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US 6,327,143 B1Granted
Radial computer system and method
AssigneeCray Inc.
InventorsPaul Bonstrom, Gary Shorrel, Dale Sand
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
This invention relates to computer systems and hardware, and in particular to a radial computer system, hardware for building a radial computer system and a method for building a radial computer system. According to one aspect of the invention, a clustering concept for a scalable computer system includes computer elements aligned by a joiner into an arc shaped configuration. The radial configuration of the cluster and associated hardware provide a computer system that reduces high speed cable lengths, provides additional connection points for the increased number of cable connections, provides electromagnetic interference shielding, and provides additional space for cooling hardware. These features result in an improved scalable computer system.
Claims26
A computer system having a radial configuration comprising:
- a plurality of computer elements, each computer element having a rear face and a front face;
- a plurality of joiners, each joiner having a computer element on each side, the joiners aligning the computer elements such that the computer elements define an arc, the arc having an inner radius defined by the rear face of the computer elements and an outer radius defined by the front face of the computer elements;
- and
- at least one high frequency cable passing through the joiner between computer elements, the high frequency cable being routed proximal the inner radius of the arc, wherein the computer elements include:
- four processing nodes, each processing node having electromagnetic shielding;
- and
- two I/O units, wherein the I/O units are electromagnetically isolated from the processing nodes;
- wherein the joiner also includes electromagnetic shielding such that the processing nodes and cable connections within the computer system operates in an EMI tight environment.
5 more elements
A computer system having a radial configuration comprising:
- a plurality of computer elements, each computer element having a rear face and a front face;
- a plurality of joiners, each joiner having a computer element on each side, the joiners aligning the computer elements such that the computer elements define an arc, the arc having an inner radius defined by the rear face of the computer elements and an outer radius defined by the front face of the computer elements;
- and
- at least one high frequency cable passing through the joiner between computer elements, the high frequency cable being routed proximal the inner radius of the arc,
- wherein each computer element includes a rear access door, the computer elements arranged such that the rear access doors swing open without interfering with the adjacent access door.
2 more elements
A computer system having a radial configuration comprising:
- a plurality of computer elements, each computer element having a rear face and a front face;
- a plurality of joiners, each joiner having a computer element on each side, the joiners aligning the computer elements such that the computer elements define an arc, the arc having an inner radius defined by the rear face of the computer elements and an outer radius defined by the front face of the computer elements;
- and
- at least one high frequency cable passing through the joiner between computer elements, the high frequency cable being routed proximal the inner radius of the arc, wherein each computer element includes a front access door.
1 more element
A computer system having a radial configuration comprising:
- a cluster including:
- a plurality of computer elements, each computer element having a rear face and a front face;
- a plurality of joiners, each joiner having a computer element on each side, the joiners aligning the computer elements such that the computer elements define an arc, the arc having an inner radius defined by the rear face of the computer elements and an outer radius defined by the front face of the computer elements;
- at least one high frequency cable passing through the joiner between computer elements, the high frequency cable being routed proximal the inner radius of the arc;
- a second cluster placed back-to-back with the first cluster, the first cluster and second cluster allowing for service access between the first cluster and the second cluster and being proximally spaced to reduce the length of cable connections between clusters.
2 more elements
A computer system having a radial configuration comprising:
- a first cluster
- a plurality of computer elements, each computer element having a rear face and a front face;
- a plurality of joiners, each joiner having a computer element on each side, the joiners aligning the computer elements such that the computer elements define an arc, the arc having an inner radius defined by the rear face of the computer elements and an outer radius defined by the front face of the computer elements;
- at least one high frequency cable passing through the joiner between computer elements, the high frequency cable being routed proximal the inner radius of the arc;
- a second cluster placed back-to-back with the first cluster, the first cluster and second cluster allowing for service access between the first cluster and the second cluster and being proximally spaced to reduce the length of cable connections between clusters;
- and
- a third cluster and a fourth cluster, the third cluster arranged back-to-back with the fourth cluster allowing for service access between the third cluster and the fourth cluster, the third and fourth cluster allowing for service access between pairs of clusters and placed proximal the first and second cluster to reduce distance of cable connections between pairs of clusters.
4 more elements
A joiner for a radial computer system, comprising:
- a first surface for aligning a first computer element, the first surface having a front end and a rear end, the first surface including at least one passage for aligning with a passage in the first computer element and for allowing passage of a cable between the joiner and the first computer element;
- a second surface for aligning a second computer element, the second surface having a front end and a rear end, the second surface including at least one passage for aligning with a passage in the second computer element and for allowing passage of a cable between the joiner and the second computer element;
- a rear surface joining the rear end of the first surface and the rear end of the second surface;
- a front surface joining the front end of the first surface and the front end of the second surface, the front surface being wider than the rear surface so that the first computer element and second computer element are aligned at an angle relative to one another;
- and
- a means for attaching the joiner to the first and second computer element.
3 more elements
A method for clustering a scalable computer system to reduce high frequency cable lengths and to provide scalable cable connection hardware, the method comprising:
- aligning a plurality of computer elements radially so that the computer elements form an arc with an inner radius and an outer radius, the alignment creating increased space between the computer elements toward the outer radius of the arc;
- connecting joiners between the plurality of computer elements;
- electrically connecting the plurality of computer elements, wherein electrically connecting includes routing high frequency cables through the elements and radial joiners proximal the inner radius of the arc;
- and
- connecting bulkheads to the plurality of computer elements such that the bulkhead is distal from the inner radius of the arc but within the outer radius of the arc, the bulkhead having:
- a plate for receiving at least one first cable on one side of the plate and for receiving at least one corresponding second cable on the other of the sides of the plate;
- and
- a plate aperture for allowing connection of the first cable and second cable, the plate including an EMI gasket and the bulkhead including an EMI compatible plating, the gasket contacting the plating;
- and
- an enclosed area for receiving the first cable and an EMI tight passage for allowing the first cable to enter the enclosed area of the bulkhead.
7 more elements
A method for clustering a scalable computer system to reduce high frequency cable lengths and to provide scalable cable connection hardware, the method comprising:
- aligning a plurality of computer elements radially so that the computer elements form an arc with an inner radius and an outer radius, the alignment creating increased space between the computer elements toward the outer radius of the arc;
- connecting joiners between the plurality of computer elements;
- electrically connecting the plurality of computer elements, wherein electrically connecting includes routing high frequency cables through the elements and radial joiners proximal the inner radius of the arc;
- and
- connecting a bullhead having a second enclosed area within the bulkhead;
- routing cooling hardware into the enclosed area through a portion of the bulkhead having a passage for receiving the cooling hardware;
- accessing the cooling hardware through a second opening in the bulkhead through a removable access plate over a second opening.
4 more elements
A method for clustering a scalable computer system to reduce high frequency cable lengths and to provide scalable cable connection hardware, the method comprising:
- aligning a plurality of computer elements radially so that the computer elements form an arc with an inner radius and an outer radius, the alignment creating increased space between the computer elements toward the outer radius of the arc;
- connecting joiners between the plurality of computer elements, wherein connecting includes connecting the joiners between centrally located processing nodes and between a processing node and an I/O unit on each side of the computer system;
- and
- electrically connecting the plurality of computer elements, wherein electrically connecting includes routing high frequency cables through the elements and radial joiners proximal the inner radius of the arc.
1 more element
A method for clustering a scalable computer system to reduce high frequency cable lengths and to provide scalable cable connection hardware, the method comprising:
- aligning a plurality of computer elements radially so that the computer elements form an arc with an inner radius and an outer radius, the alignment creating increased space between the computer elements toward the outer radius of the arc;
- connecting joiners between the plurality of computer elements, wherein connecting includes shielding the computer elements and the joiners to provide an EMI tight environment;
- and
- electrically connecting the plurality of computer elements, wherein electrically connecting includes routing high frequency cables through the elements and radial joiners proximal the inner radius of the arc.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.