Flexible and adaptable computing system infrastructure

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10842040-B2
Application number	US-201816499209-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 27, 2018
Priority date	Mar 27, 2017
Publication date	Nov 17, 2020
Grant date	Nov 17, 2020

Abstract

To achieve multiple benefits, a high speed computing system is configured in a hierarchical manner with flexibility and re-configurability concerns maximized. This begins with a particular cabinet architecture which is specifically designed to accommodate various needs and considerations. The cabinet or rack is designed to receive various chassis assemblies depending on the particular needs and or functions involved. These may include a compute chassis, a switch chassis, or a rectifier chassis, which can be incorporated into the cabinet. Within each chassis, specific components are then inserted, with each of these components being in a subsystem configuration. For example, the compute chassis is specifically designed to receive a number of compute blades. Similarly, the switch chassis is designed to receive a number of switch blades. Lastly, the rectifier chassis is configured to receive a number of rectifiers. Collectively, the multiple blades and chassis are all configured to cooperate with one another in an efficient manner. While various subassemblies are utilized, the cabinet or rack does accommodate certain centralized functions such as cooling and power distribution.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A flexible computing system architecture for supporting an expandable multiprocessor computing system within a computing facility, comprising
a rack system capable of supporting a plurality of electronic components including a plurality of computing chassis, a plurality of switch chassis, and a plurality of rectifier chassis, wherein each of the plurality of compute chassis are configured to contain a plurality of compute blades, and wherein each of the plurality of switch chassis are configured to contain a plurality of switch blades, and wherein each of the plurality of rectifier chassis are configured to contain at least one rectifier; and wherein the computing chassis and the switch chassis are positioned adjacent one another, such that the compute blades contained within one of the plurality of compute chassis are electronically connected to the switch blades contained within an adjacent one of the switch chassis;
a power distribution system contained within the rack system, the power distribution system receiving power from a computing facility power supply, and connecting the computing system facility power supply to at least one rectifier contained within the rectifier chassis, the power distribution system further having accommodations for distributing power from the at least one rectifier to the plurality of compute blades and the plurality of switch blades;
environmental systems cooperating with a heating/cooling distribution system, the environmental system having a manifold system including a front manifold positioned adjacent a front side of the cabinet and rear manifold positioned adjacent a back side of the cabinet to accommodate a flow of cooling fluid received from the heating/cooling distribution system;
a plurality of flexible hoses removably coupled to the manifold system at a first end, and removably coupled to the compute blades or the switch blades at an opposite end to provide cooling fluid; and
a chassis management module to coordinate operation of the components contained within at least one switch chassis and at least one compute chassis.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the cabinet comprises a collection of shelves, with each shelf configured to support a predetermined number of compute chassis, a predetermined number of switch chassis and a predetermined number of rectifier chassis.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein power distribution system comprised a plurality of power distribution units and the shelf is further configured to support at least one power distribution unit.

4. The system of claim 1 further comprising a cabinet environmental control coupled to the environmental systems to coordinate overall cooling of the cabinet.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein the cabinet environmental control is contained within at least one switch chassis.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein the cabinet comprises a collection of shelves, with each shelf configured to support a two compute chassis, two switch chassis, a rectifier chassis and a power distribution unit, with each compute chassis paired with a switch chassis to form a switch chassis/compute chassis pair.

7. The system of claim 6 wherein each switch chassis pair has a corresponding chassis management module contained in the switch chassis.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein power distribution system comprised a plurality of power distribution units and the shelf is further configured to support at least one power distribution unit adjacent to at least one of the compute chassis.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein the compute chassis and the rectifier chassis are accessible from a front side of the cabinet and the switch chassis is accessible from a back side of the cabinet, and wherein the coupling of the compute blades and the switch blades is achieved via connectors situated in a rear portion of the compute blades and the switch blades.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein the front manifold is coupled to the plurality of compute blades and the rear manifold is coupled to the plurality of switch blades via the plurality of flexible hoses.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein the compute blades comprise a plurality of processors for carrying out various compute operations, and the switch blades contain at least one switch to accommodate communication between processors contained within other compute blades.

12. A high performance computing system having multiple processor, comprising:
a rack system having a plurality of shelves configured to support a plurality of electronic components including a plurality of computing chassis, a plurality of switch chassis, and at least one rectifier chassis, wherein each of the plurality of compute chassis are configured to contain a plurality of compute blades, and wherein each of the plurality of switch chassis are configured to contain a plurality of switch blades, and wherein the plurality of rectifier chassis is configured to contain at least one rectifier; and wherein the computing chassis and the switch chassis are arranged as pairs which are positioned adjacent one another, such that the compute blades contained within one of the plurality of compute chassis are electronically connected to the switch blades contained within a paired switch chassis via connectors situated on the switch blades and the compute blades;
a power distribution system contained within the rack system, the power distribution system having a plurality of power distribution units configured to receive power from a computing facility power supply, and provide conditioned power to at least one rectifier contained within the rectifier chassis, the power distribution system further having accommodations for distributing power from the at least one rectifier to the plurality of compute blades and the plurality of switch blades, each of the power distribution units being supported by at least one shelf;
environmental systems cooperating with a heating/cooling distribution system, the environmental system having a manifold system including a front manifold positioned adjacent a front side of the cabinet and rear manifold positioned adjacent a back side of the cabinet to accommodate a flow of cooling fluid received from the heating/cooling distribution system, the environmental system further having a cabinet environmental control to control the flow of cooling fluid within the cabinet;
a plurality of flexible hoses removably coupled to the manifold system at a first end, and removably coupled to the compute blades or the switch blades at an opposite end to provide cooling fluid; and
a chassis management module to coordinate operation of the components contained within at least one switch chassis and at least one compute chassis.

13. The system of claim 12 wherein each shelf configured to support a two of the compute chassis, two of the switch chassis, the rectifier chassis and the power distribution unit, with each compute chassis paired with a switch chassis to form a switch chassis/compute chassis pair, and wherein each switch chassis/compute chassis pair has a chassis management module cooperating with the compute blades and switch blades contained within the switch chassis/compute chassis pair.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein the compute chassis and the rectifier chassis are accessible from a front side of the cabinet and the switch chassis is accessible from a back side of the cabinet, and wherein the coupling of the compute blades and the switch blades is achieved via connectors situated in a rear portion of the compute blades and the switch blades; and wherein the front manifold is coupled to the plurality of compute bla

Assignees

• Cray Inc
• Hewlett Packard Entpr Dev Lp

Inventors

• Doll Wade
• Knudsen Corey
• Sand Dale
• Lakin Eric
• Franz Perry
• Bonstrom Paul
• Rongstad Rob

Classifications

• G06F2200/201

  Cooling arrangements using cooling fluid · CPC title

• G06F1/18 Primary

  Packaging or power distribution · CPC title

• H05K7/1492 Primary

  having electrical distribution arrangements, e.g. power supply or data communications · CPC title

• G06F1/20

  Cooling means · CPC title

• H05K7/20781

  within cabinets for removing heat from server blades · CPC title