US 9,519,328 B2 · Techniques for selectively reducing power levels of ports and core switch logic in infiniband switches

Abstract

Methods for performing power management of InfiniBand (IB) switches and apparatus and software configured to implement the methods. Power management datagrams (MADs) are used to inform IB switches that host servers connected to the IB switch's ports are to transition to a reduced-power or offline state or have returned to a normal operating state. A subnet management agent (SMA) on the IB switch receives the power MADs from the host servers and tracks each server's operating state. In response to power down MADs, the SMA coordinates power reduction of the switch's ports and other switch circuitry. For switches with multi-port IB interfaces, a multi-port interface is caused to enter a reduced-power state when all of its ports are connected to host servers that are idle or offline. Additionally, when all of a switch's ports are connected to idle or offline servers the SMA may put the switch's core switch logic into a reduced-power state. Power MADs are also used to inform upstream IB switches when a switch is to transition to a reduced power state or has returned to a normal operating state.

Claims25

Dependent claims

An InfiniBand switch, comprising:

a plurality of ports, each port comprising a physical interface (PHY) including an input port coupled to a receive buffer and an output port coupled to a transmit buffer;
memory operatively coupled to the receive buffers and the transmit buffers in the plurality of ports;
packet processing and switch logic including at least one processing element operatively coupled to the memory;
and
a subnet management agent, configured to,
for each of the plurality of ports on the InfiniBand switch,
receive a power down management datagram (MAD) sent from a respective host server having a respective InfiniBand Host Channel Adaptor (IB HCA) linked in communication with the port, the power down MAD received by the port and indicating the respective host server is to transition to a reduced-power state;
and
in response to receiving the power down MAD, coordinate a power reduction of the port.

6 more elements

An InfiniBand switch, comprising:

a plurality of multi-port InfiniBand (IB) interfaces, each including multiple ports comprising a physical interface (PHY) including an input port and an output port, each multi-port IB interface further including at least one receive buffer and at least one transmit buffer;
memory operatively coupled to receive buffers and transmit buffers in the plurality of multi-port IB interfaces;
packet processing and switch logic including at least one processing element operatively coupled to the memory;
and
a subnet management agent, configured to,
receive a power down management datagram (MAD) sent from a first host server having a first InfiniBand Host Channel Adaptor (IB HCA) linked in communication with a first port on a first multi-port IB interface, the power down MAD indicating the host server is to transition to a reduced-power state;
and
in response to receiving the power down MAD, coordinate a power reduction of the first port.

5 more elements

A method performed in a network environment including an InfiniBand switch having a plurality of ports, each of at least a portion of the ports comprising a physical interface (PHY) connected to a respective InfiniBand Host Channel Adaptor (IB HCA) installed in or operatively coupled to a respective host server, the method comprising:

receiving a first power down management datagram (MAD) sent from a first host server having a first InfiniBand Host Channel Adaptor (IB HCA) linked in communication with a first port on the InfiniBand switch, the first power down MAD received at the first port and indicating the first host server is to transition to a reduced-power state;
in response to receiving the first power down MAD, coordinating a power reduction of the first port,
receiving a second power down management datagram (MAD) sent from a second host server having a second InfiniBand Host Channel Adaptor (IB HCA) linked in communication with a second port on the InfiniBand switch, the power down MAD received at the second port and indicating the second host server is to transition to a reduced-power state;
and
in response to receiving the second power down MAD, coordinating a power reduction of the second port.

2 more elements

A method performed in a network environment including an InfiniBand (IB) switch having a plurality of multi-port IB interfaces comprising a plurality of ports, each port comprising a physical interface (PHY), wherein each of at least a portion of the ports are connected to a respective InfiniBand Host Channel Adaptor (IB HCA) installed in or operatively coupled to a respective host server, the method comprising:

receiving a power down management datagram (MAD) sent from a first host server having a first IB HCA linked in communication with a first port on a first multi-port IB interface, the power down MAD indicating the host server is to transition to a reduced-power state;
and
in response to receiving the power down MAD, coordinating a power reduction of the first port.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Techniques for selectively reducing power levels of ports and core switch logic in infiniband switches

Life of this patent

Techniques for selectively reducing power levels of ports and core switch logic in infiniband switches

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims25