Security Processor Traverses Interconnect Fabric for Dynamic Routing
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Solution Overview
Problem
As computing systems become increasingly complex, managing irregular interconnect fabric topologies becomes challenging due to the complexity and power consumption of integrating multiple components, making static label and route assignments unviable, and requiring improved techniques for dynamic topology management.
Innovation Solution
Implementing an autonomous bootstrap discovery process using a security processor to traverse network blocks, retrieve attributes, and construct a network graph, allowing for dynamic routing table generation and programming of fabric components, enabling flexible initialization and secure boot-up in systems with arbitrary topologies.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If static label and route assignments are used in interconnect fabric, then system complexity and power consumption increase, but routing flexibility and adaptability to irregular topologies decrease
Solution Approach 1:
The fabric components perform self-discovery by autonomously traversing the interconnect fabric, identifying neighboring components, and building topology maps without external intervention. This self-service mechanism enables the system to adapt to irregular topologies dynamically while avoiding the complexity of static configuration schemes.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements dynamic routing table generation where route assignments are created and updated at runtime based on actual fabric topology discovery. Rather than using fixed static routes, the system dynamically adapts routing information to match the actual interconnected components, enabling flexibility for irregular topologies.
2Adaptability or versatility
If fabric components traverse and discover topology dynamically, then adaptability to arbitrary topologies improves, but initialization time and processing overhead increase
Solution Approach 1:
The fabric components perform topology discovery and routing table generation during the initialization phase before normal operation begins. By completing the traversal and map-building activities in advance, the system prepares routing information proactively, minimizing the time impact during subsequent operational phases.
Solution Approach 2:
The discovery process continuously traverses through fabric components in a systematic manner, building the topology map incrementally as components are encountered. This continuous traversal approach efficiently collects topology information in a single pass rather than requiring multiple queries, reducing overall initialization time.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple fabric components are integrated to increase computing system capabilities, then system functionality improves, but power consumption and management complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
Each fabric component autonomously discovers its neighbors and contributes to the global topology map without requiring centralized control or extensive communication overhead. This self-service approach reduces the power consumption associated with centralized management while enabling the integration of multiple components for enhanced functionality.
Data Source
AI summary
A system for automatically discovering fabric topology includes at least one or more processing units, one or more memory devices, a security processor, and a communication fabric with an unknown topology coupled to the processing unit(s), memory device(s), and security processor. The security processor queries each component of the fabric to retrieve various attributes associated with the component. The security processor utilizes the retrieved attributes to create a network graph of the topology of the components within the fabric. The security processor generates routing tables from the network graph and programs the routing tables into the fabric components. Then, the fabric components utilize the routing tables to determine how to route incoming packets.