International Business Machines Corporation

Corning Incorporated

Francois Abel

Fabrice Jean Verplanken

Claude Basso

Jean Louis Calvignac

Cyriel Johan Minkenberg

Philippe Damon

Mitch Gusat

Ronald Pete Luijten

Norbert Schumacher

Mark Verhappen

Natarajan Vaidhyanathan

Alan Frederic Benner

Christoph Hermann Hagleitner

Gottfried Andreas Goldrian

Antonius Paulus Engbersen

Ferdinand Gramsamer

Colin Beaton Verrilli

Jan Van Lunteren

Ilias Iliadis

Chih-Jen Chang

Alain R Blanc

Michel Poret

Andreas Christian Doering

Wolfgang Emil Denzel

Ingemar Holm

Beat Eugen Weiss

Helmut Kohler

Burkhard Ringlein

Rajaram B Krishnamurthy

Martin L Schmatz

Mircea R Gusat

Patricia Maria Sagmeister

Rolf Clauberg

Gero Dittmann

Andreas Guenther Herkersdorf

Richard Robert Grzybowski

Jean-Paul Aldebert

Ronald Peter Luijten

Jean-Luc Frenoy

Bernd Leppla

Mauro Spreafico

Brewster Roe Hemenway, Jr

Jonathan Bruno Rohrer

Dionysios Diamantopoulos

Cyriel J A Minkenberg

Michel Colmant

Jose Duato

Rajaram Krishnamurthy

Enrico Schiattarella

Jagath Weerasinghe

Michael Colmant

Damon Philipe

Jean L Cavignac

The invention is notably directed to a method, computer program product, and computer system for running software inside containers. The method relies on a computerized system that includes a composable disaggregated infrastructure, in addition to general-purpose hardware. The computerized system is configured to dynamically allocate computerized resources, which include both general resources and specialized resources. The former are enabled by the general-purpose hardware, while the latter are enabled by specialized network-attached hardware components of the composable disaggregated infrastructure. The method maintains a table capturing specializations of the specialized network-attached hardware components. At runtime, software is run inside each container by executing corresponding functions. A first subset of the functions are executed using the general resources, whereas a second subset of the functions are executed using the specialized resources, by offloading the second subset of functions to respective components of the specialized network-attached hardware components, in accordance with the specializations.

Optimizing container executions with network-attached hardware components of a composable disaggregated infrastructure

Methods are provided for configuring a reconfigurable hardware device to execute a user application. Such a method includes providing static shell logic on the device. The static shell logic is controlled by a primary management core for managing operation of the device, and has a predetermined hardware interface. The method includes configuring on the device, via the primary management core, dynamic shell logic for implementing dynamically-selected shell functionality. The dynamic shell logic includes a secondary management core, adapted to communicate with the primary management core via the hardware interface, for managing operation of the dynamic shell logic. The method further comprises configuring on the device, via the primary management core, application logic, having an interface with the dynamic shell logic, for executing the user application. The secondary management core uploads to the primary management core dynamic code to adapt the primary management core for use with the dynamic shell logic.

Configuration of hardware devices

A communication channel for reconfiguration of a device, such as an FPGA, is described in various embodiments. One embodiment includes a physical input/output circuit, a dynamic layer, and a static layer. The static layer is programmed into the reconfigurable device to contain a configuration layer and a network layer. The configuration layer is able to receive additional layers, such as a virtual network layer and a virtual security layer and program them into the reconfigurable device. The virtual network layer can provide communication protocols, such as TCP/IP, and the virtual security layer can provide security protocols, such as TLS and IPSec. Various distributed applications can be programmed into the reconfigurable device over the network and configured to use the virtual network layer and the virtual security layer.

Communication channel for reconfigurable devices

An electronic circuit card comprises a printed circuit board with electronic components. The electronic components comprise drivers for transmitting transmit (TX) signals and receivers for receiving receive (RX) signals, according to several groups of interface signals. There is further provided a connector edge, arranged at an edge of the card, and configured to allow the card to be connected to an external connector. This connector edge comprises two subsets of symmetric pins on respective (opposite) sides thereof. The drivers and the receivers are connected to the pins, for respectively conveying the TX signals and the RX signals. Pins are assigned such that, for each of the several groups of supported interface signals, any pin (of any of the subsets) connected to transmit TX signals is located opposite a pin (of the other subset) connected to receive RX signals. Pairs of consecutive pins (on each side) typically come in differential pairs.

Electronic circuit card with connector edge having alternated TX and RX pins assignment

A network interface controller can include a sideband port controller. The sideband port controller can provide a sideband connection between the network and a sideband endpoint circuit that can be operative to communicate with the network via a sideband. The sideband port controller can include an event notification unit operative to compile information into an event notification packet. The sideband port controller can further include a packet parser. In embodiments, the packet parser could be operative to analyzes a packet to provide an indication that the packet contains the event notification packet. In embodiments, the sideband port controller could be operative to forward the information in the event notification packet to the sideband endpoint circuit, responsive to that indication.

Network controller-sideband interface port controller

Proposed is an action machine for assembling response packets in a network processor. The action machine comprises: a first register array adapted to store data for entry into fixed-length fields of differing response packets, a fixed-length field having the same length in the differing response packets; and a second register array adapted to store data for entry into variable-length fields of differing response packets, a variable-length field having different values or lengths in the differing response packets. The action machine is adapted to assemble a response packet by combining data stored in the first register array with data stored in the second register array.

Assembling response packets

Proposed is an action machine for processing packet data in a network processor. The action machine comprises: first and second data storage units adapted to store data for processing; and a processing unit adapted to process data from the first and second data storage units. The first storage unit is adapted to be accessed by the processing unit and a unit external to the action machine, and the second storage unit is adapted to only be accessed by the processing unit.

Data packet processing

A packet parser has a set of marker elements each comprising a one bit latch and connected to store flag values from the results of the application of parser rules. Some marker elements are connected to provide the stored marker values as input to the parser rule logic to be taken into account in the processing of subsequent parser rules and some are connected to control external hardware. Some markers are reset at the end of each packet. A special toggle marker element toggles its value when its address is selected and other marker elements are connected to store, when its own address is selected, the value of the toggle element. Other markers toggle their own value when selected.

Sticky and transient markers for a packet parser

A computer-implemented method includes managing function calls between a plurality of nodes and a super node of a rack system having a distributed operating system (OS). The OS includes a plurality of functions divided into first class and a second class, and each of the plurality of nodes excludes functions in the second class. Managing the function calls includes detecting a call to a first function on a first node of the plurality of nodes. It is determined that the first function belongs to the second class of functions and is not available on the first node. The call to the first function is routed to the super node, responsive to determining that the first function belongs to the second class, where the super node includes code for the functions in the second class.

Distributed operating system functions for nodes in a rack

The invention is directed to a switching device (S) adapted to connects parts of a computer interconnection network, having N input ports (I-I) and N output ports (O-O), the device adapted for routing data packets by means of direct crosspoints (CP), the direct crosspoints configured for enabling direct connectivity between each of the N input ports to a subset m&#x3c;N of the output ports only, in accordance with connectivity needs of the computer interconnection network. Preferably, it further comprises an additional circuitry (L) and additional crosspoints (AP, AP) configured such that at least some of the input ports of the switching device can be indirectly connected to at least some of the output ports of the switching device, through the additional circuitry. The invention further concerns an interconnection network and a method for routing data.

Switching device for routing data, computer interconnection network and routing method using such device

A method, a system, and a computer program product is disclosed for identifying a quality of service (QoS) classification of a packet in a network by a network processor. The method comprising: providing a table wherein a priority value with a maximum of N values is used as an index into the table to retrieve a QoS classification having a maximum of M values with M less than N; receiving a data packet in a stream of data packets; extracting at least two priority indicator values from the packet; converting the at least two priority indicator values into a priority value; utilizing the priority value as an index into the table; extracting the entry in the table corresponding to the priority value as the QoS classification of the packet; and utilizing the QoS classification for subsequent processing of the data packet.

Identification of QoS classification based on packet attributes

Mechanisms are provided for a network processor comprising a parser, the parser being operable to work in normal operation mode or in repeat operation mode, the parser in normal operation mode loading and executing at least one rule in a first and a second working cycle respectively, the parser in repeat operation mode being operable to repeatedly execute a repeat-instruction, the execution of each repeat corresponding to one working cycle.

Accelerating data packet parsing

Growing community of inventors

Rueschlikon, Switzerland

Francois Abel