HP BL680c - ProLiant - G5 Introduction Manual
Local i/o technology for proliant and bladesystem servers
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Also See for BL680c - ProLiant - G5:
- User manual (111 pages) ,
- Specification (35 pages) ,
- Configuration (23 pages)
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HP local I/O technology for ProLiant and BladeSystem
servers
technology brief
Abstract.............................................................................................................................................. 2
Introduction......................................................................................................................................... 2
The parallel bus system......................................................................................................................... 2
PCI Express technology ........................................................................................................................ 3
Server topology ............................................................................................................................... 4
Dual-simplex lanes ........................................................................................................................... 4
8b/10b encoding............................................................................................................................ 5
Performance .................................................................................................................................... 5
Backward compatibility .................................................................................................................... 6
Form factors .................................................................................................................................... 6
PCI Express card interoperability........................................................................................................ 8
75 Watt and 150 Watt PCI Express slots............................................................................................ 8
Emerging hardware support for I/O Virtualization................................................................................... 9
Intel VT-d and AMD IOMMU ............................................................................................................. 9
IOV - I/O Virtualization at the endpoint ........................................................................................... 10
HP Virtual Connect............................................................................................................................. 11
Ongoing ProLiant server transition strategy ........................................................................................... 11
Conclusion........................................................................................................................................ 12
For more information.......................................................................................................................... 13
Call to action .................................................................................................................................... 13
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Summary of Contents for HP BL680c - ProLiant - G5
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Page 1: Table Of Contents
HP local I/O technology for ProLiant and BladeSystem servers technology brief Abstract.............................. 2 Introduction............................2 The parallel bus system......................... 2 PCI Express technology ........................3 Server topology ..........................4 Dual-simplex lanes ........................... 4 8b/10b encoding..........................5 Performance ............................ 5 Backward compatibility ........................6 Form factors ............................ -
Page 2: Abstract
Abstract This paper provides an overview of the continuing transition from parallel bus architecture to PCI Express as well as details on developments that continue to occur within PCI Express. In addition, it provides an introduction to the new I/O Virtualization technologies that are beginning to be incorporated into server designs to better support server virtualization solutions that have emerged in the last several years. -
Page 3: Pci Express Technology
Figure 1. Typical parallel bus architecture DRAM Standard Peripherals Memory (KB, video, Controller mouse, etc.) DRAM Bridge Bridge RAID Controller PCI-X 133 Slots PCI-X 100-MHz Slots The PCI and PCI-X specifications maintain full forward and backward compatibility with conventional 3.3-V, 33-MHz PCI; existing conventional 3.3-V, 33-MHz PCI, conventional 66-MHz PCI, PCI-X 66, PCI-X 133, PCI-X 266, and PCI-X 533 add-in cards will operate in any PCI (3.3 V) or PCI-X system. -
Page 4: Server Topology
Server topology The PCI Express architecture (Figure 2) provides unidirectional point-to-point connections between devices in two directions (dual-simplex). PCI Express sends the data serially, one bit after another, over each link rather than sending the data in parallel, one bit beside another, as in PCI-X. Therefore, PCI Express uses fewer pins. -
Page 5: 8B/10B Encoding
8b/10b encoding Serial communication requires a device to convert parallel data into a serial bit stream and vice versa. This device, called a serializer/deserializer (SerDes), contains a parallel digital interface, First-In-First-Out (FIFO) caches, 8 bit/10 bit (8b/10b) encoder and decoder, a parallel-to-serial converter, and a serial-to-parallel converter (Figure 4). -
Page 6: Backward Compatibility
Figure 5 illustrates the bandwidths of PCI, PCI-X, and PCI Express, which will provide sufficient I/O bandwidth migration for server I/O growth requirements. PCI Express bandwidth is shown using the sum of the receive and transmit bandwidths. Figure 5. I/O bandwidth of PCI, PCI-X, and PCI Express (PCIe) 9000 8000 7000... - Page 7 The standard card form factor is similar to the PCI card. Figure 6 illustrates the standard card form factor and connector sizes. Figure 6. Standard card form factor and connector sizes Standard card form factor Connector sizes The PCI Express standard includes the standard height full length card - which is the same size as today’s PCI cards –...
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Page 8: Pci Express Card Interoperability
The PCI Express specification also defines two other PCI-like form factors. A PCI Express Mini Card, similar to the Mini PCI card will include a x1 connector for use in portable products. The ExpressCard is similar to PCMCIA cards and will include a x1 PCI Express connector and a USB 2.0 connector for use in desktop and portable products (Figure 8). -
Page 9: Emerging Hardware Support For I/O Virtualization
At this point in time, the PCI-SIG has finalized specifications for a 150-watt PCI Express slot in order to provide a standardized solution that can be used by designers/manufacturers of add-in cards with large power requirements, including high-end graphics engines in particular. Since the PCI Express connector itself is not designed to deliver more than 75 watts of total power, the additional power must be delivered using a specific external connection between the system board and the card itself. -
Page 10: Iov - I/O Virtualization At The Endpoint
environments. In order to do so, they both provide mechanisms to solve the two most important challenges of I/O virtualization under direct assignment – DMA and interrupt virtualization. In the language of the PCI-SIG, the generic name for these technologies is Address Translation Services. DMA virtualization enables system software to create multiple DMA protection domains, each of which then represents a separate environment to which a subset of the host physical memory is assigned. -
Page 11: Hp Virtual Connect
Figure 10. IOV enabled PCIe I/O device PCIe Port Physical Function 1 Resources Configuration Physical Internal Routing Function 2 Resources Resources Physical Function 3 PCI Express Endpoint Resources As of mid-2007, detailed specifications for IOV functionality are being finalized by the PCI-SIG. Standards-based production implementations of IOV-enabled I/O devices will not be generally available in the market until 2009. -
Page 12: Conclusion
In order to provide maximum flexibility during the continuing transition to PCI Express, several of the current ProLiant systems have been designed with replaceable I/O daughterboards. Depending on their mechanical characteristics, these may be referred to as riser, mezzanine, or sub-I/O boards, but they are all designed to allow part of the I/O subsystem for a ProLiant server to be configured in one of three distinct ways: •... -
Page 13: For More Information
Call to action Please send comments about this paper to TechCom@HP.com. © 2007 Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. The information contained herein is subject to change without notice. The only warranties for HP products and services are set forth in the express warranty statements accompanying such products and services.