Abstract: Techniques provide communications bandwidth between storage processors (SPs). Such techniques involve electrically coupling the SPs with a first side of a midplane. Such techniques further involve electrically coupling a network interface controller (NIC) device with a second side of the midplane that is opposite the first side of the midplane. Such techniques further involve configuring the NIC device to convey communications between the SPs while the SPs are electrically coupled with the first side of the midplane and while the NIC device is electrically coupled with the second side of the midplane that is opposite the first side of the midplane.

Abstract: A host can include a programmable network interface card (NIC) or “Smart NIC” which accesses host-local drives hidden from a host processor. One configuration can include a switch with a one logical partition including the NIC as a root complex (RC) and the local drives as end points (EPs), and with another logical partition including the host processor as an RC and the NIC as an EP. A second configuration can include the NIC and switch directly connected to the host processor with an access control component (ACC) configured on switch ports connected to the local drives. A third configuration can include the NIC and local drives directly connected to the host processor with the ACC configured on host processor ports connected to the local drives. The NIC can use a multi-layer driver to communicate with the ACC and local drives hidden behind the ACC.

Abstract: Methods and systems for managing storage of data in a distributed system are disclosed. To manage storage of data in a distributed system, a data processing system may include a network interface controller (NIC). The NIC may present emulated storages that may be used for data storage. The emulated storage devices may be implemented with a storage pipeline that uses any number of storage devices that may be local or remote to the data processing system. The computing resources of the data processing system may view the emulated storage as a local device. The NIC may use its storage pipeline to service its own storage needs. By doing so, the NIC may improve the likelihood that its hosted applications have sufficient storage service access.

Abstract: Methods and systems for managing storage of data in a distributed system are disclosed. To manage storage of data in a distributed system, a data processing system may include a network interface controller (NIC). The NIC may present emulated storages that may be used for data storage. The emulated storage devices may be implemented with a storage pipeline that uses any number of storage devices that may be local or remote to the data processing system. The computing resources of the data processing system may view the emulated storage as a local device. The NIC may use its storage pipeline to service its own storage needs. By doing so, the NIC may improve the likelihood that its hosted applications have sufficient storage service access.

Abstract: Techniques providing connectivity between a CPU and physical storage devices (PDs) can use a loop back path formed between two connectors of an extended PO slot when an extended I/O card is inserted therein. The two connectors can include a first connector having connectivity with the CPU over a first set of lanes, and a second connector having connectivity with the PDs over a second set of lanes. While the extended I/O card is inserted into the I/O slot, connectivity can be provided between the CPU and the PDs using connectivity provided between the CPU and the first connector and the first set of lanes; using the loop back path provided between the first and second connectors; and using connectivity provided between the second connector and the PDs over the second set of lanes.

Abstract: A host can include a programmable network interface card (NIC) or “Smart NIC” which accesses host-local drives hidden from a host processor. One configuration can include a switch with a one logical partition including the NIC as a root complex (RC) and the local drives as end points (EPs), and with another logical partition including the host processor as an RC and the NIC as an EP. A second configuration can include the NIC and switch directly connected to the host processor with an access control component (ACC) configured on switch ports connected to the local drives. A third configuration can include the NIC and local drives directly connected to the host processor with the ACC configured on host processor ports connected to the local drives. The NIC can use a multi-layer driver to communicate with the ACC and local drives hidden behind the ACC.

Abstract: A method, computer program product, and computing system for coupling a multi-host remote direct memory access (RDMA) card to at least a pair of central processing units (CPUs). One or more signals may be routed, via the multi-host RDMA card, between the at least a pair of CPUs.

Abstract: A chassis node coupling system includes a chassis node configured to be received at a first end of a chassis assembly, wherein the chassis node size exceeds the chassis assembly size. A latch assembly with one or more coupling assemblies may be configured to releasably couple the chassis node to the chassis assembly.

Abstract: An electronic equipment assembly has an interconnect including columns of signal conductors, connectors mounted to the columns of signal conductors, and a chassis coupled with the interconnect. The chassis provides slots that guide resource devices into engagement with the connectors mounted to the columns of signal conductors to enable the interconnect to electronically access the resource devices. At least one column of the columns of signal conductors of the interconnect is a multi-function column. Each multi-function column is constructed and arranged to electronically access different types of resource devices through a respective connector mounted to that multi-function column.

Abstract: A method, computer program product, and computing system for coupling a multi-host remote direct memory access (RDMA) card to at least a pair of central processing units (CPUs). One or more signals may be routed, via the multi-host RDMA card, between the at least a pair of CPUs.

Abstract: An electronic equipment assembly has an interconnect including columns of signal conductors, connectors mounted to the columns of signal conductors, and a chassis coupled with the interconnect. The chassis provides slots that guide resource devices into engagement with the connectors mounted to the columns of signal conductors to enable the interconnect to electronically access the resource devices. At least one column of the columns of signal conductors of the interconnect is a multi-function column. Each multi-function column is constructed and arranged to electronically access different types of resource devices through a respective connector mounted to that multi-function column.

Abstract: A method, computer program product, and computing system for receiving, at a first baseboard management controller (BMC) of a first node, a fence request from a central processing unit (CPU) of the first node. The first BMC of the first node may communicate with a second BMC of a second node, wherein the first node and the second node are communicatively coupled to a plurality of storage drives. The first BMC and the second BMC may determine which node of the first node and the second node to fence from the plurality of storage drives. One of the first node and the second node may be fenced, via one of the first BMC and the second BMC, from the plurality of storage drives, thus defining a fenced node.

Abstract: A method, computer program product, and computing system for receiving, at a first baseboard management controller (BMC) of a first node, a fence request from a central processing unit (CPU) of the first node. The first BMC of the first node may communicate with a second BMC of a second node, wherein the first node and the second node are communicatively coupled to a plurality of storage drives. The first BMC and the second BMC may determine which node of the first node and the second node to fence from the plurality of storage drives. One of the first node and the second node may be fenced, via one of the first BMC and the second BMC, from the plurality of storage drives, thus defining a fenced node.

Abstract: A storage system comprises a plurality of enclosures and a storage controller. Each enclosure comprises at least one processing device and a plurality of drives configured in accordance with a redundant array of independent disks (RAID) arrangement. The storage controller obtains an input-output request to read a target data page and issues a command to the at least one processing device of a given enclosure. Responsive to receiving the command, the at least one processing device of the given enclosure obtains data pages associated with a given stripe from the plurality of drives of the given enclosure. The at least one processing device rebuilds the given stripe based at least in part on the obtained data pages, obtains the target data page from the rebuilt given stripe and provides the obtained target data page to the storage controller.

Abstract: A storage system comprises a plurality of enclosures and a storage controller. Each enclosure comprises at least one processing device and a plurality of drives configured in accordance with a redundant array of independent disks (RAID) arrangement. The storage controller obtains an input-output request to read a target data page and issues a command to the at least one processing device of a given enclosure. Responsive to receiving the command, the at least one processing device of the given enclosure obtains data pages associated with a given stripe from the plurality of drives of the given enclosure. The at least one processing device rebuilds the given stripe based at least in part on the obtained data pages, obtains the target data page from the rebuilt given stripe and provides the obtained target data page to the storage controller.