Abstract: Methods, apparatus, software, and system architectures for supporting virtualized system migrations and scaling. Under aspects of a method, data is automatically collected and aggregated at multiple levels by a plurality of agents for each of multiple data centers. The data includes data relating to virtual machine utilization, data relating to electrical utilization costs, data relating to data center utilization, and data relating to triggers events. The data is processed to determine whether to migrate virtual servers from a first data center to a second data center. The software architecture includes a plurality of modules including a controller, data center profile, transition triggers, power cost profile, and virtual machine package module. The agents are implemented in an agent hierarchy and configured to collect data themselves and/or aggregate data from other agents and provide an API to facilitate access to collected data and agent services.

Abstract: Methods, apparatus, and computer platforms and architectures employing many-to-many and many-to-one peripheral switches. The methods and apparatus may be implemented on computer platforms having multiple nodes, such as those employing a Non-uniform Memory Access (NUMA) architecture, wherein each node comprises a plurality of components including a processor having at least one level of memory cache and being operatively coupled to system memory and operatively coupled to a many-to-many peripheral switch that includes a plurality of downstream ports to which NICs and/or peripheral expansion slots are operatively coupled, or a many-to-one switch that enables a peripheral device to be shared by multiple nodes. During operation, packets are received at the NICs and DMA memory writes are initiated using memory write transactions identifying a destination memory address.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for implementing Power over Ethernet (PoE) for auxiliary power in computer systems. Under aspects of the methods, one or more voltage inputs comprising standard power input is employed by a power control component in a network interface in an apparatus such as a network adaptor board, a System on a Chip (SoC), computer server or server blade to supply power to a network controller on the apparatus when the apparatus is operating at a normal power state. To enable the apparatus to maintain network communication when operating at a reduced power state, a PoE power input derived from at least one PoE signal received at at least one Ethernet jack of the apparatus is employed to provide power to the network controller absent use or availability of the standard power input. Accordingly, the PoE power input facilitates an auxiliary power function that may be used alone or in combination with existing (as applicable) auxiliary power input when apparatus are operated in reduced power states.

Abstract: Methods, apparatus, and computer platforms and architectures employing node aware network interfaces are disclosed. The methods and apparatus may be implemented on computer platforms such as those employing a Non-uniform Memory Access (NUMA) architecture including a plurality of nodes, each node comprising a plurality of components including a processor having at least one level of memory cache and being operatively coupled to system memory and operatively coupled to a NUMA aware Network Interface Controller (NIC). Under one method, a packet is received from a network at a first NIC comprising a component of a first node, and a determination is made that packet data for the packet is to be forwarded to a second node including a second NIC. The packet data is then forwarded from the first NIC to the second NIC via a NIC-to-NIC interconnect link. Upon being received at the second NIC, processing of the packet (data) is handled as if the packet was received from the network at the second NIC.