Serial Memory Subsystem Chain for Multi-Host Redundancy
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current memory systems face limitations in scaling storage density and communication capacity, with storage devices failing to utilize available communication capacities effectively, leading to inefficiencies in data storage and access.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a serial connection topology for memory subsystems, where an interfacing subsystem communicates directly with a system host and additional subsystems are serially connected, allowing for reduced interconnects and eliminating the need for intermediate switches, thereby enhancing storage capacity and bandwidth while maintaining cost-effectiveness.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If traditional parallel connection topology is used for memory subsystems, then communication capacity is maintained, but storage density scaling is limited and interconnect costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system is segmented into a host system and multiple independent memory subsystems that can be serially connected. Each subsystem operates as a separate unit with its own controller and memory devices, allowing incremental scaling of storage density without requiring complete reconfiguration of the interconnect structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from traditional parallel connection topology to a serial connection topology, representing a dimensional change in how subsystems are interconnected. This serial arrangement allows storage density to scale along the serial chain while maintaining manageable interconnect complexity.
2Quantity of substance
If more memory subsystems are added to increase storage capacity, then storage density increases, but communication bandwidth becomes insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically allocates communication resources and bandwidth along the serial chain of memory subsystems. The host system can dynamically manage data transfer rates and prioritize communications to ensure sufficient effective bandwidth even as storage capacity scales by adding more subsystems.
3Adaptability or versatility
If intermediate switches are used to connect multiple memory subsystems, then connectivity is improved, but cost and device complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and eliminates the need for intermediate switches from the traditional parallel connection architecture. By adopting a serial connection topology where subsystems connect directly in a chain to the host system, the complex switching infrastructure is removed entirely, reducing cost and device complexity while maintaining versatile connectivity.
4Productivity
If faster communication interfaces are implemented, then bandwidth is improved, but interconnect costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs cost-effective serial communication interfaces rather than expensive high-speed parallel interfaces. While individual connection speeds may be lower, the overall system achieves sufficient effective bandwidth through the serial architecture, and the cost of implementation is significantly reduced, making high storage capacity systems more economically viable.
Data Source
AI summary
Methods, apparatuses, and systems related to serially chained memory subsystems that support and provide redundant coverage for multiple hosts are described. The grouped set of chained subsystems can provide dedicated storage locations for each of the multiple hosts during normal operations. When one of the hosts fail, the grouped set can reconfigure the internal accessing scheme, thereby allowing the surviving host to see and access locations and data that was initially assigned to the failed host.