Disaggregated star platform management bus architecture system
A star topology platform management bus architecture and system that provides disaggregation of the platform control element portion and the routing element portion of a central management controller, which provides for physical design efficiency as well as other advantages. Such disaggregation is particularly beneficial in the context of modular electronic platforms that are standardized, since standardized boards are often highly constrained in the available backplane connection pins. The platform control element can be implemented on a standardized board and use a small number of pins to communicate via the backplane with a non-standardized board that implements one or more routing elements, which themselves require a large number of pins to communicate with various satellite management controllers.
1. A platform management system for use in a modular electronic equipment platform with a star platform management bus including a backplane to which field replaceable units may be communicatively connected, comprising:
a first field replaceable unit communicatively coupled to said backplane and including a first platform control element adapted to provide central management controller functions for the platform management system;
a second field replaceable unit including a first routing element that is disaggregated from said first platform control element;
a third field replaceable unit communicatively coupled to said backplane and including a second platform control element adapted to provide central management controller functions for the platform management system;
a fourth field replaceable unit including a second routing element that is disaggregated from said second platform control element;
a first root segment adapted to provide a communication link between said first platform control element and said first routing element;
a second root segment adapted to provide a communication link between said second platform control element and said second routing element;
a plurality of additional field replaceable units at least some of which include a satellite management controller;
a first plurality of branch segments adapted to provide communication links between said first routing element and at least some of said field replaceable units; and
a second plurality of branch segments adapted to provide communication links between said second routing element and at least some of said field replaceable units;
wherein said first routing element and said second routing element are adapted to route communications between or among said first and second platform control elements and one or more of said field replaceable units.
2. A platform management system as recited in claim 1 wherein at least one of said first and second root segments provide communication links from one of said first and second platform control elements through said backplane to one of said first and second routing elements.
3. A platform management system as recited in claim 1 wherein at least some of said branch segments of said first and second pluralities of branch segments provide communication links from at least one of said first and second routing elements through said backplane to at least some of said plurality of said field replaceable units.
4. A platform management system as recited in claim 1 wherein at least one of said first and third field replaceable units includes a satellite management controller communicatively coupled to at least one of said first and second routing elements by at least one additional branch segment.
5. A platform management system as recited in claim 1 wherein one or more of said field replaceable units is a front board mounted in a subrack of said electronic platform.
6. A platform management system as recited in any of claims 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , or 5 wherein said first platform control element and said second platform control element are adapted to provide redundant central management controller functions for a plurality of said field replaceable units within said electronic platform.
7. A platform management system as recited in claim 6 wherein at least some of said first branch segments are connected to an “A” port of said field replaceable units, and wherein at least some of said second branch segments are connected to a “B” port of said field replaceable units.
8. A platform management system as recited in claim 6 and further comprising:
a fifth field replaceable unit including a third routing element that is disaggregated from said first platform control element;
a third root segment adapted to provide a communications link between said first platform control element and said third routing element:
a third plurality of branch segments linking said third routing element and at least some of said plurality of field replaceable units;
a sixth field replaceable unit including a fourth routing element that is disaggregated from said second platform control element;
a fourth root segment adapted to provide a communications link between said second platform control element and said fourth routing element: and
a fourth plurality of branch segments linking said fourth routing element and at least some of said plurality of field replaceable units.
9. A platform management system as recited in claim 8 wherein said first and third pluralities of branch segments are connected to an “A” port on at least some of said field replaceable units, and wherein said second and fourth pluralities of branch segments are connected to a “B” port on at least some of said field replaceable units.
10. A platform management system as recited in claim 9 wherein at least one of said first, second, third and fourth routing elements is adapted to selectively route communications among said field replaceable units.
11. A platform management system as recited in claim 9 wherein any of said first, second, third and fourth pluralities of branch segments are each separately segregated into a plurality of logical branch buses.
12. A platform management system as recited in claim 7 and further comprising:
a third root segment adapted to provide a communications link between said first platform control element and said second routing element; and
a fourth root segment adapted to provide a communications link between said second platform control element and said first routing element.
13. A platform management system as recited in claim 6 wherein at least one of said first and second routing elements is adapted to selectively route communications among said field replaceable units.
14. A platform management system as recited in claim 6 wherein said first plurality of branch segments is segregated into a first plurality of logical branch buses, and wherein said second plurality of branch segments is segregated into a second plurality of logical branch buses.
15. A platform management system as recited in claim 12 wherein at least one of said first and second routing elements is adapted to selectively route communications among said field replaceable units.
16. A platform management system as recited in claim 12 wherein said first plurality of branch segments is segregated into a first plurality of logical branch buses, and wherein said second plurality of branch segments is segregated into a second plurality of logical branch buses.
17. A platform management system for use in a modular electronic equipment platform with a star platform management bus including a backplane to which field replaceable units may be communicatively connected, comprising:
a first field replaceable unit communicatively coupled to said backplane and including a first platform control element for providing central management controller functions for the platform management system;
a second field replaceable unit including a first routing element that is disaggregated from said first platform control element;
a first root segment adapted to provide a communication link between said first platform control element and said first routing element;
a plurality of additional field replaceable units at least some of which include a satellite management controller; and
a first plurality of branch segments adapted to provide communication links between said first routing element and at least some of said field replaceable units;
wherein said first routing element is adapted to route communications among or between said first platform control element and one or more of said field replaceable units.
18. A platform management system as recited in claim 17 and further comprising:
a third field replaceable unit including a second routing element that is disaggregated from said first platform control element;
a second root segment adapted to provide a communication link between said first platform control element and said second routing element; and
a second plurality of branch segments adapted to provide alternative communication links between said second routing element and one or more of said field replaceable units.
19. A platform management system as recited in claim 18 wherein at least some of said field replaceable units include “A” and “B” ports;
wherein said first plurality of branch segments is adapted to provide communications links between said first routing element and the “A” ports of said some of said field replaceable units; and
wherein said second plurality of branch segments is adapted to provide communications links between said second routing element and the “B” ports of said some of said field replaceable units.
20. A platform management system as recited in claim 17 wherein at least some of said plurality of branch segments provides communication links from said first routing element through said backplane to some of said field replaceable units.
21. A platform management system as recited in claim 17 wherein said first root segment provides a communication link from said first platform control element through said backplane to said first routing element.
22. A platform management system as recited in one of claims 17 , 20 , or 21 wherein one or more of said field replaceable units is a front board mounted in a subrack of said platform.
23. A platform management system as recited in claim 17 wherein said first routing element is adapted to selectively route communications among said field replaceable units.
24. A platform management system as recited in claim 18 wherein at least one of said first and second routing elements is adapted to selectively route communications among said field replaceable units.
25. A platform management system as recited in claim 17 wherein said first plurality of branch segments is segregated into a first plurality of logical branch buses.
26. A platform management system as recited in claim 18 wherein at least one of said first and second pluralities of branch segments is separately segregated into a plurality of logical branch buses.
27. A platform management system as recited in claim 18 wherein at least some of said first and second pluralities of branch segments provide communication links from said first routing element through said backplane to said field replaceable units.
28. A platform management system as recited in claim 18 wherein at least one of said first and second root segments provides a communication link from said first platform control element through said backplane to one of said first and second routing elements.
29. A platform management system as recited in claim 17 and further comprising:
a third field replaceable unit communicatively coupled to said backplane and including a second platform control element for providing central management controller functions for the platform management system;
a fourth field replaceable unit including a second routing element that is disaggregated from said first and said second platform control elements;
a second root segment adapted to provide a communication link between said second platform control element and said second routing element; and
a second plurality of branch segments adapted to provide communication links between said second routing element and at least some of said field replaceable units;
wherein said second routing element is adapted to route communications among or between said second platform control element and one or more of said field replaceable units.
30. A platform management system as recited in claim 29 wherein at least some of said first branch segments are connected to an “A” port of said field replaceable units, and wherein at least some of said second branch segments are connected to a “B” port of said field replaceable units and further comprising:
a third root segment adapted to provide a communication link between said first platform control element and said second routing element; and
a fourth root segment adapted to provide a communication link between said second platform control element and said first routing element, whereby said first platform control element and said second platform control element can be operated to provide central management controller functions on a redundant basis, or one of said control elements can be operated in an active mode while the other control element is operated in a standby mode.