Implementing sideband control structure for PCIE cable cards and IO expansion enclosures
AssigneeInternational Business Machines Corporation
InventorsPatrick A. Buckland, Jeffery D. Haumont, Gregory M. Nordstrom, William A. Thompson
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method, system and computer program product are provided for implementing sideband control structure for Peripheral Component Interconnect Express (PCIE) add-in cards, or cable cards, that utilize cables to connect to input/output (IO) expansion enclosures in a computer system. System firmware uniquely identifies a cable card present in a PCIE slot in a system unit. Enclosure management functions utilize sideband control paths integrated within at least cable providing sideband control signaling, and providing PCIE signaling lanes between the cable card and the IO enclosure.
Claims9
A computer system for implementing sideband control structure for Peripheral Component Interconnect Express (PCIE) cable cards and input/output (IO) expansion enclosures, comprising:
- a Central Electronics Complex (CEC) including a processor;
- a PCI host bridge (PHB);
- said PHB connected to said processor and providing a PCIE link to a plurality of PCIE slots;
- system firmware uniquely identifying a cable card present in one said PCIE slot;
- and the cable card including control and status registers accessible to said system firmware, a system unit link engine, a system unit wire engine and a system unit data engine;
- an IO enclosure including corresponding control and status registers, a corresponding link engine, a corresponding wire engine and a corresponding data engine;
- a respective first PCIE cable connector connected to a respective second PCIE cable connector by a respective pair of PCIE cables connecting between the cable card and the IO enclosure;
- sideband control paths being integrated within the respective pair of PCIE cables, and PCIE signaling lanes being provided within the respective pair of PCIE cables for implementing sideband control signaling and enclosure management functions;
- and a single cable being utilized in communicating sideband controls and status between the CEC and IO enclosure, each cable of the respective pair of PCIE providing an alternative signaling path for communicating the sideband controls;
- and said system unit wire engine transmits control and status signals over the PCIE cables to both said corresponding wire engine and data engine in the IO enclosure, and said system unit data engine transmits command and response messages and data for management communications between said system firmware and a management controller firmware within the IO enclosure, said wire engine and data engine in the IO enclosure receives control signals from and provides status to said system unit wire engine, and receives command messages and data and transmits response messages and data to said system unit data engine.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.