Patent Application
20250053207
The field of the disclosure is data processing, or, more specifically, apparatus and systems for a front input/output (I/O) expansion module for a computing device.
General-purpose enterprise servers are typically designed to support storage in the front of the server and I/O expansion in the rear of the device. Servers deployed in cloud service provider (CSP) datacenters typically leverage network storage and do not require in-server storage. However, servers in a CSP datacenter will typically be required to support a specialized network adapter (e.g., a “smart network interface controller (NIC)”) to implement the functions of the cloud. Smart NIC adapters are typically high power and therefore require an effective cooling solution. Smart NIC adapters installed in the front of a server are typically subject to less pre-heated air and can be more effectively cooled compared to adapters which are installed in the back of a server that are subject to pre-heat from storage, central processing units (CPUs), and memory. Large datacenters, such as those used by CSPs, typically utilize a “hot and cold aisle” configuration for maximum efficiency. In such datacenters, a “cold aisle” is located in front of a server rack in which the ambient air is relatively cooler than a “hot aisle” located at the back of the server rack. CSP users typically have a strong preference for servers that support front I/O access for better cooling and to provide physical access to network devices from the cold aisle. Physical access to the front of the server is desired to be maximized while physical access to the back of the server is minimized. This datacenter configuration increases the need to provide for front I/O capabilities in a server.
An apparatus, and system for a front I/O expansion module for a computing device according to various embodiments are disclosed in this specification. In accordance with one aspect of the present disclosure, an I/O expansion module comprises a first substrate, and an expansion slot disposed on the first substrate. The expansion slot is configured to be communicatively coupled to backplane slots disposed on a backplane of a computing device external to the I/O expansion module.
In an embodiment, the first substrate comprises a riser card. In another embodiment, the expansion slot comprises a peripheral component expansion slot. In another embodiment, the peripheral component expansion slot comprises Peripheral Component Interconnect Express (PCIe) slots.
In another embodiment, the I/O expansion module further comprises a power supply configured to provide a first supply voltage to the expansion slot. In another embodiment, the expansion slot is communicatively coupled to the backplane slot via a conversion module coupled to the backplane slot. In another embodiment, the expansion slot is configured to receive a peripheral component. In another embodiment, the I/O expansion module further comprises a cooling device configured to cool the peripheral component. In another embodiment, the peripheral component comprises an I/O or networking device.
In an embodiment, the expansion slot is communicatively coupled to the backplane slot via a data cable. In another embodiment, the expansion module is configured to be coupled to the computing device by a power cable and receive a second supply voltage from the computing device.
In an embodiment, the computing device comprises a server.
In accordance with another aspect of the present disclosure, a system for front input/output (I/O) expansion of a computing device comprises a computing device including a backplane, and a backplane slot disposed on the backplane. The system further includes an I/O expansion module external to the computing device. The I/O expansion module comprises a first substrate, and an expansion slot disposed on the first substrate. The expansion slot is configured to be communicatively coupled to the backplane slot.
In an embodiment, the first substrate comprises a riser card. In another embodiment, the expansion slot comprises a peripheral component expansion slot. In another embodiment, the I/O expansion module further comprises a power supply configured to provide a first supply voltage to the expansion slot.
In another embodiment, the computing device further comprises a conversion module coupled to the backplane slot configured to communicatively coupled the expansion slot to the backplane slot. In another embodiment, the conversion module is configured to provide a second supply voltage to the expansion slot. In another embodiment, the system further comprises an I/O or networking device coupled to the expansion slot.
In another embodiment, the computing device comprises a server.
The foregoing and other objects, features and advantages of the disclosure will be apparent from the following more particular descriptions of exemplary embodiments of the disclosure as illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein like reference numbers generally represent like parts of exemplary embodiments of the disclosure.
Exemplary methods, apparatus, and systems for a front input/output (I/O) expansion module for a computing device in accordance with the present disclosure are described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
The example system of
The example server 104 of
For further explanation,
The server 204 includes a PCIe conversion module 214 configured to plug into existing hard drive bays to route PCIe lanes from an NVMe drive backplane of the server 204 to the front I/O expansion module 202 via cables 216A, 216B, 216C, and 216D coupled to respective ones of the first PCIe riser card 208A, the second PCIe riser card 208B, the third PCIe riser card 208C, and the fourth PCIe riser card 208D. In particular embodiments, one or more of the cables 216A, 216B, 216C, and 216D may further supply power from the NVMe drive backplane to the front I/O expansion module 202. The first PCIe riser card 208A, the second PCIe riser card 208B, the third PCIe riser card 208C, and the fourth PCIe riser card 208D functions as interfaces between the cable connections from the PCIe conversion module 214 and the PCIe slots 210A, 210B, 210C, and 210D. In one or more embodiments, the PCIe slots 210A, 210B, 210C, and 210D are configured to be connected to backplane slots where storage devices would be previously plugged in.
In an embodiment, the front I/O expansion module 202 may further include one or more cooling fans 218 to provide cooling to peripheral components connected to the PCIe slots 210A, 210B, 210C, and 210D.
For further explanation,
For further explanation,
In an embodiment, the PCIe riser card 410 includes a power connector 416 to supply power to the PCIe riser card 410 from a power supply and/or the PCIe conversion module 404.
In another embodiment, the front I/O expansion module 402 includes fans 418 to cool components of the front I/O expansion module 402 such as I/O or networking devices coupled to the PCIe card slots 412. Accordingly, in various embodiments, I/O capabilities provided by the NVMe backplane 406 in the back of a server are carried to the front I/O expansion module 402 at the front of the server.
For further explanation,
A PCIe conversion module 510 configured to be coupled with a backplane of a server is connected to the PCIe riser card 502 via a PCIe signal cable 512. In a particular embodiment, the PCIe conversion module 510 includes a NVMe adapter 514 configured to couple the PCIe signal cable 512 to the PCIe conversion module 510. In a particular embodiment, the PCIe riser card 502 could include a retimer circuit to amplify the signals received from the PCIe conversion module 510 to maintain signal integrity to the front I/O expansion module. The PCIe conversion module 510 may optionally include a power cable 516 coupled between the PCIe conversion module 510 and the power supply card 504. The power cable 516 is configured to provide a supply voltage from the PCIe conversion module 510 to the power supply card 504.
In view of the explanations set forth above, readers will recognize that the benefits of a front input/output (I/O) expansion module for a computing device according to embodiments of the present disclosure include maximizing physical access to the front of a server while minimizing required physical access to the back of the server; allowing general-purpose servers to support front I/O; reducing development expense by leveraging off-the-shelf products that meet datacenter requirements, especially for low-volume niche use cases; and others as will occur to readers of skill in the art.
It will be understood from the foregoing description that modifications and changes may be made in various embodiments of the present disclosure without departing from its true spirit. The descriptions in this specification are for purposes of illustration only and are not to be construed in a limiting sense. The scope of the present disclosure is limited only by the language of the following claims.
