PCIe LANE ADAPTER FOR ENABLING FLEXIBLE SWITCHING OF SPEED AND CAPACITY CONFIGURATIONS OF STORAGE DRIVES
An interface is provided to adjust a storage setup based on speed and/or capacity. The interface includes a controller that manages downstream peripheral component interconnect express (PCIe) lane configurations. A splitter may split a PCIe lane into multiple configurations based on a configuration of the controller. An adapter includes a set of slots for inserting storage devices to convert the first PCIe lane configuration to the second PCIe lane configuration. The slots on the adapter may split a one storage device to four PCIe lanes (1×4) connector to two separate connectors, each operating at a speed of two storage devices to two PCIe lanes. The slots on the adapter may also split the one storage device to four PCIe lanes (1×4) connector to four separate connectors, each operating at a speed of four storage devices to one PCIe lane.
1 . An interface to adjust a storage setup based on at least one of speed and capacity, the interface comprises:
a controller to manage downstream peripheral component interconnect express (PCIe) lane configurations;
a splitter to split a PCIe lane into multiple configurations based on a configuration of the controller; and
an adapter to convert a first PCIe lane configuration to a second PCIe lane configuration to adjust the storage setup based on at least one of speed and capacity.
2 . The interface of claim 1 , wherein the first PCIe lane configuration is a configuration of one storage device to four PCIe U.2 lanes (1×4) and the adapter converts the first PCIe lane configuration to the second PCIe lane configuration.
3 . The interface of claim 2 , wherein the second PCIe lane configuration includes two separate PCIe lanes, each with a configuration of two storage devices to two PCIe lanes.
4 . The interface of claim 2 , wherein the second PCIe lane configuration includes four separate PCIe U.2 lanes, each with a configuration of four storage devices to one PCIe U.2 lane (4×1).
5 . The interface of claim 1 , wherein the adapter connects to a PCIe male connector as an upstream connection.
6 . The interface of claim 1 , wherein downstream connections on the adapter are PCIe female connectors.
7 . The interface of claim 1 , further comprising a memory programmed to configure the PCIe lane according to a desired setup.
8 . The interface of claim 1 , further comprising a power delivery controller to deliver power to the controller.
9 . The interface of claim 1 , further comprising a type C connector to connect the interface to a host.
10 . The interface of claim 1 , wherein the controller manages up to four PCIe lane configurations downstream.
11 . An adapter to adjust a storage setup based on at least one of speed and capacity, the adapter comprises:
a set of slots to insert storage devices and convert a first PCIe lane configuration to a second PCIe lane configuration;
an upstream connection to a PCIe male connector; and
downstream connections to PCIe female connectors.
12 . The adapter of claim 11 , wherein the first PCIe lane configuration is a one storage device to four PCIe U.2 lanes (1×4) configuration and the adapter converts the first PCIe lane configuration to the second PCIe lane configuration including two separate PCIe lanes, each with a configuration of two storage devices to two PCIe lanes.
13 . The adapter of claim 11 , wherein the first PCIe lane configuration is a one storage device to four PCIe U.2 lanes (1×4) configuration and the adapter converts the first PCIe lane configuration to the second PCIe lane configuration including four separate PCIe U.2 lanes, each with a configuration of four storage devices to one PCIe U.2 lane (4×1).
14 . The adapter of claim 11 , wherein the adapter connects to a PCIe male connector as an upstream connection.
15 . The adapter of claim 11 , wherein downstream connections on the adapter are PCIe female connectors.
16 . The adapter of claim 11 , wherein the first PCIe lane configuration is provided by a controller configured to provide a one storage device to four PCIe U.2 lanes (1×4) configuration.
17 . An adapter to adjust a storage setup based on at least one of speed and capacity, the adapter comprises:
a set of slots for inserting storage devices to split a one storage device to four PCIe lanes (1×4) connector to one of two separate connectors, each operating at a speed of two storage devices to two PCIe lanes, and four separate connectors, each operating at a speed of four storage devices to one PCIe lane;
an upstream connection to a PCIe male connector; and
downstream connections to PCIe female connectors.
18 . The adapter of claim 17 , wherein the adapter connects to a PCIe male connector as an upstream connection.
19 . The adapter of claim 17 , wherein downstream connections on the adapter are PCIe female connectors.
20 . The adapter of claim 17 , wherein a first PCIe lane configuration including a one storage device to four PCIe U.2 lanes (1×4) configuration is provided by a controller and is used for the one storage device to four PCIe lanes (1×4) connector.