US 2003/0149844 A1Published application

Block data mover adapted to contain faults in a partitioned multiprocessor system

AssigneeHewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.

InventorsSamuel H. Duncan, Frederick C. Canter, Darrel D. Donaldson, David W. Hartwell

Life of this patent

Estimating the term…

Loading patent…

Abstract

A system and method are provided for moving information between cache coherent memory systems of a partitioned multiprocessor computer system while containing faults to a single partition. The multiprocessor computer system includes a plurality of processors, memory subsystems and input/output (I/O) subsystems that can be divided into a plurality of partitions. Each I/O subsystem includes at least one I/O bridge for interfacing between one or more I/O devices and the multiprocessor system. The I/O bridge has a data mover configured to retrieve information from a “source” partition and to store that information within its own “destination” partition. When activated, the data mover issues a request to the source partition for a non-coherent copy of the information. The home memory subsystem in the source partition preferably responds to the request by sending the data mover an “valid”, but non-coherent copy of the information, e.g., a “snapshot” of the information as of the time of the request. Upon receiving the information, the data mover may copy it into the memory subsystem of the destination partition.

Claims19

Dependent claims

In a cache coherent, multiprocessor computer system that has been divided into a plurality of partitions including a source partition and a destination partition, a system for moving information among the partitions of the computer system, each partition having one or more interconnected processors, and memory subsystems, the memory subsystem of at least the source partition including a region of global shared memory, the system comprising:

a read cache located in the destination partition;
and
a data mover located in the destination partition, the data mover coupled to the read cache and having a message generator;
wherein
the message generator is configured to issue a first memory reference transaction to a selected memory subsystem of the source partition requesting a non-coherent copy of a specified portion of the region of global shared memory,
in response to the first memory reference transaction, the selected memory subsystem at the source partition is configured to issue a second memory reference transaction to the data mover, the second memory reference transaction including a non-coherent copy of the specified portion of the region of global shared memory,
the read cache is configured to buffer the specified portion of the region of global shared memory received from the source partition, and
the message generator is configured to issue a third memory reference transaction to a selected memory subsystem of the destination partition requesting exclusive ownership over a destination memory address for the specified portion of the region of global shared memory.

5 more elements

In a cache coherent, multiprocessor computer system that has been divided into a plurality of partitions including a source partition and a destination partition, and each partition has one or more interconnected processors, and memory subsystems, and the memory subsystem of at least the source partition includes a region of global shared memory, a method for moving information among the partitions of the computer system, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a read cache located in the destination partition;
providing a data mover located in the destination partition, the data mover coupled to the read cache and having a message generator;
issuing a first memory reference transaction from the data mover to a selected memory subsystem of the source partition requesting a non-coherent copy of a specified portion of the region of global shared memory;
in response to the first memory reference transaction, issuing a second memory reference transaction from the selected memory subsystem at the source partition to the data mover in the destination partition, the second memory reference transaction including a non-coherent copy of the specified portion of the region of global shared memory;
buffering the specified portion of the region of global shared memory received from the source partition at the read cache;
and
issuing a third memory reference transaction from the data mover to a selected memory subsystem of the destination partition requesting exclusive ownership over a destination memory address for the specified portion of the region of global shared memory.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.