服务器及智能网卡NCSI接口设计

NCSI interface design of smart NIC and server

随着人工智能及大数据时代到来,智能网卡(Smart NIC)与服务器配合,开始承担越来越多的数据处理任务而大大减轻了CPU的压力。服务器基板管理控制器(BMC)一般通过网络控制器边带接口(NCSI)对智能网卡进行带外管理,而智能网卡往往需要适配不同的服务器平台。为了保证服务器对网卡的可靠管理,必须仔细设计NCSI接口电路使信号质量满足标准要求。从NCSI接口整体出发,详细讨论了NCSI接口服务器主板、连接器与线缆、智能网卡设计问题。

In the big data and artificial intelligence era,smart network interface card(smart NIC)is designed to take the data processing tasks,together with serves.The baseboard management controller(BMC)of server communicates with smart NIC through network controller sideband interface(NCSI).Therefore,a smart NIC may have to match with different servers electrically.To ensure a reliable smart NIC management,the designer must design the NCIS interface carefully and make all the signals meet NCSI specification.This paper discuss the design of server main board,cable and connector,smart NIC and the whole NCSI interface.