Fibre channel fabric snapshot service
Granted: November 4, 2004
Application Number:
20040220971
The snapshot capability moving into the SAN fabric and being provided as a snapshot service. A well-known address is utilized to receive snapshot commands. Each switch in the fabric connected to a host contains a front end or service interface to receive the snapshot command. Each switch of the fabric connected to a storage device used in the snapshot process contains a write interceptor module which cooperates with hardware in the switch to capture any write operations which would occur…
Methods and devices for converting between trunked and single-link data transmission in a fibre channel network
Granted: October 14, 2004
Application Number:
20040205252
A device for converting between the trunked and untrunked transmission of Fibre Channel frame data is described. During conversion, the device manages the flow of frame data in both the egress (from Fibre Channel ports to a non-Fibre Channel port) and ingress (from a non-Fibre Channel port to Fibre Channel ports) directions. In the egress direction, the device operates as a FIFO to transmit all frames received from the Fibre Channel ports to the non-Fibre Channel ports. In the ingress…
Impedance matching of differential pair signal traces on printed wiring boards
Granted: August 5, 2004
Application Number:
20040150970
A printed wiring board having differential pair signal traces has increased spacing between signal-carrying vias and ground or power planes and/or is equipped with selectively placed ground vias to enhance the impedance matching of the signal traces.
Method and apparatus for routing between fibre channel fabrics
Granted: August 5, 2004
Application Number:
20040151174
An interfabric link between two separate Fibre Channel fabrics so that devices in one fabric can communicate with devices in another fabric without requiring the merger of the two fabrics. The interfabric switch performs a conversion or a translation of device addresses in each fabric so that they are accessible to the other fabric. This translation is preferably done using a private to public loop address translation. In a first embodiment the external ports of the interfabric switch…
Method and apparatus for providing virtual ports with attached virtual devices in a storage area network
Granted: August 5, 2004
Application Number:
20040151188
Systems particularly a virtualization switch or a storage device, which include virtual ports connected to virtual devices with virtual worldwide names and virtual LUNs. Because Fibre Channel environment hosts can track worldwide names from one port to another and allow continuity in that regard, the virtual worldwide names are provided with relevant virtual LUNs and connected these to virtual ports so that the virtual devices can be moved as desired to overcome failures or to allow load…
Fabric membership monitoring
Granted: August 5, 2004
Application Number:
20040153540
Systems and methods for monitoring network fabric memberships. In one embodiment, the method comprises: 1) determining a polling list of switches; and 2) processing each switch in the polling list. The processing may include: a) obtaining a list of sister switches from the current switch; b) associating the current switch with a new kith if the current switch is not already associated with a kith; c) identifying any of the sister switches associated with different kiths and merging said…
Dynamic link distance configuration for extended fabric
Granted: August 5, 2004
Application Number:
20040153566
A method to dynamically allocate credits for a particular port to port link based on measured link distance during the initial interswitch link configuration process. An apparatus implementing such method or a software upgrade to retrofit existing switches.
High availability synchronization architecture
Granted: August 5, 2004
Application Number:
20040153624
A “high availability” system comprises one or more switches under the control of multiple control processors (“CPs”). One of the CPs is deemed to be “active,” while the other CP is kept in a “standby” mode. Each CP generally has the same software load including a fabric state synchronization (“FSS”) facility. The FSSs of each CP communicate with each other. The state information pertaining to an active “image” is…
Storage area network processing device
Granted: July 29, 2004
Application Number:
20040148376
A system including a storage processing device with an input/output module. The input/output module has port processors to receive and transmit network traffic. The input/output module also has a switch connecting the port processors. Each port processor categorizes the network traffic as fast path network traffic or control path network traffic. The switch routes fast path network traffic from an ingress port processor to a specified egress port processor. The storage processing device…
Data logging by storage area network devices to a reserved storage area on the network
Granted: July 22, 2004
Application Number:
20040143702
Storage area network (SAN) switches having greater storage capacity to allow greater data logging and storage of larger, more complicated tables for zoning and other table-based applications. A hard disk drive can be included in the switch, with data logging performed to the hard disk drive and with the hard disk drive serving as a second level of virtualization to provide storage of large tables. In a variation, the data logging of the switch, and any other devices on the SAN, can be…
Network switch containing a hard disk drive
Granted: July 22, 2004
Application Number:
20040143682
Include storage area network (SAN) switches having greater storage capacity to allow greater data logging and storage of larger, more complicated tables for zoning and other table-based applications. A hard disk drive can be included in the switch, with data logging performed to the hard disk drive and with the hard disk drive serving as a second level of virtualization to provide storage of large tables. In a variation, the data logging of the switch, and any other devices on the SAN,…
Method for authenticating multiple channels within a single fibre channel link
Granted: June 10, 2004
Application Number:
20040111605
Disclosed is a method for authenticating a Fibre Channel virtual Inter Switch Link comprised of two or more connections made over a TCP/IP network by establishing a first TCP/IP connection between a first Fibre Channel device and a second Fibre Channel device; authenticating this first TCP/IP connection using, for example SLAP; establishing a second TCP/IP connection; sending a nonce from the first Fibre Channel device to the second Fibre Channel device over said second TCP/IP…
Method and apparatus for displaying network fabric data
Granted: May 6, 2004
Application Number:
20040085348
The invention relates to methods and associated systems for displaying network fabric data for managing electronic networks, such as computer networks, storage area networks (SANs), and the like. In one aspect, the invention provides a method for displaying parameters of a plurality of devices in a network for comparison, where each device has a plurality of parameters, including determining and storing values for a plurality of parameters for each of a plurality of devices, and…
Method and apparatus for managing locking of resources in a cluster by use of a network fabric
Granted: May 6, 2004
Application Number:
20040085908
Managing cluster membership and providing and managing locks in the switches forming the interconnecting network. To manage the cluster membership, a zone is created, with indicated members existing in the zone and the zone being managed by the switches. The nodes communicate their membership events, such as alive messages, using an API to work with the switch to which they are attached. The desired membership algorithm is executed by the switches, preferably in a distributed manner.…
Method and apparatus for encryption of data on storage units using devices inside a storage area network fabric
Granted: May 6, 2004
Application Number:
20040085955
The capability to encrypt or compress the traffic over network links, thus improving the security of the link on the performance of the links, and the capability to encrypt/decrypt data stored on the storage devices without requiring specialized hosts or storage devices. In a first embodiment, traffic to be routed over a selected link needing encryption and/or compression is routed to hardware which performs the encryption and/or compression and returned for transmission over the link. A…
Method and device for managing cluster membership by use of storage area network fabric
Granted: May 6, 2004
Application Number:
20040088396
Managing cluster membership and providing and managing locks in the switches forming the interconnecting network. To manage the cluster membership, a zone is created, with indicated members existing in the zone and the zone being managed by the switches. The nodes communicate their membership events, such as alive messages, using an API to work with the switch to which they are attached. The desired membership algorithm is executed by the switches, preferably in a distributed manner.…
Network merge testing
Granted: May 6, 2004
Application Number:
20040088437
A method and system for performing network merge testing are disclosed. In one embodiment, the network merge testing method comprises: (i) gathering configuration information from at least two networks; (ii) comparing the configuration information; and (iii) displaying a report that indicates whether an attempted merge of the at least two networks would succeed. The report preferably identifies conflicts between the network configurations, and the method may further include automatic or…
Method and apparatus for allowing use of one of a plurality of functions in devices inside a storage area network fabric specification
Granted: May 6, 2004
Application Number:
20040088538
The capability to encrypt or compress the traffic over network links, thus improving the security of the link on the performance of the links, and the capability to encrypt/decrypt data stored on the storage devices without requiring specialized hosts or storage devices. In a first embodiment, traffic to be routed over a selected link needing encryption and/or compression is routed to hardware which performs the encryption and/or compression and returned for transmission over the link. A…
Fabric manager multiple device login
Granted: May 6, 2004
Application Number:
20040088572
A user (e.g., a network administrator) can enter user verification information once for each switch on which the user desires to perform an administrative activity (e.g., ROM flash, reboot, etc.). Rather than having to enter the user verification information each time a switch is accessed for an administrative activity, the verification information is entered once and stored in non-volatile memory for subsequent use when accessing the switch.
Method and apparatus for encryption or compression devices inside a storage area network fabric
Granted: May 6, 2004
Application Number:
20040088574
The capability to encrypt or compress the traffic over network links, thus improving the security of the link on the performance of the links, and the capability to encrypt/decrypt data stored on the storage devices without requiring specialized hosts or storage devices. In a first embodiment, traffic to be routed over a selected link needing encryption and/or compression is routed to hardware which performs the encryption and/or compression and returned for transmission over the link. A…
