NIC Deadman Triggers for System Impairment Detection

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing network computing devices lack efficient and cost-effective methods for detecting system impairments such as power-down operations, component theft, and excessive temperatures, as traditional solutions like baseboard management controllers (BMCs) are costly and vulnerable to security threats.

Innovation Solution

Implementing a system that uses deadman triggers, where network interface controllers (NICs) monitor virtual or physical pins to detect triggering events and transmit notification packets directly, eliminating the need for a BMC and enhancing security by leveraging existing NIC functionality.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a baseboard management controller (BMC) with sensors is used to detect system impairments, then detection capability is improved, but device complexity and cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesystem impairment detectionVSAvoidBMC and sensor array

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the impairment detection function from the traditional BMC architecture and relocates it to the NIC. The NIC now directly monitors system impairments (power loss, theft, temperature) and generates deadman triggers, eliminating the need for a separate BMC and its associated sensor array, thereby reducing device complexity while maintaining detection capability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The NIC is given multiple functions: it continues its primary network interface role while simultaneously performing system impairment detection and deadman trigger generation. This multi-functionality consolidates monitoring capabilities into an existing component, avoiding the need for additional dedicated monitoring hardware

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Reliability

If a BMC is implemented to monitor system impairments, then detection reliability is improved, but manufacturing cost increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveimpairment detection reliabilityVSAvoidmanufacturing cost

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent leverages the existing NIC, a standard component already present in modern computing devices, to perform monitoring functions. By reusing this existing component rather than adding expensive specialized BMC hardware, the solution reduces manufacturing costs while maintaining reliable impairment detection through the deadman trigger mechanism

Inventive Principle:

Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

3Reliability

If a BMC is used for monitoring, then detection capability is improved, but security vulnerabilities increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemonitoring capabilityVSAvoidsecurity threats

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent removes the BMC component entirely from the system architecture and extracts its monitoring function to the NIC. This elimination of the BMC removes the known security vulnerabilities associated with BMC closed infrastructure and susceptibility to denial of service and remote access attacks, while the NIC provides a more secure communication path through its established network protocols

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

4Measurement precision

If BMC and sensor array are added to detect impairments, then detection precision is improved, but motherboard real estate is consumed

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesystem monitoring precisionVSAvoidmotherboard real estate

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSArea of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the impairment detection functionality with the existing NIC component. By combining monitoring capabilities into the NIC rather than adding separate BMC and sensor components to the motherboard, the solution maintains precise system monitoring while conserving valuable motherboard real estate and reducing physical footprint

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

5Reliability

If BMC is implemented for monitoring, then detection capability is improved, but power consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemonitoring functionVSAvoidpower consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The NIC performs multiple functions including network communication and system impairment monitoring. By consolidating these functions into a single component rather than having separate BMC hardware dedicated solely to monitoring, the solution reduces overall power consumption while maintaining continuous monitoring capability through the deadman trigger mechanism

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentUS11258658B2Technologies for monitoring networked computing devices using deadman triggers

Publication Date: 2022.02.22 INTEL CORP

AI summary

Technologies for monitoring networked computing devices using deadman triggers includes a network interface controller (NIC) configured to collect a pin state of at least one deadman trigger pin associated with a deadman trigger and determine whether a triggering event associated with the deadman trigger has been detected as a result of the comparison. The NIC is further configured to generate, in response to a determination that the triggering event has been detected, a status packet that is usable to identify the detected triggering event associated with the deadman trigger. Additionally, the NIC is configured to issue a stop transmission command to each of a plurality of egress packet transmission queues of the NIC and insert the generated status packet into at least one of the plurality of egress packet transmission queues for transmission to a target computing device. Other embodiments are described herein.