Method and system for a flexible interconnect media in a point-to-point topography

1. An information handling system comprising:

a plurality of central processing units (CPUs), each CPU having a plurality of designated ports for input/output (I/O) device interconnects;

a flexible interconnect media system that connects a CPU to one or more I/O devices, the flexible interconnect media system comprising:

a plurality of I/O slots, each I/O slot capable of receiving an I/O device;

a plurality of connection interfaces, each correlated to one I/O slot of the plurality of I/O slots and connected to the correlated I/O slot;

a plurality of link taps, each assigned to one designated port of the plurality of designated ports and connected to the assigned designated port, wherein the link tap is not linked to a physical chassis or device location, wherein the link tap is located and designed to be accessible for connecting to a flexible interconnect media; and

at least one flexible interconnect media, each capable of interconnecting an open connection interface with an open link tap, the connection interface correlated and connected to an I/O slot at which the I/O device is received, whereby a connection between the CPU and the I/O device is completed via the flexible interconnect media extending between the connection interface and open link tap, wherein the connection between the I/O slot and the port is not hardwired into a PCB, the allocation of the port and the I/O slot are flexible, and a pairing of the I/O slot and a connection interface has electrical independence from the PCB;

wherein the correlated I/O slot is reserved for a target device having a desired bandwidth and an identified cooling requirement, wherein selecting a slot location for the target device includes matching device characteristics of physical size, power consumption, and a cooling requirement to corresponding requirements satisfied by the correlated I/O slot; and

a memory having firmware stored thereon, the firmware executed by at least one CPU among the plurality of CPUs to enable the information handling system to:

detect a new I/O device coupled to an I/O slot during a start-up process of the information handling system;

detect an identification of the I/O slot and an identification of the flexible interconnect media;

determine the I/O device that can be coupled to the I/O slot based on the identification of the I/O slot and the identification of the flexible interconnect media;

determine power requirements and cooling requirements of the new I/O device, in part based on the identification of the I/O slot;

identify at least a power consumption characteristic and a cooling requirement for the detected I/O device;

determine a cooling capability of the information handling system for the I/O slot based on the new I/O device coupled to the I/O slot and existing cooling devices of the IHS; and

adjust, via the existing cooling devices of the IHS that are adjustable to a cooling requirement of the I/O device coupled to the slot, the cooling capability for the I/O slot from the determined cooling capability, based on the cooling requirement of the I/O device coupled to the slot.

2. The information handling system of claim 1 , wherein: each flexible interconnect media has an interconnect identification that identifies the power consumption characteristic, the cooling requirement, and type of I/O device inserted into the correlated I/O slot the interconnect identification comprising bits of data indicating whether an I/O device is present and has been inserted into an I/O slot wherein the flexible interconnect media has a number of pins dedicated to the interconnect identification; and wherein the firmware configures the IHS to operate with correct allotments for CPU PCI ports, power and cooling allotments, and status/inventory of the device.

3. The information handling system of claim 1 , wherein each I/O slot has a unique slot identification that identifies the type of I/O devices that can be inserted, maximum bandwidth that the I/O slot accommodates, location of the I/O slot, and maximum cooling capability of the location, the maximum bandwidth comprising a maximum number of channels that the I/O slot would accommodate.

4. The information handling system of claim 1 , further comprising firmware that:

detects an identification of the I/O slot and an identification of the flexible interconnect media;

determines the I/O device that is inserted into the I/O slot;

makes a system inventory of the information handling system including the inserted I/O device and characteristics thereof; and

determines power requirements and cooling requirements of the inserted I/O device.

5. The information handling system of claim 4 , wherein the firmware comprises a lookup data structure having operating characteristics associated with all combinations of peripheral component interconnect (PCI) devices that can be coupled to the flexible interconnect media.

6. The information handling system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of designated ports have variable bandwidths and are compatible with at least one I/O interface standard, including peripheral component interconnect (PCI) and peripheral component interconnect express (PCIe).

7. The information handling system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of connection interfaces are further coupled to a programmable switch that allows sharing of one designated port with multiple I/O slots.

8. The information handling system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of I/O slots and the plurality of connection interfaces are located outside of the information handling system.

9. The information handling system of claim 8 , wherein the flexible interconnect media provides an interconnection from the information handling system to a separate remote chassis with independent physical characteristics such as cooling requirements and power requirements.

10. The information handling system of claim 1 , wherein each I/O slot is capable of receiving different types of I/O devices having different bandwidths by using the flexible interconnect media to connect to the I/O slot.

11. The information handling system of claim 1 , wherein a designated port connects to any open I/O slot with the flexible interconnect media.

12. The information handling system of claim 1 , wherein the flexible interconnect media further comprises a mechanical bracket structure that is utilized to anchor the flexible interconnect media to a chassis I/O slot location.

13. The information handling system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of link taps are centrally located and are only connectable to an I/O slot with a flexible interconnect media.

14. A flexible interconnect media system capable of connecting a CPU to an I/O device, the flexible interconnect media system comprising:

a plurality of I/O slots that are each capable of receiving an I/O device;

a plurality of connection interfaces wherein each connection interface is correlated with one I/O slot of the plurality of I/O slots and is connected to the correlated I/O slot;

wherein the CPU has a plurality of designated ports for input/output (I/O) device interconnects, and the flexible interconnect media system comprises a plurality of link taps each assigned to one designated port of the plurality of designated ports and connected to the assigned designated port, wherein the link tap is not linked to a physical chassis or device location, wherein the link tap is located and designed to be accessible for connecting to a flexible interconnect media;

at least one flexible interconnect media, each capable of interconnecting an open connection interface with an open link tap, the connection interface correlated and connected to an I/O slot at which the I/O device is received, whereby a connection between the CPU and the I/O device is completed via the flexible interconnect media extending between the connection interface and open link tap, wherein the connection between the I/O slot and the port is not hardwired into a PCB, the allocations of the port and the I/O slot are flexible, and a pairing of the I/O slot and a connection interface has electrical independence from the PCB;

wherein the correlated I/O slot is reserved for a target device having a desired bandwidth and an identified cooling requirement, wherein selecting a slot location for the target device includes matching device characteristics of physical size, power consumption, and a cooling requirement to corresponding requirements satisfied by the correlated I/O slot; and

wherein the CPU is a part of an information handling system that comprises a memory having firmware stored thereon, the firmware executed by the CPU to enable the CPU to:

detect a new I/O device coupled to an I/O slot during a start-up process of the information handling system;

detect an identification of the I/O slot and an identification of the flexible interconnect media;

determine the I/O device that can be coupled to the I/O slot based on the identification of the I/O slot and the identification of the flexible interconnect media;

determine power requirements and cooling requirements of the new I/O device, in part based on the identification of the I/O slot;

identify at least a power consumption characteristic and a cooling requirement for the detected I/O device;

determine a cooling capability of the information handling system for the I/O slot based on the I/O device coupled to the slot and existing cooling devices of the IHS; and

adjust, via the existing cooling devices of the IHS that are adjustable to meet a cooling requirement of the I/O device coupled to the slot, the cooling capability for the I/O slot from the determined cooling capability, based on the cooling requirement of the I/O device coupled to the slot.

15. The flexible interconnect media system of claim 14 , further comprising:

an interconnect identification that identifies a power consumption characteristic, a cooling requirement, and the type of I/O device inserted into the correlated I/O slot, the interconnect identification comprising bits of data indicating whether an I/O device is present and has been inserted into an I/O slot; wherein the flexible interconnect media has a number of pins dedicated to the interconnect identification; and wherein the firmware configures the IHS to operate with correct allotments for CPU PCI ports, power and cooling allotments, and status/inventory of the device; and

wherein each I/O slot has a unique slot identification that identifies the type of I/O devices that can be inserted, bandwidth, location of the correlated I/O slot, and maximum cooling capability of the location.

16. The flexible interconnect media system of claim 14 , wherein the plurality of connection interfaces are further coupled to a programmable switch that allows sharing of one designated port with multiple I/O slots.

17. The flexible interconnect media system of claim 14 , wherein a designated port is capable of connection to any open I/O slot with the flexible interconnect media, wherein the plurality of link taps are centrally located and the designated ports can be connected to a particular I/O slot with a flexible interconnect media.

18. In an information handling system having a plurality of central processing units (CPUs), each having a plurality of designated ports for input/output (I/O) device interconnects, a method of connecting a CPU with an I/O device, the method comprising:

identifying at least one of a computing bandwidth and a network bandwidth desired for interfacing with a PCIe-supported I/O device;

selecting a port from the plurality of designated ports that is configured to provide the desired computing bandwidth and network bandwidth;

selecting an I/O device that matches the identified desired computing bandwidth and network bandwidth, wherein the selected I/O device has a power consumption characteristic and a cooling requirement;

selecting a location of an I/O slot in the information handling system that matches the physical size, power consumption characteristic and cooling requirement of the I/O device, based on cooling capabilities of the I/O slot locations, and that matches the identified required computing bandwidth and network bandwidth; and

attaching a flexible interconnect media that connects the selected port to the selected I/O device, the flexible interconnect media connecting an open connection interface with an open link tap, the connection interface correlated and connected to an I/O slot at which the I/O device is received, whereby a connection between the CPU and the I/O device is completed via the flexible interconnect media extending between the connection interface and open link tap, wherein the connection between the I/O slot and the port is not hardwired into a PCB, the allocations of the port and the I/O slot are flexible, and a pairing of the I/O slot and a connection interface has electrical independence from the PCB; and

wherein the correlated I/O slot is reserved for a target device having a desired bandwidth and an identified cooling requirement, wherein selecting a slot location for the target device includes matching device characteristics of physical size, power consumption, and a cooling requirement to corresponding requirements satisfied by the correlated I/O slot; and

executing firmware on the CPU to enable the information handling system to complete the functions of:

detecting a new I/O device coupled to an I/O slot during a start-up process of the information handling system;

detecting an identification of the I/O slot and an identification of the flexible interconnect media;

determining the I/O device that can be coupled to the I/O slot based on the identification of the I/O slot and the identification of the flexible interconnect media;

determining power requirements and cooling requirements of the new I/O device, in part based on the identification of the I/O slot;

identifying at least a power consumption characteristic and a cooling requirement for the detected I/O device;

determining a cooling capability of the information handling system for the I/O slot based on the I/O device coupled to the slot and existing cooling devices of the IHS; and

adjusting, using the BIOS/firmware and the existing cooling devices of the IHS that are adjustable to a cooling requirement of the I/O device coupled to the slot, the cooling capability for the I/O slot from the determined cooling capability based on the cooling requirement of the I/O device coupled to the slot.