power consumption and resource redundancy increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveability to support diverse applicationsVSAvoidpower consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The system is segmented into application-specific cartridges that can be independently inserted into chassis positions. Each cartridge is optimized for a specific application (e.g., web server, database, cache), allowing the data center to deploy only the computing resources needed for each function rather than running diverse workloads on general-purpose servers. This segmentation eliminates resource redundancy while maintaining versatility through modular cartridge selection.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Each cartridge is designed with local quality optimized for its specific application, with specialized hardware configurations (CPU types, memory architectures, storage configurations) tailored to the performance requirements of that particular application. This allows each component to operate at peak efficiency for its designated function, reducing overall power consumption compared to general-purpose servers that must accommodate multiple workload types.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

2Adaptability or versatility

If general purpose servers are deployed to handle various workloads, then adaptability is improved, but device complexity and total cost of ownership worsen

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveworkload handling capabilityVSAvoidsystem configuration complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The chassis provides universal functionality by offering standardized slots, power distribution, cooling, and management interfaces that work with any cartridge type. This universal chassis design simplifies system complexity because the infrastructure components remain constant while only the application-specific cartridges need to be changed to accommodate different workloads, eliminating the need to reconfigure complex server settings for each application.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

By separating application-specific components into removable cartridges from the standardized chassis infrastructure, the system reduces overall complexity. Each cartridge is a self-contained, pre-configured unit that simplifies deployment and management compared to configuring entire general-purpose servers for each application.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

3Use of energy by moving object

If application-specific cartridges are used instead of general purpose servers, then power efficiency and resource utilization are improved, but adaptability to new applications may worsen

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepower efficiencyVSAvoidability to support new applications

Core Design Contradiction:

Use of energy by moving objectVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The system achieves dynamic adaptability through the ability to easily swap cartridges in and out of chassis slots. When new applications need to be deployed, corresponding application-specific cartridges can be quickly installed without reconfiguring the entire system. This dynamic cartridge replacement mechanism maintains high power efficiency for current applications while providing flexible adaptability to new applications as needed.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The universal chassis design supports multiple different cartridge types through standardized interfaces and resource allocation, allowing the system to adapt to new applications by simply adding new cartridge types rather than redesigning the entire infrastructure. This maintains power efficiency through specialized hardware while providing versatility through modular expansion.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentUS10897429B2Managing multiple cartridges that are electrically coupled together

Publication Date: 2021.01.19 HEWLETT PACKARD ENTERPRISE CO

AI summary

Managing multiple cartridges that are electrically coupled together includes obtaining general purpose command instructions from a chassis with a cartridge where the cartridge has a unique application and is connected to the chassis and further operating the unique application based on the general purpose command instructions.