Protocol Translation Logic for InfiniBand to PCI-Express Interconnect
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current systems face challenges in scaling memory-mapped interfaces for large clusters of computers and peripherals, particularly in translating memory access operations from PCI-Express to InfiniBand, leading to high latency and access delays due to protocol differences between PCI-Express and InfiniBand.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a storage unit with protocol translation logic that intercepts memory access requests and initiates remote direct memory access through a host channel adapter, enabling direct communication between InfiniBand HCAs and peripheral devices, reducing latency and the need for intermediary computers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If PCI-Express is used for direct attachment of peripheral devices to host processors, then ease of operation and device compatibility are improved, but scalability to large clusters and fault tolerance deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a gateway device as an intermediary between PCI-Express peripheral devices and InfiniBand host channel adapters. This gateway translates PCI-Express protocols to InfiniBand protocols, enabling peripheral devices designed for direct PCI-Express attachment to function within large-scale InfiniBand clusters, thus resolving the contradiction between ease of operation and scalability
Solution Approach 2:
The gateway device serves multiple functions: it acts as a PCI-Express endpoint, an InfiniBand initiator, and a protocol translator simultaneously. This multi-functionality allows a single device to bridge two different interconnect architectures, enabling both PCI-Express compatibility and InfiniBand scalability in the same system
2Adaptability or versatility
If InfiniBand is used for connecting large clusters of computers and peripherals, then scalability and fault tolerance are improved, but compatibility with PCI-Express peripheral devices deteriorates due to protocol differences
Solution Approach 1:
The gateway device serves as a protocol intermediary that receives InfiniBand RDMA operations, translates them to PCI-Express memory access operations, and forwards them to PCI-Express peripheral devices. This translation layer maintains InfiniBand scalability while ensuring PCI-Express device compatibility
Solution Approach 2:
The gateway dynamically changes protocol parameters by mapping InfiniBand address space to PCI-Express memory-mapped I/O address space, translating RDMA read/write operations into equivalent PCI-Express memory access sequences, and adapting data transfer protocols to maintain compatibility across different interconnect standards
3Ease of operation
If protocol translation is implemented externally using a second computer, then device compatibility is maintained, but access latency increases due to additional communication steps
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the protocol translation function from a general-purpose computer and implements it as a dedicated gateway device with specialized hardware logic. This extraction eliminates the overhead of general-purpose CPU processing and operating system intervention, significantly reducing access latency while maintaining device compatibility
Solution Approach 2:
The gateway device performs protocol translation autonomously using dedicated hardware logic that directly translates PCI-Express operations to InfiniBand operations without requiring intervention from host processors. This self-service capability eliminates additional communication steps and reduces access latency
4Productivity
If a fast computer directly attached to the peripheral device is used to sustain high access rates, then productivity is improved, but system cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The gateway device serves as a cost-effective intermediary that enables high-speed access to PCI-Express peripherals over InfiniBand without requiring expensive fast computers to be directly attached to each peripheral. The gateway's dedicated translation hardware sustains high access rates at lower overall system cost
Data Source
AI summary
A data storage system includes an input/output server and a storage unit. The input/output server includes a processor, memory, and a host channel adapter. The storage unit includes a processor, memory, and a storage module. The storage module includes a storage controller, and an interface block for connecting the storage module to a corresponding memory-mapped interface. The storage unit further includes a host channel adaptor. The storage unit host channel adapter is connected to a corresponding memory-mapped interface. The storage unit host channel adapter is capable of remote direct memory access to the input/output server. Protocol translation logic is configured to intercept a memory access request from the storage controller, and initiate a corresponding remote direct memory access to the input/output server through the storage unit host channel adapter and the input/output server host channel adapter.