Patent Abstract:
In accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure, a method may include determining one or more characteristics of each of two endpoints of a data transfer, the one or more characteristics comprising whether the endpoint is Remote Direct Memory Access (RDMA)-capable. The method may also include establishing an RDMA termination between the two endpoints. The method may additionally include configuring a first path between the RDMA termination and a first endpoint of the two endpoints, wherein the first path is RDMA-capable, in response to determining that the first endpoint is RDMA-capable. The method may further include configuring a second path between the RDMA termination and a second endpoint of the two endpoints.

Full Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0001]    The present disclosure relates in general to information handling systems, and more particularly to a system and method for enabling Remote Direct Memory Access (RDMA) communication between diverse endpoints. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    As the value and use of information continues to increase, individuals and businesses seek additional ways to process and store information. One option available to users is information handling systems. An information handling system generally processes, compiles, stores, and/or communicates information or data for business, personal, or other purposes thereby allowing users to take advantage of the value of the information. Because technology and information handling needs and requirements vary between different users or applications, information handling systems may also vary regarding what information is handled, how the information is handled, how much information is processed, stored, or communicated, and how quickly and efficiently the information may be processed, stored, or communicated. The variations in information handling systems allow for information handling systems to be general or configured for a specific user or specific use such as financial transaction processing, airline reservations, enterprise data storage, or global communications. In addition, information handling systems may include a variety of hardware and software components that may be configured to process, store, and communicate information and may include one or more computer systems, data storage systems, and networking systems. 
         [0003]    Direct Memory Access (DMA) is a feature in many information handling systems that allows certain hardware subsystems within the information handling system to access system memory independently of the central processing unit (CPU) of the information handling system. RDMA permits placement of data from a memory of a sending information handling system into a memory of a receiving information handling system from the sending information handling system by way of an intermediate network protocol that provides appropriate semantics for such transfers. Notable types of RDMA include Internet-capable Wide Area RDMA Protocol (iWARP), RDMA over Converged Ethernet (RoCE), and 
         [0004]    Infiniband. An application programming interface in accordance with Open Fabrics Enterprise Distribution (OFED) supports various types of RDMA with Small Computer System Interface (SCSI) RDMA Protocol and iSCSI Extensions for RDMA (iSER) verbs for storage applications, Message Passing Interface (MPI) verbs for classical high performance computing applications, Sockets Direct Protocol (SDP) verbs for general applications, and Lustre verbs for file system applications. 
         [0005]    Traditionally, to undertake an RDMA transfer, endpoints of the transfer must be identical on each end of a connection, and RDMA will function only if both endpoints are RDMA capable in exactly the same way, using the same network transport protocol and the same verb convention. Stated another way, RDMA communication is typically not supported between “diverse” endpoints. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0006]    In accordance with the teachings of the present disclosure, the disadvantages and problems associated with RDMA communication between diverse endpoints may be reduced or eliminated. 
         [0007]    In accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure, a method may include determining one or more characteristics of each of two endpoints of a data transfer, the one or more characteristics comprising whether the endpoint is Remote Direct Memory Access (RDMA)-capable. The method may also include establishing an RDMA termination between the two endpoints. The method may additionally include configuring a first path between the RDMA termination and a first endpoint of the two endpoints, wherein the first path is RDMA-capable, in response to determining that the first endpoint is RDMA-capable. The method may further include configuring a second path between the RDMA termination and a second endpoint of the two endpoints. 
         [0008]    In accordance with these and other embodiments of the present disclosure, an information handling system may include a processor, a memory communicatively coupled to the processor, a network interface communicatively coupled to the processor, and a program of instructions embodied in computer-readable media. The program of instructions may be configured to, when executable by the processor: (i) determine one or more characteristics of each of two endpoints of a data transfer, the one or more characteristics comprising whether the endpoint is Remote Direct Memory Access (RDMA)-capable, and the two endpoints communicatively coupled to the information handling system via the network interface; (ii) establishing an RDMA termination on the information handling system; (iii) configuring a first path between the RDMA termination and a first endpoint of the two endpoints, wherein the first path is RDMA-capable, in response to determining that the first endpoint is RDMA-capable; and (iv) configuring a second path between the RDMA termination and a second endpoint of the two endpoints. 
         [0009]    In accordance with these and other embodiments of the present disclosure, an article of manufacture may include a computer readable medium and computer-executable instructions carried on the computer readable medium, the instructions readable by a processor. The instructions, when read and executed, may cause the processor to: (i) determine one or more characteristics of each of two endpoints of a data transfer, the one or more characteristics comprising whether the endpoint is Remote Direct Memory Access (RDMA)-capable, and the two endpoints communicatively coupled to the information handling system via the network interface; (ii) establishing an RDMA termination on the information handling system; (iii) configuring a first path between the RDMA termination and a first endpoint of the two endpoints, wherein the first path is RDMA-capable, in response to determining that the first endpoint is RDMA-capable; and (iv) configuring a second path between the RDMA termination and a second endpoint of the two endpoints. 
         [0010]    Technical advantages of the present disclosure will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art in view of the following specification, claims, and drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0011]    A more complete understanding of the present embodiments and advantages thereof may be acquired by referring to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numbers indicate like features, and wherein: 
           [0012]      FIG. 1  illustrates a block diagram of a system for RDMA communication between two non-RDMA-capable endpoints with an RDMA-capable internal link, in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure; 
           [0013]      FIG. 2  illustrates a block diagram of a system for RDMA communication between two RDMA-capable endpoints with a non-RDMA-capable internal link, in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure; 
           [0014]      FIG. 3  illustrates a block diagram of a system for RDMA communication between two RDMA-capable endpoints, in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure; and 
           [0015]      FIG. 4  illustrates a block diagram of an example information handling system, in accordance with certain embodiments of the present disclosure. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0016]    Preferred embodiments and their advantages are best understood by reference to  FIGS. 1 through 4 , wherein like numbers are used to indicate like and corresponding parts. 
         [0017]    For purposes of this disclosure, an information handling system may include any instrumentality or aggregate of instrumentalities operable to compute, classify, process, transmit, receive, retrieve, originate, switch, store, display, manifest, detect, record, reproduce, handle, or utilize any form of information, intelligence, or data for business, scientific, control, or other purposes. For example, an information handling system may be a personal computer, a network storage device, or any other suitable device and may vary in size, shape, performance, functionality, and price. The information handling system may include random access memory (RAM), one or more processing resources such as a central processing unit (CPU) or hardware or software control logic, ROM, and/or other types of nonvolatile memory. Additional components of the information handling system may include one or more disk drives, one or more network ports for communicating with external devices as well as various input and output (I/O) devices, such as a keyboard, a mouse, and a video display. The information handling system may also include one or more buses operable to transmit communications between the various hardware components. 
         [0018]    For the purposes of this disclosure, computer-readable media may include any instrumentality or aggregation of instrumentalities that may retain data and/or instructions for a period of time. Computer-readable media may include, without limitation, storage media such as a direct access storage device (e.g., a hard disk drive or floppy disk), a sequential access storage device (e.g., a tape disk drive), compact disk, CD-ROM, DVD, random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), and/or flash memory; as well as communications media such as wires, optical fibers, microwaves, radio waves, and other electromagnetic and/or optical carriers; and/or any combination of the foregoing. 
         [0019]    For the purposes of this disclosure, information handling resources may broadly refer to any component system, device or apparatus of an information handling system, including without limitation processors, service processors, basic input/output systems, buses, memories, I/O devices and/or interfaces, storage resources, network interfaces, motherboards, and/or any other components and/or elements of an information handling system. 
         [0020]      FIG. 1  illustrates a block diagram of a system  100  for RDMA communication between two non-RDMA-capable endpoints comprising send node  102  and receive node  104  with an RDMA-capable internal link  106 , in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure. As an example, endpoints  102  and  104  may be configured for communication via Transport Communication Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) while internal link  106  may be configured for iWARP over Ethernet. In operation, send node  102 , which may comprise an information handling system, may process and communicate data to be sent via a protocol stack  112  (e.g., a TCP/IP stack in embodiments in which send node  102  is configured for communication via TCP/IP). Such data may be received at a proxy  108   a  by a protocol stack  118  compatible with protocol stack  112  of send node  102 . Proxy  108   a  may comprise an information handling system, or certain portions of proxy  108   a  may comprise executable instructions executing on an information handling system. Once processed by send node-compatible protocol stack  118 , proxy  108   a  may store data to memory  114   a  of proxy  108   a.  As shown in  FIG. 1 , data may be stored to memory  114   a  using a construct “ToMem( )” which is internal to proxy  108   a.  In some embodiments, the construct ToMem( ) may include variables passed to it for an address of a received packet data buffer in proxy  108   a , a local destination memory buffer in proxy  108   a , a number of bytes in the transfer, and/or other variables. 
         [0021]    From memory  114   a , RDMA may be used to transfer the data to memory  114   b  of proxy  108   b  via RDMA protocol stacks  116   a  and  116   b , and RDMA-capable internal link  106  (e.g., via iWARP over Ethernet in embodiments in which proxies  108   a  and  108   b  are configured for iWARP over Ethernet communication). Thus, proxy  108   a  may provide an RDMA termination that interfaces between a non-RDMA-capable path from send node  102  and an RDMA-capable path to proxy  108   b.  Proxy  108   b  may comprise an information handling system, or certain portions of proxy  108   b  may comprise executable instructions executing on an information handling system. To transfer the data to receive node  104 , which may comprise an information handling system, proxy  108   b  may first retrieve the data from memory  114   b . As shown in  FIG. 1 , data may be retrieved from memory  114   a  using a construct “FromMem( )” which is internal to proxy  108   b . In some embodiments, the construct FromMem( ) may include variables passed to it for an address of a to-be-transmitted packet data buffer from proxy  108   b , a local source memory buffer in proxy  108   b , a number of bytes in the transfer, and/or other variables. 
         [0022]    Once retrieved from memory  114   b , proxy  108   b  may process the data with a protocol stack  120  compatible with protocol stack  114  of receive node  104  (e.g., a TCP/IP stack in embodiments in which receive node  104  is configured for communication via TCP/IP) and communicate the data to receive node  104  where it is processed by receive node protocol stack  114 . Thus, proxy  108   b  may provide an RDMA termination that interfaces between a non-RDMA-capable path to receive node  104  and an RDMA-capable path from proxy  108   b.    
         [0023]      FIG. 2  illustrates a block diagram of a system  200  for RDMA communication between two RDMA-capable endpoints comprising send node  202  and receive node  204  with a non-RDMA-capable internal link  206 , in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure. As an example, endpoints  202  and  204  may be configured for communication via iWARP over Ethernet while internal link  206  may be configured for TCP/IP. 
         [0024]    In operation, RDMA may be used to transfer data from send node  202 , which may comprise an information handling system, to memory  214   a  of proxy  208   a  via RDMA protocol stacks  212   a  and  212   b . Proxy  208   a  may comprise an information handling system, or certain portions of proxy  208   a  may comprise executable instructions executing on an information handling system. To transfer the data to proxy  208   b , proxy  208   a  may first retrieve the data from memory  214   a.  As shown in  FIG. 2 , data may be retrieved from memory  214   a  using a construct “FromMem( )” which is internal to proxy  208   a  and may be similar to the FromMem( ) construct discussed with respect to  FIG. 1  above. 
         [0025]    Once retrieved from memory  214   a , proxy  208   a  may process the data with a protocol stack  216   a  for internal link  206  (e.g., a TCP/IP stack in embodiments in which internal link  206  is configured for communication via TCP/IP) and communicate the data to proxy  208   b  where it is processed by a protocol stack  216   b  compatible with internal link protocol stack  216   a.  Thus, proxy  208   a  may provide an RDMA termination that interfaces between a non-RDMA capable path to proxy  208   b  and an RDMA-capable path from send node  202 . 
         [0026]    Proxy  208   b  may comprise an information handling system, or certain portions of proxy  208   b  may comprise executable instructions executing on an information handling system. Once processed by internal link protocol stack  216   b , proxy  208   b  may store data to memory  214   b  of proxy  208   b . As shown in  FIG. 2 , data may be stored to memory  214   b  using a construct “ToMem( )” which is internal to proxy  208   b  and may be similar to the ToMem( ) construct discussed with respect to  FIG. 1  above. From memory  214   b , RDMA may be used to transfer the data to receive node  204 , which may comprise an information handling system, via RDMA protocol stacks  218   a  and  218   b  (e.g., via iWARP over Ethernet in embodiments in which receive node  204  is configured for iWARP over Ethernet communication). Thus, proxy  208   a  may provide an RDMA termination that interfaces between a non-RDMA capable path from proxy  208   a  and an RDMA-capable path to receive node  204 . 
         [0027]      FIG. 3  illustrates a block diagram of a system  300  for RDMA communication between two RDMA-capable endpoints comprising a send node  302  and a receive node  304  employing different communication protocols, in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure. As an example, send node  302 , which may comprise an information handling system, may be configured for communication via iWARP over Ethernet while receive node  304 , which may comprise an information handling system, may be configured for communication via RoCE. 
         [0028]    In operation, RDMA may be used to transfer data from send node  302  to memory  314  of proxy  308  via a protocol stack  312   a  for send node  302 , an RDMA protocol stack  312   b  compatible with send node RDMA protocol stack  312   a , and an application  316   a  compatible with send node RDMA protocol stack  312   a  for storing transferred data to memory  314 . Proxy  308  may comprise an information handling system, or certain portions of proxy  308  may comprise executable instructions executing on an information handling system. RDMA may be used to transfer the data to from memory  314  to receive node  304  via an application  316   b  compatible with receive node RDMA protocol stack  318   a , an RDMA protocol stack  318   b  compatible with send node RDMA protocol stack  318   a , and a protocol stack  318   a  for receive node  304 . Thus, proxy  308  may provide an RDMA termination that interfaces between an RDMA capable path from send node  302  and an RDMA-capable path to receive node  304 . 
         [0029]    In operation, a proxy (e.g., proxy  108 ,  208 , and/or  308 ) may be configured to dynamically determine one or more characteristics (e.g., whether or not RDMA-capable, communication protocol between endpoint and proxy) of each endpoint to which it is communicatively coupled, and based on such determination, select a communication stack in which it will communicate with each endpoint, and determine whether transfers between a memory of the proxy and the endpoint may be undertaken using RDMA or by using non-RDMA constructs (e.g., ToMem( ) and FromMem( )). 
         [0030]    The examples set forth above are examples, and not limiting. Thus, methods and systems similar to those set forth above may be used to facilitate RDMA between any suitable set of diverse endpoints, and not just those depicted in  FIGS. 1-3 . 
         [0031]      FIG. 4  illustrates a block diagram of an example information handling system  402 , in accordance with certain embodiments of the present disclosure. As depicted in  FIG. 4 , information handling system  402  may include a processor  403 , a memory  404  communicatively coupled to processor  403 , a network interface  406  communicatively coupled to processor  403 , one or more information handling resources  408  communicatively coupled to processor  403 , and a DMA controller  410  communicatively coupled to processor  403 , memory  404 , network interface  406 , and information handling resources  408 . An information handling system  402  as depicted in  FIG. 4  may be used to implement all of a part of one or more of send nodes  102 ,  202 , and  302 , one or more of received nodes  104 ,  204 , and  304 , and/or one or more of proxies  108   a ,  108   b ,  208   a ,  208   b , and  308 . 
         [0032]    Processor  403  may include any system, device, or apparatus configured to interpret and/or execute program instructions and/or process data, and may include, without limitation, a microprocessor, microcontroller, digital signal processor (DSP), application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), or any other digital or analog circuitry configured to interpret and/or execute program instructions and/or process data. In some embodiments, processor  403  may interpret and/or execute program instructions and/or process data stored in memory  404  and/or another information handling resource of information handling system  402 . 
         [0033]    Memory  404  may be communicatively coupled to processor  403  and may include any system, device, or apparatus configured to retain program instructions and/or data for a period of time (e.g., computer-readable media). Memory  404  may include RAM, EEPROM, a PCMCIA card, flash memory, magnetic storage, opto-magnetic storage, or any suitable selection and/or array of volatile or non-volatile memory that retains data after power to information handling system  402  is turned off. 
         [0034]    Network interface  406  may comprise any suitable system, apparatus, or device operable to serve as an interface between information handling system  402  and a network. Network interface  406  may enable information handling system  402  to communicate using any suitable transmission protocol and/or standard. In these and other embodiments, network interface  406  may comprise a network interface card, or “NIC.” 
         [0035]    One or more information handling resources  408  may be communicatively coupled to processor  403  and DMA controller  410  and may include one or more processors, service processors, basic input/output systems, busses, memories, I/O devices and/or interfaces, storage resources, network interfaces, motherboards, and/or any other components and/or elements suitable for use in information handling system  402 . 
         [0036]    DMA controller  410  may be coupled to one or more of processor  403 , memory  404 , network interface  406 , and information handling resources  408 , and may comprise any system, device, or apparatus configured to facilitate, manage, or control DMA and/or RDMA operations between various components of information handling system  402 . 
         [0037]    Although the present disclosure has been described in detail, it should be understood that various changes, substitutions, and alterations can be made hereto without departing from the spirit and the scope of the disclosure as defined by the appended claims.

Technology Classification (CPC): 6