Selectively Disabling Configurable Communication Paths of a Multiprocessor Fabric

Abstract

Disabling communication in a multiprocessor fabric. The multiprocessor fabric may include a plurality of processors and a plurality of communication elements and each of the plurality of communication elements may include a memory. A configuration may be received for the multiprocessor fabric, which specifies disabling of communication paths between one or more of: one or more processors and one or more communication elements; one or more processors and one or more other processors; or one or more communication elements and one or more other communication elements. Accordingly, the multiprocessor fabric may be automatically configured in hardware to disable the communication paths specified by the configuration. The multiprocessor fabric may be operated to execute a software application according to the configuration.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An apparatus, comprising:
 a multiprocessor fabric, wherein the multiprocessor fabric includes a plurality of processors and communication circuitry that provides multiple communication paths between elements of the multiprocessor fabric;   configuration circuitry configured to:
 receive encrypted configuration information for the multiprocessor fabric, wherein the encrypted configuration information specifies disabling of a set of the communication paths; 
 decrypt the encrypted configuration information; and 
 based on the decrypted configuration information, configure the multiprocessor fabric to disable the set of communication paths; 
   wherein, after the configuration, the multiprocessor fabric is configured to execute a software application while operating according to the configuration.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein after the configuration, the disabled communication paths are not restorable by the software application. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the configuration circuitry is further configured to:
 authenticate a source of the encrypted configuration information.   
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the encrypted configuration information is received in response to a hardware reset. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 decryption circuitry configured to decrypt encrypted program code for at least a portion of the software application;   wherein execution of the software application includes execution of at least a portion of the decrypted program code.   
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 authentication circuitry configured to authenticate a source of the encrypted configuration information.   
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the encrypted configuration information is received from another computing system. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 one or more storage elements configured to store:
 one or more decryption keys for decryption of the encrypted configuration information; and 
 instructions that specify a secure boot sequence that begins automatically in response to a hardware reset, wherein the secure boot sequence includes the decryption and the configuration. 
   
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the configuration of the multiprocessor fabric to disable the set of communication paths is a reconfiguration of the multiprocessor fabric that enables one or more previously disabled communication paths and disables one or more previously enabled communication paths. 
     
     
         10 . A method, comprising:
 receiving, by configuration circuitry of a computing system, encrypted configuration information for a multiprocessor fabric, wherein the multiprocessor fabric includes a plurality of processors and communication circuitry that provides multiple communication paths between elements of the multiprocessor fabric, and wherein the encrypted configuration information specifies disabling of a set of the communication paths;   decrypting, by the configuration circuitry, the encrypted configuration information;   based on the decrypted configuration information, the configuration circuitry configuring the multiprocessor fabric to disable the set of communication paths; and   executing, by the multiprocessor fabric, a software application while operating according to the configuration.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein after said configuring, the disabled communication paths are not restorable by the software application. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 authenticating a source of the encrypted configuration information.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the encrypted configuration information is received in response to a hardware reset. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 decrypting program code for at least a portion of the software application;   wherein executing the software application includes executing at least a portion of the decrypted program code.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 authenticating a source of the encrypted configuration information.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the encrypted configuration information is received from another computing system. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 storing, using one or more storage elements:
 one or more decryption keys used for the decrypting; and 
 instructions that specify a secure boot sequence that begins automatically in response to a hardware reset, wherein the secure boot sequence includes the decrypting and configuring. 
   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the configuring the multiprocessor fabric to disable the set of communication paths is a reconfiguring of the multiprocessor fabric that enables one or more previously disabled communication paths and disables one or more previously enabled communication paths.