NIC Devices Scale Midplane Bandwidth Between Storage Processors
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional data storage systems have limited bandwidth between storage processor modules, restricting data transfer capabilities despite advancements in storage processor technology.
Innovation Solution
The introduction of a network interface controller (NIC) device with a form factor similar to storage drives, allowing it to be installed in storage drive slots, which enables communication between storage processor modules through midplane traces and NIC devices, thereby increasing bandwidth by establishing additional network connections.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If storage processor modules communicate only through direct midplane pathways, then device complexity is reduced, but bandwidth between storage processors is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces NIC devices as intermediary components between storage processor modules. These NIC devices connect to the midplane and provide additional communication pathways, effectively mediating data transfer between storage processors and increasing bandwidth without requiring direct complex interconnections between all processor pairs.
Solution Approach 2:
The communication infrastructure is segmented into multiple independent pathways: direct midplane pathways for certain communications and NIC device pathways for others. This segmentation allows bandwidth to be distributed across multiple channels, preventing any single pathway from becoming a bottleneck while maintaining manageable complexity in each individual pathway.
2Productivity
If additional network connections are established through NIC devices, then bandwidth between storage processors increases, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
NIC devices are designed with multi-functionality, serving both as network interface controllers for external communications and as intermediaries for internal storage processor communications. This universal design allows the same hardware component to handle multiple communication tasks, increasing bandwidth utilization without proportionally increasing overall system complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
Techniques provide communications bandwidth between storage processors (SPs). Such techniques involve electrically coupling the SPs with a first side of a midplane. Such techniques further involve electrically coupling a network interface controller (NIC) device with a second side of the midplane that is opposite the first side of the midplane. Such techniques further involve configuring the NIC device to convey communications between the SPs while the SPs are electrically coupled with the first side of the midplane and while the NIC device is electrically coupled with the second side of the midplane that is opposite the first side of the midplane.