Virtual COM Port BIOS Controller for Server Blade Serial Access
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Solution Overview
Problem
Server blades in a chassis lack individual COM ports, limiting simultaneous communication sessions and bandwidth for processes like remote consoles and debuggers, which require serial communications.
Innovation Solution
A virtual COM port is created by the BIOS controller, redirecting communication traffic to a USB device and then over Ethernet to a remote system, allowing access to a real COM port for all server blades.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If all server blades share a common COM port on the backplane, then device complexity is reduced, but only one server blade can be accessed at any given time, limiting simultaneous communication sessions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates virtual copies of COM ports through software abstraction. Each server blade receives a virtual COM port that appears as a physical device to the operating system, allowing multiple simultaneous access points to the single physical COM port resource on the backplane.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a virtualization layer as an intermediary between the physical COM port and multiple server blades. This intermediary manages traffic routing, allowing multiple virtual COM ports to share the single physical resource without conflict.
2Device complexity
If server blades use integrated communication architecture, then device complexity is reduced, but bandwidth for data-intensive communications like video redirect and code upgrades is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the USB controller and Ethernet interface serve multiple functions. The same physical infrastructure that handles general data traffic is also used for high-bandwidth communications like video redirect and code upgrades, eliminating the need for dedicated high-speed communication paths.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the need for physical high-speed communication hardware with a software-based virtualization solution. Instead of adding more physical COM ports or dedicated high-speed interfaces, the system uses virtualization to provide equivalent functionality through existing USB and Ethernet infrastructure.
3Productivity
If individual COM ports are added to each server blade, then simultaneous communication sessions are enabled, but device complexity and manufacturing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates virtual copies of COM ports through software abstraction. Each server blade receives a virtual COM port that appears as a physical device to the operating system, allowing multiple simultaneous access points to the single physical COM port resource on the backplane.
4Power
If individual COM ports are added to each server blade, then bandwidth for data-intensive communications is improved, but manufacturing cost and device complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the USB controller and Ethernet interface serve multiple functions. The same physical infrastructure that handles general data traffic is also used for high-bandwidth communications like video redirect and code upgrades, eliminating the need for dedicated high-speed communication paths.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the need for physical high-speed communication hardware with a software-based virtualization solution. Instead of adding more physical COM ports or dedicated high-speed interfaces, the system uses virtualization to provide equivalent functionality through existing USB and Ethernet infrastructure.
Data Source
AI summary
A method and system for accessing a remote real communication port (“COM port”) from a server blade in a server blade chassis by creating a virtual COM port in the server blade. A basic input/output system (BIOS) controller monitors an internal COM port in the server blade for communication traffic. Upon detecting the communication traffic, the BIOS controller reroutes the traffic to a virtual USB COM port created by the BIOS controller chipset. The virtual USB COM port directs the communication traffic to an internal universal serial bus (USB) device in the server blade. The USB device then forwards the traffic to an Ethernet media access controller (MAC) input/output (I/O) on a sideband channel to a remote system, which passes the communication traffic to a real COM port in the remote system.