Abstract: Described are methods for configuring computing system for and computing systems for PCIe communication between remote computing assets. The system uses a fabric interface device configured to receive multi-lane serial PCIe data from functional elements of a computing asset through a multi-lane PCIe bus, and to transparently extend the multi-lane PCIe bus by converting the multi-lane PCIe data into a retimed parallel version of the PCIe multi-lane data to be sent on bidirectional data communication paths. The fabric interface device is also configured so that the multi-lane PCIe bus can have a first number of lanes and the bidirectional data communication paths can have a different second number of lanes.

Abstract: Described are methods for configuring computing system for and computing systems for PCIe communication between remote computing assets. The system uses a fabric interface device configured to receive multi-lane serial PCIe data from functional elements of a computing asset through a multi-lane PCIe bus, and to transparently extend the multi-lane PCIe bus by converting the multi-lane PCIe data into a retimed parallel version of the PCIe multi-lane data to be sent on bidirectional data communication paths. The fabric interface device is also configured so that the multi-lane PCIe bus can have a first number of lanes and the bidirectional data communication paths can have a different second number of lanes.

Abstract: A server rack has server sleds, each including a motherboard upon which is mounted: a memory module, a cache, at least one CPU connected to the cache, a memory controller connected to the cache and the memory module, an I/O hub, and a fabric interface (FIC) having a memory bridge and optical transceivers, where this memory bridge is connected to the I/O hub through this motherboard. The rack also has a memory sled disaggregated from the server sleds and that includes: a motherboard upon which is mounted: memory modules and a FIC having a memory bridge, a memory controller and optical transceivers, wherein this memory controller is connected to these memory modules through this motherboard, and wherein this memory bridge connects the memory controller to the optical transceivers. The rack has a photonic cross-connect switch interconnected by optical fiber cables to the optical transceivers of the server and memory sleds.

Abstract: A server rack has server sleds, each including a motherboard upon which is mounted: a memory module, a cache, at least one CPU connected to the cache, a memory controller connected to the cache and the memory module, an I/O hub, and a fabric interface (FIC) having a memory bridge and optical transceivers, where this memory bridge is connected to the I/O hub through this motherboard. The rack also has a memory sled disaggregated from the server sleds and that includes: a motherboard upon which is mounted: memory modules and a FIC having a memory bridge, a memory controller and optical transceivers, wherein this memory controller is connected to these memory modules through this motherboard, and wherein this memory bridge connects the memory controller to the optical transceivers. The rack has a photonic cross-connect switch interconnected by optical fiber cables to the optical transceivers of the server and memory sleds.

Abstract: A server rack has server sleds, each including a motherboard upon which is mounted: a memory module, a cache, at least one CPU connected to the cache, a memory controller connected to the cache and the memory module, an I/O hub, and a fabric interface (FIC) having a memory bridge and optical transceivers, where this memory bridge is connected to the I/O hub through this motherboard. The rack also has a memory sled disaggregated from the server sleds and that includes: a motherboard upon which is mounted: memory modules and a FIC having a memory bridge, a memory controller and optical transceivers, wherein this memory controller is connected to these memory modules through this motherboard, and wherein this memory bridge connects the memory controller to the optical transceivers. The rack has a photonic cross-connect switch interconnected by optical fiber cables to the optical transceivers of the server and memory sleds.

Abstract: Described are methods for configuring computing system for and computing systems for PCIe communication between remote computing assets. The system uses a fabric interface device configured to receive multi-lane serial PCIe data from functional elements of a computing asset through a multi-lane PCIe bus, and to transparently extend the multi-lane PCIe bus by converting the multi-lane PCIe data into a retimed parallel version of the PCIe multi-lane data to be sent on bidirectional data communication paths. The fabric interface device is also configured so that the multi-lane PCIe bus can have a first number of lanes and the bidirectional data communication paths can have a different second number of lanes.

Abstract: Reconfigurable computing clusters, compute nodes within reconfigurable computing clusters, and methods of operating a reconfigurable computing cluster are disclosed. A reconfigurable computing cluster includes an optical circuit switch, and a plurality of computing assets, each of the plurality of computing assets connected to the optical circuit switch by two or more bidirectional fiber optic communications paths.

Abstract: Reconfigurable computing clusters, compute nodes within reconfigurable computing clusters, and methods of operating a reconfigurable computing cluster are disclosed. A reconfigurable computing cluster includes an optical circuit switch, and a plurality of computing assets, each of the plurality of computing assets connected to the optical circuit switch by two or more bidirectional fiber optic communications paths.

Abstract: Reconfigurable computing clusters, compute nodes within reconfigurable computing clusters, and methods of operating a reconfigurable computing cluster are disclosed. A reconfigurable computing cluster includes an optical circuit switch, and a plurality of computing assets, each of the plurality of computing assets connected to the optical circuit switch by two or more bidirectional fiber optic communications paths.

Abstract: Reconfigurable computing clusters, compute nodes within reconfigurable computing clusters, and methods of operating a reconfigurable computing cluster are disclosed. A reconfigurable computing cluster includes an optical circuit switch, and a plurality of computing assets, each of the plurality of computing assets connected to the optical circuit switch by two or more bidirectional fiber optic communications paths.

Abstract: Network switches and methods are disclosed. A network switch may include multiple input ports and multiple output ports, a switch fabric, and switch controller. The controller may receive and store data identifying a plurality of users and data defining which input ports and which output ports each user has authority over. The controller may receive, from a requesting user from the plurality of users, a request to make a connection between a selected input port and a selected output port. The controller may determine, based on the stored data, if the requesting user has authority over both the selected input port and the selected output port. The controller may refuse to make the requested connection if the requesting user does not have authority over both the selected input port and the selected output port.

Abstract: An optical circuit switch, method, and apparatus are disclosed. The optical circuit switch may include a plurality of mirror elements, each mirror element uniquely associated with a port from a plurality of ports, each mirror element coupled to a dedicated electrode and configured to rotate in response to a voltage applied to the dedicated electrode. A command interpreter may receive a command defining a plurality of port-pairs to be connected via the optical circuit switch and determine a respective target voltage value to be applied to the dedicated electrode coupled to each of the mirror elements associated with each of the port-pairs. A transition manager may cause voltages applied to the dedicated electrodes coupled to the mirror elements associated with the port-pairs to concurrently transition from respective previous voltage values to the respective target voltage values.

Abstract: An optical circuit switch and method. A first mirror element rotates about orthogonal axes in response to first and second voltages applied respectively to first and second electrodes. A second mirror element rotates about orthogonal axes in response to third and fourth voltages applied respectively to the third and fourth electrodes. A controller may apply first through fourth voltages respectively to the first through fourth electrodes to make a connection between first and second ports. When an initial insertion loss of the connection does not exceed a predetermined threshold, the controller may conduct independent single-dimension searches to determine values for the first through fourth voltages that minimize the insertion loss. When the initial insertion loss exceeds the predetermined threshold, the controller may conduct a four-dimensional search to determine values for the first through fourth voltages that reduce the insertion loss to not exceed the predetermined threshold.

Abstract: Network switches and methods are disclosed. A network switch may include multiple input ports and multiple output ports, a switch fabric, and switch controller. The controller may receive and store data identifying a plurality of users and data defining which input ports and which output ports each user has authority over. The controller may receive, from a requesting user from the plurality of users, a request to make a connection between a selected input port and a selected output port. The controller may determine, based on the stored data, if the requesting user has authority over both the selected input port and the selected output port. The controller may refuse to make the requested connection if the requesting user does not have authority over both the selected input port and the selected output port.

Abstract: An optical circuit switch and method. A first mirror element rotates about orthogonal axes in response to first and second voltages applied respectively to first and second electrodes. A second mirror element rotates about orthogonal axes in response to third and fourth voltages applied respectively to the third and fourth electrodes. A controller may apply first through fourth voltages respectively to the first through fourth electrodes to make a connection between first and second ports. When an initial insertion loss of the connection does not exceed a predetermined threshold, the controller may conduct independent single-dimension searches to determine values for the first through fourth voltages that minimize the insertion loss. When the initial insertion loss exceeds the predetermined threshold, the controller may conduct a four-dimensional search to determine values for the first through fourth voltages that reduce the insertion loss to not exceed the predetermined threshold.

Abstract: A compound optical circuit switches and methods are disclosed. Two or more 1st-tier switches may be coupled to one or more 2nd-tier switches. Each of a plurality of input ports may be connected to a respective input of one of the 1st-tier switches and each of a plurality of output ports may be connected to a respective output of one of the 1st-tier switches. Each connection between an input port and an output port connected to the same 1st-tier switch may be made within the 1st-tier switch. Each connection between an input port and an output port connected to two different 1st-tier switches is made along a respective connection path through the 1st-tier switch connected to the input port, through a selected 2nd-tier switch, and through the 1st-tier switch connect to the output port.

Abstract: Methods of operating an optical circuit switch and optical circuit switches are disclosed. A command to make an optical connection between a first port and a second port may be received. A determination whether or not input signal light is present at the first port may be made. When light is present at the first port, an optical connection may be made between the first port and the second port. When light is not present at the first port, the optical circuit switch may wait until light is present at the first port before making the connection.

Abstract: Methods of operating an optical circuit switch and optical circuit switches are disclosed. To make a connection between a first port and a second port, baseline voltages may be determined, baseline voltages being voltages that, if respectively applied to one or more electrode coupled to a first mirror element uniquely associated with the first port and one or more electrode coupled to a second mirror element uniquely associated with the second port, cause the first and second mirror elements to rotate to make the connection in the absence of accumulated mirror element drift. Accumulated drift data associated with one or both of the first mirror element and the second mirror element may be retrieved from a memory. One or more of the baseline voltages may be modified based on the accumulated drift data to provide corrected voltages, and the corrected voltages may be applied to the electrodes.

Abstract: A compound optical circuit switches and methods are disclosed. Two or more 1st-tier switches may be coupled to one or more 2nd-tier switches. Each of a plurality of input ports may be connected to a respective input of one of the 1st-tier switches and each of a plurality of output ports may be connected to a respective output of one of the 1st-tier switches. Each connection between an input port and an output port connected to the same 1st-tier switch may be made within the 1st-tier switch. Each connection between an input port and an output port connected to two different 1st-tier switches is made along a respective connection path through the 1st-tier switch connected to the input port, through a selected 2nd-tier switch, and through the 1st-tier switch connect to the output port.

Abstract: Methods of operating an optical circuit switch and optical circuit switches are disclosed. To make a connection between a first port and a second port, baseline voltages may be determined, baseline voltages being voltages that, if respectively applied to one or more electrode coupled to a first mirror element uniquely associated with the first port and one or more electrode coupled to a second mirror element uniquely associated with the second port, cause the first and second mirror elements to rotate to make the connection in the absence of accumulated mirror element drift. Accumulated drift data associated with one or both of the first mirror element and the second mirror element may be retrieved from a memory. One or more of the baseline voltages may be modified based on the accumulated drift data to provide corrected voltages, and the corrected voltages may be applied to the electrodes.