FPGA Virtual Hardware Provisioning Without Custom Startup Drivers
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Solution Overview
Problem
The development of new applications for network devices is hindered by the need for custom startup drivers and access to low-level proprietary data, which creates overhead and impedes third-party development.
Innovation Solution
Implementing virtual hardware components (VHCs) on FPGAs with associated inventory lists, and using VHC listener agents to trigger managing agents for automatic provisioning and remote management, eliminating the need for custom startup drivers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If custom startup drivers are written for each application functionality, then the functionality can be supported on the network device, but the development overhead increases and third-party development is impeded
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a VHC listener as an intermediary component that automatically detects instantiated VHCs and triggers appropriate managing agents without requiring custom startup drivers. This mediator layer decouples the application functionality from the low-level hardware drivers, enabling universal support for different applications through a standardized interface.
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables self-service through automatic detection and provisioning. When an FPGA image is loaded and VHCs are instantiated, the VHC listener automatically detects them, retrieves associated inventory lists, and triggers the appropriate managing agents without manual intervention or custom driver configuration, allowing third-party developers to simply load their FPGA images.
2Ease of manufacture
If startup drivers access low level proprietary data, then the functionality can be implemented, but third-party developer access is restricted
Solution Approach 1:
The VHC listener and managing agents serve as intermediary layers that abstract away the low-level proprietary hardware details. Instead of requiring third-party developers to directly access proprietary data structures, they interact through standardized VHC interfaces and inventory lists, making the system more open and developer-friendly.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the system into distinct layers: the FPGA/VHC layer for functionality implementation, the VHC listener layer for automatic detection, and the managing agent layer for application management. This segmentation isolates proprietary low-level data from the application layer, allowing third-party developers to work at the higher-level interfaces without exposing them to hardware complexity.
3Reliability
If manual configuration is performed for each VHC, then precise control is achieved, but the provisioning time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary action by pre-associating inventory lists with VHC types before they are instantiated. When a VHC is loaded, its associated inventory list is automatically retrieved and applied, eliminating the need for manual configuration. This pre-prepared configuration data enables both accurate provisioning and rapid deployment.
Solution Approach 2:
The VHC listener provides automatic feedback about instantiated VHCs to the system, triggering the appropriate managing agents to be activated. This automated feedback loop ensures that configuration is applied correctly without manual intervention while significantly reducing the time required for provisioning compared to manual configuration processes.
Data Source
AI summary
A virtual hardware component (VHC) can be instantiated by loading an image that implements the VHC into a programmable device such as a field programmable gate array (FPGA) and installing a corresponding inventory list of parameters according to which the VHC operates. One or more managing agents are automatically invoked in response to the instantiated VHC to manage the VHC. The VHC is provisioned in response to instantiation of the VHC.