Hybrid memory blade
View Patent ↗The present invention is directed to server systems and methods thereof. More specifically, embodiments of the present invention provides a memory controller within a server system, where the memory controller is disengageably connected to one or more processors, a plurality of volatile memory modules, and plurality of solid-state memory modules. This memory controller may be connected to other similarly configured memory controllers. The volatile and solid-state memory modules can be removed and/or replaced. There are other embodiments as well.
1. A method of operating a server system, the method comprising:
in a network configured with the server system comprising:
an optical interconnect;
a top of rack switch apparatus coupled to the optical interconnect;
an enclosure having a plurality of mounting interfaces for a plurality of servers, each of the servers being coupled to the top of the rack switch apparatus;
a first blade housing structure configured with a length of no more than 900 mm and a width of no more than 500 mm, the first blade housing structure is disengageably coupled to at least one of the mounting interfaces;
a first memory controller module comprising a first processor interface, a plurality of volatile memory interface, a plurality of solid-state memory interfaces, and a plurality of cascade interfaces, the first memory controller being disengageably mounted on the first blade housing structure;
a first processor disengageably mounted to a first mounting interface of the enclosure, the processor being connected to the memory controller via the first processor interface;
a plurality of volatile memory modules disengageably mounted to a plurality of memory mounting interfaces of the first blade housing structure;
a plurality of solid-state memory modules disengageably mounted to a plurality of memory solid state interfaces of the first blade housing structure;
a power management system positioned with the enclosure;
a network interface positioned within the enclosure; and
a thermal management system positioned within the enclosure;
wherein the first processor interface is a QPI interface, HT interface, or ARM processor interface, a high speed serial interface, or a PCI-e interface; and
operating the server system.
2. The method of claim 1 further comprising a plurality of blade housings for memory blade servers, wherein the first blade structure comprises a hybrid memory blade server.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein:
the memory controller module is configured to dynamically assign addresses to the plurality of volatile memory modules;
the plurality of volatile memory modules comprises DRAM modules.
4. The method of claim 1 wherein the plurality of volatile memory modules is configured in an array.
5. The method of claim 1 further comprising a second memory controller module connected to the first memory controller module via a first cascade interface at a bandwidth of at least 10 Gbps.
6. The method of claim 1 wherein the solid-state memory interfaces comprises one or more solid-state controllers.
7. The method of claim 1 wherein the plurality of volatile memory interface comprises a serial connection.
8. The method of claim 1 wherein the plurality of volatile memory interface comprises a plurality of DDRx interfaces.
9. The method of claim 1 wherein the cascade interfaces comprises a serial interface.
10. A method of operating a server system, the method comprising:
in a network configured with the server system, the server system comprising a top of a rack switch apparatus, an optical interconnect, and an enclosure having a plurality of mounting interfaces for a plurality of servers;
a first blade housing structure configured with a length of no more than 900 mm and a width of no more than 500 mm, the first blade housing structure is disengageably coupled to at least one of the mounting interfaces;
a first memory controller module comprising a first processor interface, a plurality of volatile memory interface, a plurality of solid-state memory interfaces, and a plurality of cascade interfaces, the first memory controller being disengageably mounted on the first blade housing structure;
a first processor disengageably mounted to a first mounting interface of the enclosure, the processor being connected to the memory controller via the first processor interface;
a plurality of volatile memory modules disengageably mounted to a plurality of memory mounting interfaces of the first blade housing structure;
a plurality of solid-state memory modules disengageably mounted to a plurality of memory solid state interfaces of the first blade housing structure;
a power management system positioned with the enclosure;
a network interface positioned within the enclosure; and
a thermal management system positioned within the enclosure; and
operating the first memory controller to:
receive a memory allocation request;
evaluate a usage requirement associated with the memory allocation request;
select volatile memory modules and/or solid-state memory modules based on at least one the usage requirement.
11. The method of claim 10 further comprising a second memory controller module connected to the first memory controller module via a first cascade interface at a bandwidth of at least 10 Gbps.
12. The method of claim 10 wherein the solid-state memory interfaces comprises one or more solid-state controllers.
13. The method of claim 10 wherein the plurality of volatile memory interface comprises a serial connection.
14. The method of claim 10 wherein the plurality of volatile memory interface comprises a plurality of DDRx interfaces.
15. The method of claim 10 wherein the cascade interfaces comprises a serial interface.
16. A method for operating a server system, the method comprising:
in a network configured with the server system comprising: a top of a rack switch apparatus, an optical interconnect, and an enclosure having a plurality of mounting interfaces for a plurality of servers;
a first blade housing structure configured with a length of no more than 900 mm and a width of no more than 500 mm, the first blade housing structure is disengageably coupled to at least one of the mounting interfaces;
a first memory controller module comprising a first processor interface, a plurality of volatile memory interface, a plurality of solid-state memory interfaces, and a plurality of cascade interfaces, the first memory controller being disengageably mounted on the first blade housing structure;
a first processor disengageably mounted to a first mounting interface of the enclosure, the processor being connected to the memory controller via the first processor interface;
a plurality of volatile memory modules disengageably mounted to a plurality of memory mounting interfaces of the first blade housing structure;
a plurality of solid-state memory modules disengageably mounted to a plurality of memory solid state interfaces of the first blade housing structure;
a power management system positioned with the enclosure;
a network interface positioned within the enclosure; and
a thermal management system positioned within the enclosure; and
operating the first memory controller to copy data stored in volatile memory modules to the solid-state memory modules in response to one or more predetermined conditions.
17. The method of claim 16 further comprising a second memory controller module connected to the first memory controller module via a first cascade interface at a bandwidth of at least 10 Gbps.
18. The method of claim 16 wherein the solid-state memory interfaces comprises one or more solid-state controllers.
19. The method of claim 16 wherein the plurality of volatile memory interface comprises a serial connection.
20. The method of claim 16 wherein the plurality of volatile memory interface comprises a plurality of DDRx interfaces, and
wherein the cascade interfaces comprises a serial interface.