PCIe Fabric Storage Access for High-Bandwidth Compute Nodes
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing network storage architectures struggle to provide sufficient bandwidth for high-demand applications like cloud gaming, particularly with the increasing complexity of online gaming services, as gigabit Ethernet connections fall short of the required performance.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a PCI Express (PCIe) fabric within a rack assembly to enable direct access between compute nodes and network storage, achieving greater than 4 Gigabyte per second (GB/s) network storage bandwidth per compute node at non-volatile memory express (NVMe) latencies.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If gigabit Ethernet connections are used for network storage, then network connectivity is provided, but bandwidth performance is insufficient for high-demand applications
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a PCIe fabric as an intermediary communication medium between compute nodes and network storage, replacing traditional Ethernet switching. This fabric enables direct-attached storage performance over the network by establishing dedicated PCIe pathways, thereby achieving high bandwidth without increasing overall system complexity through standardized interface adoption.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the communication protocol parameter from Ethernet TCP/IP to PCIe protocol, enabling transmission speeds exceeding 4 GB/s per compute node. This parameter change transforms the network storage interface capabilities while maintaining compatibility through standardized PCIe implementations across different hardware components.
2Productivity
If faster bandwidth performance is implemented, then cloud gaming capabilities are enhanced, but network connection requirements become more demanding
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the network storage access into dedicated PCIe pathways for each compute node, allowing parallel data transfers that enhance cloud gaming performance. This segmentation enables multiple compute nodes to simultaneously access network storage at high speeds without contending for shared bandwidth, thereby improving productivity while managing energy demand through efficient resource allocation.
3Speed
If PCI Express fabric is implemented for high-speed access, then storage bandwidth exceeds 4 GB/s per compute node, but implementation complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a universal PCIe fabric architecture that serves multiple functions: high-speed network storage access, inter-node communication, and device I/O. This multi-functional design achieves storage access speeds exceeding 4 GB/s per compute node while reducing implementation complexity by using a single standardized PCIe interface throughout the system rather than multiple specialized interfaces.
Data Source
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AI summary
A network architecture including a streaming array that includes a plurality of compute sleds, wherein each compute sled includes one or more compute nodes. The network architecture including a network storage of the streaming array. The network architecture including a PCIe fabric of the streaming array configured to provide direct access to the network storage from a plurality of compute nodes of the streaming array. The PCIe fabric including one or more array-level PCIe switches, wherein each array-level PCIe switch is communicatively coupled to corresponding compute nodes of corresponding compute sleds and communicatively coupled to the network storage. The network storage is shared by the plurality of compute nodes of the streaming array.