Abstract:
A method for implementing an event-based auto-link speed implementation in an information handling system configurable to be part of a network is discussed. The event-based auto-link speed implementation includes detecting an event-based auto-link speed implementation issue in connection with the information handling system. Responsive to a detection, the system executes an auto line speed implementation routing for controlling a link speed of the information handling system network port. The information handling system includes a network port configured for being linked to a network port of another device in the network. The event-based auto-link speed implementation issue includes at least one selected from the group consisting of a thermal event-based issue and a power event-based issue. Lastly, responsive to a detection of an event-based auto-link speed implementation issue, the auto link speed implementation routine controls the information handling system network port to operate at a slowest available network port speed possible between the information handling system network port and the network port of the other device in the network, if enabled.

Description:
BACKGROUND  
         [0001]    The present disclosure relates generally to information handling systems, and more particularly to network device thermal management and automatic network port power management for information handling systems.  
           [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]    In conjunction with information handling systems, thermal challenges within a notebook computer are becoming more and more of a concern as related design requirements call for adding higher power components to truly meet desktop replacement segments. In one related design requirement, notebook computers are moving to 10/100/1000 mb (Gigabit) networking solutions. Such a 10/100/1000 mb networking solution requires much higher power than needed in the past for a 10/100 networking solution. For example, the power at 1000 mb is approximately 1.3 W-2.6 W, depending upon the networking solution, compared to the power at 10/100 being approximately around 0.230 W-0.478 W.  
           [0004]    [0004]FIG. 1 illustrates an example of a conventional networking link “auto” link speed selection implementation as relating to the IEEE 802.3 standard. As shown in FIG. 1, various system elements are coupled as part of a network  10 . For example, a laptop (or notebook computer)  12  and a desktop (or workstation)  14  are networked via a first 10/100/1000 switch  16  to a second 10/100/1000 switch  18 , and further to a remainder of the particular network at  20 . In addition, server resources  22  are networked via the second 10/100/1000 switch  18  to the network  10 . With respect to a conventional “auto” link speed implementation, the links  24  between the various system elements will “auto” to a highest speed possible between two connected devices for that particular portion of the network connection. Accordingly, the conventional “auto” link speed implementation chooses a fastest speed available, while ignoring thermal issues.  
           [0005]    In addition to thermal considerations, power consumption also has a distinct impact on information handling systems, and in particular, with respect to mobile designs. Networking devices/ports represent an element of this power consumption. Networking devices by their nature are targeted for an “always on” approach, representing a constant drain on power. With the increases in speed and complexity, networking ports represent growing power consumption in both active and stand-by conditions. Current power consumption regulation methods operate to turn off a device port or simply allow the device port to bear the burden of power consumption (i.e., use the port as is with attendant power issues).  
           [0006]    Further in connection with network solutions, networking standards view speed as the critical factor when negotiating a link session. This is true for both wired and wireless forms of auto-negotiation. Ethernet, in particular, uses an approach to automatically start at the highest speed available (N-way). This sets the port (and network partner) for the highest consumption rate. Mobile, desktop, server, as well as, network infrastructure ports are impacted by this power consumption. That is, all must communicate with each other at the link speed.  
           [0007]    Improvements in client network power consumption are desired to provide wide and continued power savings. A need exists for managed network power consumption.  
           [0008]    Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide an network solution for overcoming the problems in the art as discussed above.  
         SUMMARY  
         [0009]    According to one embodiment, a method for implementing an event-based auto-link speed implementation in an information handling system configurable to be part of a network is disclosed. The event-based auto-link speed implementation includes detecting an event-based auto-link speed implementation issue in connection with the information handling system. Responsive to a detection, the method executes an auto line speed implementation routing for controlling a link speed of the information handling system network port. The information handling system includes a network port configured for being linked to a network port of another device in the network. The event-based auto-link speed implementation issue includes at least one selected from the group consisting of a thermal event-based issue and a power event-based issue. Lastly, responsive to a detection of an event-based auto-link speed implementation issue, the auto link speed implementation routine controls the information handling system network port to operate at a slowest available network port speed possible between the information handling system network port and the network port of the other device in the network, if enabled. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0010]    [0010]FIG. 1 illustrates a conventional networking link “auto” link speed selection implementation;  
         [0011]    [0011]FIG. 2 illustrates a block diagram view of an information handling system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 3 illustrates a thermal event based “auto” link speed selection implementation according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 4 illustrates a network port implementation of thermal event based link speed selection control according to another embodiment of the present disclosure;  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 5 illustrates a power event based “auto” link speed selection implementation according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; and  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 6 illustrates a network port implementation of power based link speed selection control according to another embodiment of the present disclosures. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0016]    [0016]FIG. 2 depicts a high level block diagram of an information handling system  100  in which the disclosed technology is practiced. 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.  
         [0017]    The particular information handling system  100  depicted in FIG. 2 is a portable computer which includes a processor  105 . An Intel Hub Architecture (IHA) chip  110  provides system  100  with memory and I/O functions. More particularly, IHA chip  110  includes a Graphics and AGP Memory Controller Hub (GMCH)  115 . GMCH  115  acts as a host controller that communicates with processor  105  and further acts as a controller for main memory  120 . GMCH  115  also provides an interface to Advanced Graphics Port (AGP) controller  125  which is coupled thereto. A display  130  is coupled to AGP controller  125 . IHA chip  110  further includes an I/O Controller Hub (ICH)  135  which performs numerous I/O functions. ICH  135  is coupled to a System Management Bus (SM Bus)  140  which is coupled to one or more SM Bus devices  145 .  
         [0018]    ICH  135  is coupled to a Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) bus  155  which is coupled to mini PCI connector slots  160  which provide expansion capability to portable computer  100 . A super I/O controller  170  is coupled to ICH  135  to provide connectivity to input devices such as a keyboard and mouse  175  as shown in FIG. 1. A firmware hub (FWH)  180  is coupled to ICH  135  to provide an interface to system BIOS  185  which is coupled to FWH  180 . A General Purpose I/O (GPIO) bus  195  is coupled to ICH  135 . USB ports  200  are coupled to ICH  135  as shown. USB devices such as printers, scanners, joysticks, etc. can be added to the system configuration on this bus. An integrated drive electronics (IDE) bus  205  is coupled to ICH  135  to connect IDE drives  210  to the computer system. Note also that the LAN port can exist on the memory access controller (MAC) of the ICH or be a discrete device located on another bus (e.g. PCI). Furthermore, a network interface card  215  provides a network port for coupling system  100  to a network, as discussed herein. System  100  may further include a PCI adapter, as well as a MAC/PHY of the ICH  135 .  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 3 illustrates a networking “auto” link speed selection implementation according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown in FIG. 3, various system elements are coupled as part of a network  310 , further for use in the thermal event based “auto” link speed selection control of the present disclosure. For example, a laptop (or notebook computer)  312  and a desktop (or workstation)  314  are networked via a first 10/100/1000 switch  316  to a second 10/100/1000 switch  318 , and further to a remainder of the particular network at  320 . In addition, server resources  322  are networked via the second 10/100/1000 switch  318  to the network  310 . With respect to the “auto” link speed implementation according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the links  324  between the affected system elements (i.e., the elements impacted by the thermal event(s)) will “auto” to a lowest speed possible between the respective affected devices of the network connection in response to detection of a thermal event or events. Accordingly, the thermal event based “auto” link speed implementation chooses a slowest speed available, in response to detection of thermal issues, further as discussed herein.  
         [0020]    According to one embodiment, the laptop  312  includes a means  326  for providing a thermal trip. Responsive to a thermal event activation of the thermal trip  326 , the “auto” link speed implementation method according to one embodiment of the present disclosure controls the link  324  to a lowest speed possible between the two connected devices  312  and  316 , for that particular portion of the network connection at  324   a.    
         [0021]    According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, a method for implementing network device thermal management includes providing thermal instrumentation in one or more of a network port, chip, or system. For example, the thermal instrumentation  326  may include one or more of an internal thermistor, an external thermistor, or a similar thermal measurement/trip device.  
         [0022]    Upon an occurrence of a thermal event and its detection by the thermal instrumentation, the method for implementing network device thermal management includes triggering a reverse N-way auto speed cycle on detection of the thermal event (if enabled). “Reverse N-way” refers to an automatic slowest speed selection process.  
         [0023]    In one embodiment, the speed of the reverse N-way auto speed cycle is selected to be the speed of the lowest working state of network devices linked between one another and for implementing a lowest thermal mode.  
         [0024]    The method for implementing network device thermal management includes implementing the reverse N-way auto speed cycle by alerting the network instrumentation of the same. More particularly, in response to a detection of an occurrence of a thermal event, the thermal event affected network port alerts the network management (if enabled) that a thermal event has occurred. In one embodiment, the network port alerts the network instrumentation via a network alert message using alerts standard forum (ASF) and/or simple network management protocol (SNMP). SNMP includes a set of protocols for managing complex networks. SNMP works by sending messages, referred to as protocol data units (PDUs), to different parts of a network. SNMP compliant devices, called agents, store data about themselves in management information bases (MIBs) and return this data to the SNMP requesters.  
         [0025]    [0025]FIG. 4 illustrates an implementation of a network port  410  for use in a thermal event based link speed selection control according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. More particularly, network port  410  includes an internal thermal input  412  for implementing the thermal based link speed control of the present disclosure similarly as discussed herein above. Additional inputs include an external thermal input  414 , a system level thermal “detection” input  416  (e.g., implemented in a system BIOS of a network port), and an EEPROM value  418  for use in enabling the thermal based link speed control feature (i.e., the thermal based link speed control feature “enable” stored in an EEPROM of a network port). Note that while value  418  has been discussed as an EEPROM value, it may also be a value stored in other types of storage, to include, but not be limited to: Serial Flash, PROM/ROM, Flash, BIOS, FWH, and the like.  
         [0026]    [0026]FIG. 5 illustrates a networking “auto” link speed selection implementation according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown in FIG. 5, various system elements are coupled as part of a network  510 , further for use in the power event based “auto” link speed selection control of the present disclosure. For example, a laptop (or notebook computer)  512  and a desktop (or workstation)  514  are networked via a first 10/100/1000 switch  516  to a second 10/100/1000 switch  518 , and further to a remainder of the particular network at  520 . In addition, server resources  522  are networked via the second 10/100/1000 switch  518  to the network is  510 . With respect to a the “auto” link speed implementation according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the links  524  between the affected system elements (i.e., the elements impacted by the power oriented event(s)) will “auto” to a lowest speed possible between the respective affected devices of the network connection in response to detection of a power oriented event or events. Accordingly, the power oriented event based “auto” link speed implementation chooses a slowest speed available, in response to detection of prescribed power issues, further as discussed herein.  
         [0027]    According to one embodiment, the laptop  512  includes a means  526  for providing a power consumption trip. Responsive to a power oriented event activation of the power consumption trip  526 , the “auto” link speed implementation method according to one embodiment of the present disclosure controls the link  524  to a lowest speed possible between the two connected devices  512  and  516 , for that particular portion of the network connection at  524   a.    
         [0028]    [0028]FIG. 6 illustrates an implementation of a network port  610  for use in a power event based “auto” link speed selection control according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. More particularly, network port  610  includes an internal register location  612  for the power event feature for implementing the power event based “auto” link speed control of the present disclosure, similarly as discussed herein above. Additional inputs include one or more of an external power event input pin  614 , a system level power event “detection” system input  616 , and an EEPROM value  618  for use in enabling the power event based link speed control feature (i.e., the power event based link speed control feature “enable” stored in an EEPROM of a network port). With respect to the system level power event “detection” system input  616 , such an input can be implemented in one or more of the following: as a system option of a network port, as a system BIOS option of a network port, as a boot firmware option of a network port, and as a function of data rate conditions at the network port. Note that while value  618  has been discussed as an EEPROM value, it may also be a value stored in other types of storage, to include, but not be limited to: Serial Flash, PROM/ROM, Flash, BIOS, FWH, and the like.  
         [0029]    In particular, according to one embodiment, the method includes modifying the networking port to invert the “auto” speed selection scheme, such that the lowest negotiated link speed is chosen based upon a system control element. In this embodiment, the system control element is configured to change the advertised speed capability, using one or more of: an input pin on a local area network (LAN) controller, a LAN EEPROM value, a configuration register setting, or a physical (PHY) register setting.  
         [0030]    In another embodiment, the method considers the port behavior based on power, such as, by AC, battery, or user profile (in a manner similar to a notebook computer power management). If the networking port is operating on battery power, then the system negotiates the lowest speed link. For AC power, the method targets the highest negotiated link (similar to a conventional “Auto” N-way). The method could also take advantage of a user profile, such as, the user profile indicating preference for a given condition (e.g., Normal, Performance, or Power Save under AC or DC states). Accordingly, the method operates to conserve power, maximize performance and offer user options as may be needed for a particular networking implementation.  
         [0031]    In yet another embodiment, the method integrates the inverted speed option into a system power option settings (e.g., profiles, power properties, etc.) used in BIOS and by the operating system (OS) of a respective network port device.  
         [0032]    Accordingly, this embodiment allows a user interface to include simple power optimized options while maintaining automatic link networking principles.  
         [0033]    In still yet another advanced embodiment, the method utilizes data flow indicators to up-shift/down-shift the power event based “auto” link speed control of the present disclosure. In other words, the method utilized data flow indicators to up-shift and/or down-shift the power event based “auto” link speed control as needed to maximize performance as a function of both power and performance.  
         [0034]    Although only a few exemplary embodiments have been described in detail above, those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that many modifications are possible in the exemplary embodiments without materially departing from the novel teachings and advantages of the embodiments of the present disclosure. For example, while the embodiments have been discussed with reference to notebook computers, the aspects of the embodiments of the embodiments of the present disclosure can and do apply to desktop applications as well. Furthermore, switches can also benefit from the aspects of the embodiments as well, for example, via an embedded engine. Accordingly, all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the embodiments of the present disclosure as defined in the following claims. In the claims, means-plus-function clauses are intended to cover the structures described herein as performing the recited function and not only structural equivalents, but also equivalent structures.