Single CPU Socket Partitioned into Virtual Clusters for Isolation
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Multi-socket platforms face challenges with failure and data corruption on one CPU potentially bringing down other CPUs, known as the 'blast radius', which existing solutions address by partitioning resources but at increased cost and reduced utilization.
Innovation Solution
The solution involves using a single CPU socket as a multi-CPU partitioned platform by partitioning core tiles into virtual clusters with integrated boot support blocks, allowing each virtual cluster to operate independently and safely, reducing the blast radius without the need for separate hardware resources.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If separate hardware resources are provided for each socket to minimize blast radius, then reliability is improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments a single CPU socket into multiple virtual clusters, each capable of independent operation. This is achieved by dividing the CPU core tiles into separate clusters (e.g., cluster 0 and cluster 1) that can be independently initialized and managed, effectively creating isolation boundaries within a single physical socket to minimize blast radius without duplicating entire hardware resources.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges multiple virtual clusters into a single physical CPU socket, allowing them to share common hardware resources such as the memory interface, I/O controllers, and boot support blocks. This consolidation reduces overall device complexity and cost while maintaining the isolation benefits through virtualization boundaries.
2Reliability
If separate hardware resources are provided for each socket to minimize blast radius, then reliability is improved, but CPU utilization decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The single CPU socket is designed to serve multiple functions by hosting several virtual clusters simultaneously. Each cluster can independently execute workloads while sharing the underlying physical resources, thereby increasing overall CPU utilization compared to having separate dedicated sockets for each functional unit.
3Reliability
If separate hardware resources are provided for booting each CPU, then reliability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an integrated boot support block that acts as an intermediary resource shared among multiple virtual clusters. This single boot support block can service multiple clusters sequentially during initialization, eliminating the need for separate boot hardware in each cluster while maintaining independent boot capability through coordinated resource management.
Data Source
AI summary
Apparatus and methods for booting and using a single CPU socket as a multi-CPU partitioned platform. The single CPU socket includes a plurality of core tiles that a partitioned into a plurality of virtual clusters comprising CPU sub-sockets. Each of the CPU sub-sockets in coupled to an Input-Output (IO) tile having an integrated boot support block and comprising a plurality of IO interfaces including at least one IO interface configured to receive boot signals for booting the sub-sockets and an IO interface to access boot firmware stored in a firmware storage device coupled to the IO interface. The integrated boot support block is configured to facilitate booting of each of the plurality of CPU sub-sockets using a shared set of boot resources coupled to the plurality of IO interfaces.