SmartNIC-Based HCI Platform Simulation

Solution Overview

Problem

Developing HCI platforms for diverse hardware resources is challenging due to the expense and impracticality of obtaining all necessary hardware instances, especially for new devices, and involves subjecting resources to marginal or critical states that can lead to degradation or destruction.

Innovation Solution

A platform development system and method that obtains configuration information for information handling resources by accessing a first instance, defining a simulation policy for fixed elements, and using a management server simulator to simulate a second instance with user-specified variable elements, implemented as a Redfish simulator with APIs to inject values and provide simulated responses.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If physical hardware instances are obtained for all significant device types, then platform development can be performed with actual hardware, but it becomes expensive, time consuming, and impracticable

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveplatform development accuracyVSAvoidhardware instances required

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent creates virtual copies of physical hardware devices through device model files that contain configuration information. These virtual device instances can be instantiated multiple times without requiring additional physical hardware, allowing platform developers to test with numerous device types while using only a minimal set of physical devices for data collection.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces the mechanical/physical system of obtaining and managing actual hardware devices with an information-based system. Device model files store configuration information that can be processed computationally to generate virtual device instances, substituting physical hardware manipulation with software-based device representation and configuration management.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Adaptability or versatility

If new or recently released hardware devices are obtained, then platform development can test cutting-edge hardware, but it remains expensive and impracticable

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvehardware compatibilityVSAvoidhardware instances required

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent creates a universal device model file format that can represent multiple device types and configurations. A single platform development environment can work with various hardware devices by loading appropriate device model files, allowing one system to serve multiple hardware platforms without requiring separate development setups for each device type.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent enables hardware compatibility through configurable parameters in device model files. By changing parameters such as vendor, model, and firmware version in the device model configuration, the same platform can be adapted to work with different hardware devices including new or recently released devices without modifying the core platform code.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Reliability

If resources are subjected to marginal, anomalous, and critical states for testing, then platform robustness can be verified, but resources may experience degradation or destruction

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveplatform robustnessVSAvoidresource degradation

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent creates virtual copies of physical hardware devices through device model files that contain configuration information. These virtual device instances can be instantiated multiple times without requiring additional physical hardware, allowing platform developers to test with numerous device types while using only a minimal set of physical devices for data collection.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces the mechanical/physical system of obtaining and managing actual hardware devices with an information-based system. Device model files store configuration information that can be processed computationally to generate virtual device instances, substituting physical hardware manipulation with software-based device representation and configuration management.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Data Source

PatentUS20230195983A1Hyper-converged infrastructure (HCI) platform development with smartnic-based hardware simulation

Publication Date: 2023.06.22 DELL PROD LP

AI summary

A platform development system and method in which configuration information for an information handling resource type, e.g., a network interface card, is obtained by accessing a first instance of the resource type. The configuration information includes one or more fixed elements and a corresponding number of variable elements. Configuration information may include attribute-value pairs in which the attribute field of each pair is the fixed part of the configuration information and the corresponding value field is the variable part. A simulation policy, indicative of the fixed part of the configuration information, may then be defined for the resource type of interest. The simulation policy, in conjunction with user-specified values for the variable part of the configuration information, may define configuration information for a second instance of the resource type. A management server simulator may then simulate the second instance of the resource type based on the applicable configuration information.