Abstract: An apparatus includes an interface with a plurality of channels; a multiplexer coupled to the interface and configured to couple transmit circuitry to a first channel mapped as a transmit path in a channel configuration and to couple receive circuitry to a second channel mapped as a receive path in the channel configuration; and a controller coupled to the multiplexer. The controller may be configured to perform the steps including determining a figure of merit of at least one channel of the plurality of channels of the interface; determining the channel configuration mapping transmit and receive paths to the plurality of the channels of the interface; and controlling the multiplexer to couple transmit circuitry to the first channel mapped as a transmit path in the channel configuration and to couple receive circuitry to the second channel mapped as a receive path in the channel configuration for dynamic channel swap(s).

Abstract: A cable such as a server cable may have a tapered termination portion that when connected to other information handling system components reduces the loss of signal between the cable and the information handling system component. A method of making a cable with a tapered termination portion comprising heating a wire having an end and a body portion, the body portion having a first diameter; pulling the end relative to the body portion, for example with a clamp coupled to the end under tension, to obtain a location between the end and the body portion having a second diameter smaller than the first diameter; and cutting the wire at the location.

Abstract: A cable of an information handling system may include a first signal wire, a first drain wire, and a plastic sheath enclosing a volume having at least the first signal wire. To reduce mechanical stress on the cable and the drain wire, the drain wire has a ratio of length along a first axis and along a second axis perpendicular to the first axis that is not equal to one. When bending a cable away from a first axis parallel to the cable's thickness defined as the longest dimension or towards a second axis that is perpendicular to the first axis, the top surface of the wire in the bend undergoes tensile stress and the bottom surface undergoes compression stress, and the non-equal lengths along the two axis reduce the effect of the compression and tensile stresses.

Abstract: Traces on a PCB can be spaced closer together than in conventional layouts, which previously required the pair-to-pair spacing for the high-speed differential stripline signals to be at least 5H if the signals are originating from the same source and 7H when the signals on two pairs of transmission lines in the traces originate from different sources. Traces may be spaced closer together when, for example, a ratio of the core height to the prepreg height of the printed circuit board is approximately equal to one. Traces may be spaced closer together when, for example, a ratio of the trace spacing distance to the core height distance is less than approximately one.

Abstract: In one or more embodiments, a circuit board may include a trace pair and a serpentine region of the trace pair, which may include: a first subregion in which the first trace includes a first portion that has a third width and a first length and in which the second trace includes a second portion, at least substantially parallel to the first portion, that has a fourth width, greater than the second width, and a second length; and a second subregion, adjacent to the first subregion, in which the first trace includes a third portion that has the third width and a third length and in which the second trace includes a third portion that has the fourth width and a third length, different from the second length.

Abstract: Traces on a PCB can be spaced closer together than in conventional layouts, which previously required the pair-to-pair spacing for the high-speed differential stripline signals to be at least 5H if the signals are originating from the same source and 7H when the signals on two pairs of transmission lines in the traces originate from different sources. Traces may be spaced closer together when, for example, a ratio of the core height to the prepreg height of the printed circuit board is approximately equal to one. Traces may be spaced closer together when, for example, a ratio of the trace spacing distance to the core height distance is less than approximately one.

Abstract: In one or more embodiments, a circuit board may include a trace pair and a serpentine region of the trace pair, which may include: a first subregion in which the first trace includes a first portion that has a third width and a first length and in which the second trace includes a second portion, at least substantially parallel to the first portion, that has a fourth width, greater than the second width, and a second length; and a second subregion, adjacent to the first subregion, in which the first trace includes a third portion that has the third width and a third length and in which the second trace includes a third portion that has the fourth width and a third length, different from the second length.

Abstract: In one or more embodiments, a circuit board may include a trace pair and a serpentine region of the trace pair, which may include: a first subregion in which the first trace includes a first portion that has a third width and a first length and in which the second trace includes a second portion, at least substantially parallel to the first portion, that has a fourth width, greater than the second width, and a second length; and a second subregion, adjacent to the first subregion, in which the first trace includes a third portion that has the third width and a third length and in which the second trace includes a third portion that has the fourth width and a third length, different from the second length.

Abstract: A method for determining whether a soft link of a target file is pointing to a correct file system is provided. A unique identification number for a mounted file system is retrieved from a storage device in response to receiving a request to access a target file in the mounted file system. In addition, an identification number is retrieved from a soft link of the target file in response to accessing the soft link of the target file in the storage device. Then, it is determined whether a match exists between the unique identification number for the mounted file system and the identification number from the soft link of the target file. In response to determining that a match does exist between the unique identification number for the mounted file system and the identification number from the soft link of the target file, access to the target file is allowed.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a fan is used to generate airflow through a computer chassis to a fan air inlet. An audible frequency component of the airflow is identified and selected. A sound wave is generated having a generated frequency equal to the selected audible frequency component of the airflow. The generated sound wave is introduced into the airflow with the generated frequency out of phase with the audible frequency component of the airflow. The magnitude of the generated frequency may be selected as a function of fan speed and/or air sensed pressure within the airflow. The frequency, phase, and magnitude of the generated sound wave may be selected and enforced by a baseboard management controller.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention are directed to transmission cables, and particularly to twinax cables, for transmitting digital data and other information between components in a data processing environment. One embodiment of the invention is directed to an information transmission cable that comprises first and second signal carrying conductors of specified length, each of the signal carrying conductors being disposed to carry information signals and having a longitudinal axis. The embodiment further includes an insulating structure comprising an amount of specified dielectric insulation material, the insulating structure being positioned to surround the first and second signal carrying conductors along their respective lengths, and acting to maintain the first and second signal conductors in spaced apart parallel relationship with each other.

Abstract: A computer implemented method, apparatus, and computer program product for managing organizational resources. The process combines social group data with management information data to form social network data, wherein social group data is derived from interactions among a plurality of users of a social group. The process analyzes the social network data to identify associations among the plurality of users, and generates a multidimensional social network model using the associations among the plurality of users. Thereafter, the process presents a set of recommendations for allocation of the organizational resources, wherein the set of recommendations are derived from the social network model.

Abstract: A method for determining whether a soft link of a target file is pointing to a correct file system is provided. A unique identification number for a mounted file system is retrieved from a storage device in response to receiving a request to access a target file in the mounted file system. In addition, an identification number is retrieved from a soft link of the target file in response to accessing the soft link of the target file in the storage device. Then, it is determined whether a match exists between the unique identification number for the mounted file system and the identification number from the soft link of the target file. In response to determining that a match does exist between the unique identification number for the mounted file system and the identification number from the soft link of the target file, access to the target file is allowed.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a fan is used to generate airflow through a computer chassis to a fan air inlet. An audible frequency component of the airflow is identified and selected. A sound wave is generated having a generated frequency equal to the selected audible frequency component of the airflow. The generated sound wave is introduced into the airflow with the generated frequency out of phase with the audible frequency component of the airflow. The magnitude of the generated frequency may be selected as a function of fan speed and/or air sensed pressure within the airflow. The frequency, phase, and magnitude of the generated sound wave may be selected and enforced by a baseboard management controller.

Abstract: A method for testing a printed circuit board to determining the dielectric loss associated with the circuit board material relative to a standard. Dielectric losses in the material generate heat when a high frequency electronic signal, such as a microwave frequency signal, is communicated through a microstrip that is embedded within the printed circuit board. The temperature or spectrum at the surface of printed circuit board is measured and compared against the temperature or spectrum of the standard to determine whether the material under test is acceptable. While various temperature measurement devices may be used, the temperature is preferably measured without contacting the surface, such as using an infrared radiation probe.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention are directed to shifting the resonant frequency in a high-frequency chip package away from an operational frequency by connecting a capacitance between an open-ended plating stub and ground. One embodiment provides a multi-layer substrate for interfacing a chip with a printed circuit board. A first outer layer provides a chip mounting location. A signal interconnect is spaced from the chip mounting location, and a signal trace extends from near the chip mounting location to the signal interconnect. A chip mounted at the chip mounting location may be connected to the signal trace by wirebonding. A plating stub extends from the signal interconnect, such as to a periphery of the substrate. A capacitor is used to capacitively couple the plating stub to a ground layer.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention include electromagnetic band gap (EBG) structures having undulating branches to tune the resulting stopband. A periodically patterned structure of conductive patches are interconnected by the undulating branches. Physical parameters of the undulating branches, such as the number of undulations or “turns” per branch, may be selected to tune the stopband in an effort to achieve a target stopband. Accordingly, embodiments of the invention also include methods of designing and manufacturing an EBG structure using undulating branches.

Abstract: Illustrative embodiments provide a computer implemented method, an apparatus and a computer program product for workflow management control in a resource hierarchy. In one embodiment, the computer implemented method comprises, receiving data, from a plurality of target data sources, into a collection, and synthesizing the received data in the collection to establish a resource hierarchy. The collection is then queried, using criteria in a request for a resource from a requester to provide a selected resource from the collection, forming a response, the selected resource of the response being a best fit result, and returning the response to the requester.

Abstract: A method of electrically qualifying high speed printed circuit board (PCB) connectors includes mounting a PCB connector on a test card, sending bit patterns through a first portion of the test card, evaluating a waveform on a sense signal on a second portion of the test card for the bit patterns launched on said first portion of the test card to measure common mode noise, and comparing the measured common mode noise of the second portion of the test card to a golden standard performed on a pre-qualified connector. The first portion of the test card comprises connectors to inject bit patterns. The second portion of the test card includes a split plane which induces common mode noise on a sense signal, the sense signal, and a termination pack. If the measured common mode noise on the PCB connector is worse than the golden standard, then the PCB connector is disqualified. If the measured common mode noise on the PCB connector is as good as or better than the golden standard, then the PCB connector is qualified.

Abstract: A method for testing a printed circuit board to determining the dielectric loss associated with the circuit board material relative to a standard. Dielectric losses in the material generate heat when a high frequency electronic signal, such as a microwave frequency signal, is communicated through a microstrip that is embedded within the printed circuit board. The temperature or spectrum at the surface of printed circuit board is measured and compared against the temperature or spectrum of the standard to determine whether the material under test is acceptable. While various temperature measurement devices may be used, the temperature is preferably measured without contacting the surface, such as using an infrared radiation probe.