Auto-negotiation over extended backplane
AssigneeHewlett Packard Enterprise Development LP
InventorsGuodong Zhang, Paul T. Vu, Michael Lee Witkowski, Robert R. Teisberg, John V. Butler
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
In one example in accordance with the present disclosure, a system for auto-negotiation over extended backplane includes an enclosure and a switch external to the enclosure. The enclosure has a NIC (network interface controller) for a server in the enclosure and a DEM (downlink extension module). The DEM has a single DEM PHY connected to the NIC via a backplane and also connected to the switch via an external connection. The DEM PHY facilitates auto-negotiation between the switch and the NIC.
Claims15
A system for auto-negotiation over an extended backplane, the system comprising:
- a switch comprising:
- a switch ASIC (application-specific integrated circuit) performing connectivity functions of the switch;
- and
- a switch PHY connected to the switch ASIC;
- and
- an enclosure, comprising:
- a NIC (network interface controller) connected to a server within the enclosure;
- and
- a DEM (downlink extension module) extending the connectivity of the switch that is external to the enclosure by providing a communicative connection between the server within the enclosure and the switch, the DEM having a DEM PHY that is connected to the NIC via a backplane and also connected to the switch PHY via an external connection,
- wherein the DEM PHY facilitates auto-negotiation between the switch ASIC and the NIC and facilitates a connection between the switch and the NIC to enable the server within the enclosure to utilize the switch that is external to the enclosure.
An enclosure for auto-negotiation over an extended backplane, the enclosure comprising:
- a NIC (network interface controller) connecting to a server within the enclosure;
- and
- a DEM (downlink extension module) extending a connectivity of an external switch by providing a communicative connection between the server within the enclosure and the external switch, the DEM having a DEM PHY connected to the NIC via a backplane connection and also connected to the external switch via an external connection, wherein the backplane connection and the external connection form a datapath between the NIC and the external switch, and wherein the DEM PHY facilitates auto-negotiation between the NIC and the external switch and the datapath enables the server within the enclosure to utilize the external switch.
A method for auto-negotiation over extended backplane, the method comprising:
- receiving, by a DEM (downlink extension module) PHY, auto-negotiation capabilities of a NIC (network interface controller), the DEM PHY connecting a DEM within an enclosure and the NIC within the enclosure via a backplane that uses a first communication protocol, wherein the NIC connects to a server within the enclosure and the DEM extends a connectivity of a switch by providing a communicative connection between the server within the enclosure and the switch that is external to the enclosure;
- advertising, by the DEM PHY, the auto-negotiation capabilities of the NIC to the switch, wherein the DEM PHY connects the switch that is external to the enclosure and the DEM that is within the enclosure via an external connection that uses a second communication protocol;
- receiving, by the DEM PHY, auto-negotiation capabilities of the switch;
- and
- performing, by the DEM PHY, auto-negotiation with the NIC and with the switch to facilitate auto-negotiation between the NIC and the switch in accordance with the auto-negotiation capabilities of the NIC and the auto-negotiation capabilities of the switch and further to facilitate a connection between the switch and the NIC enabling the server within the enclosure to utilize the switch that is external to the enclosure.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.