Tiled Server Base Board Architecture for Signal Integrity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current high-speed server base boards face challenges with signal integrity and increased development costs due to the need for expensive high-speed materials and complex trace optimization, which limits the number of drives that can operate at high speeds and requires custom designs for different server configurations.
Innovation Solution
A tiled base board architecture where base boards are divided into identical tiles that can be daisy-chained for power and low-speed control signals, using high-speed interconnect cables for data transfer, and mezzanine boards for connectivity, allowing for flexible configuration and support of different form factors.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If traditional base board architecture is used with long trace lengths, then more drives can be supported, but signal integrity deteriorates and development costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The base board is divided into multiple identical tiles that can be daisy-chained together. Each tile contains a subset of drive connectors and is connected to adjacent tiles via interface connectors. This segmentation reduces the trace length for high-speed signals from spanning the entire base board to spanning only within each tile and between adjacent tiles, thereby maintaining signal integrity while supporting more drives overall.
2Reliability
If expensive high-speed materials and complex trace optimization are used, then signal integrity is maintained, but development costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the base board into tiles, the patent reduces the complexity of trace optimization requirements. Instead of optimizing traces across the entire base board, each tile can use standard trace lengths and materials, reducing development costs while maintaining signal integrity through the modular architecture.
Solution Approach 2:
The interface connectors serve as intermediaries between tiles, providing a standardized connection point that simplifies the overall system design. These connectors enable daisy-chaining of tiles without requiring complex trace routing across the entire base board, thereby reducing development costs while maintaining signal integrity.
3Adaptability or versatility
If custom base board designs are created for different server configurations, then specific requirements are met, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The base board tiles are designed with universal interface connectors that can be connected in various configurations to support different server configurations. The same tile design can be used in different numbers and arrangements depending on the required drive capacity, eliminating the need for custom designs for each configuration while maintaining flexibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The modular tile architecture allows for flexible configuration by simply changing the number and arrangement of tiles rather than redesigning the entire base board. This segmentation approach maintains adaptability to different server configurations while reducing design complexity through standardization.
4Reliability
If high-speed materials are used throughout the entire base board, then signal integrity is maintained, but manufacturing costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The base board is segmented into tiles with interface connectors, allowing high-speed materials to be used only where necessary (within each tile and at interface connectors) rather than throughout the entire base board. This reduces manufacturing costs while maintaining signal integrity in the critical high-speed signal paths.
Data Source
AI summary
One feature pertains to an advanced computer device configured for storing data on a plurality of non-volatile memory mass storage devices. The mass storage devices may interface with the computer device through a plurality of base boards mounted in an enclosure that are configured to couple with at least one non-volatile memory storage drive. Each base board may further be configured to couple with a high speed interconnect cable to exchange data to be loaded or stored with the computer device. According to one aspect, the high speed cable transfers Serially Attached SCSI (SAS) or PCIe data packets or frames.