Composable Serial Console and KVM for Gen-Z Fabric Legacy Support

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Solution Overview

Problem

The adoption of Gen-Z communication models is hindered by the loss of legacy onboard BMC functionalities, such as remote serial console and remote KVM sessions, which are essential for administrative tools, leading to inefficiencies and increased capital expenses due to unused hardware resources.

Innovation Solution

A memory-semantic fabric configuration that includes a composable serial console and KVM (CSC KVM) component, where all connections occur over a Gen-Z fabric, allowing for the preservation of legacy BMC functionalities and enabling flexible resource allocation and composition, thereby supporting remote serial, video, and USB operations through custom ASICs that map data to allocated memory regions.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Speed

If Gen-Z fabric solution is adopted, then communication performance is improved, but legacy BMC functionalities are lost

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecommunication performanceVSAvoidlegacy BMC functionalities

Core Design Contradiction:

SpeedVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a composable serial console and KVM component as an intermediary that bridges the Gen-Z fabric with legacy BMC functionalities. This component acts as a mediator that provides remote serial console, KVM, and other administrative capabilities over the Gen-Z fabric, allowing existing management functions to be preserved while transitioning to the new communication architecture.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The composable serial console and KVM component is designed with multi-functionality to provide various administrative and management capabilities (serial console, KVM, USB redirection, video output) through a single unified interface on the Gen-Z fabric. This universal component replaces multiple dedicated legacy components, maintaining versatility while enabling flexible resource allocation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Adaptability or versatility

If physical server configurations are used, then legacy functionalities are maintained, but hardware resources are wasted

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvelegacy functionalitiesVSAvoidhardware resource waste

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements dynamic resource allocation where the composable serial console and KVM component can be dynamically assigned to different server configurations as needed. Resources are allocated on-demand based on actual requirements, allowing the system to adapt to varying workloads and eliminate wasted hardware resources in configurations where legacy functionalities are not required.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system segments server configurations into composable units that can be independently configured and resource-allocated. The composable serial console and KVM component operates as an independent module that can be selectively instantiated in different server configurations, enabling fine-grained resource management and reducing overall hardware waste.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

3Adaptability or versatility

If multiple layers of software are used for translation, then interface compatibility is achieved, but command translation time increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveinterface compatibilityVSAvoidcommand translation time

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces complex multi-layer software translation mechanisms with a memory-semantic communication model where commands and data move directly through memory over the Gen-Z fabric. This substitution of mechanical/software translation layers with direct memory-based communication significantly reduces command translation time while maintaining interface compatibility through memory mapping.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Data Source

PatentUS10649921B2Composable serial console and KVM with remote accessibility

Publication Date: 2020.05.12 HEWLETT PACKARD ENTERPRISE DEV LP

AI summary

A slot-based component provides remote serial console and KVM capability to all slots in a sled by allocating dedicated memory space in a serial console component for serial console and KVM data. The dedicated memory space is in communication with a memory semantic fabric switch that is in communication all slots on the fabric. Other components on the fabric have corresponding allocated memory in communication with onboard CPU's. When remote access is conducted the CPU receives and pushes data to the allocated memory and the data is pulled through the fabric switch to the serial console component to be provided to a remote client session.