Load balancing in a network comprising communication paths having different bandwidths
Granted: February 5, 2004
Application Number:
20040024906
A network comprises a plurality of interconnected switches. At least one pair of switches is interconnected by a trunk formed from a plurality of individual links. A cost value is assigned to the trunk that is equal to the cost of one of the trunk's individual links. As such, a trunk is considered the same as an individual link when shortest path calculations are made. When multiple paths are computed as having the same lowest cost, the system balances load traffic between such lowest…
Topology database synchronization
Granted: February 5, 2004
Application Number:
20040024908
A network comprises a plurality of interconnected switches that implement a topology database synchronization technique in which each switch determines whether its topology database has already been transmitted to a neighboring switch when a new link is formed to the neighboring switch. When a new electrical connection is detected, the local switch determines whether any of its other ports have already been connected to the same neighboring switch. If no other port on the local switch…
Method and apparatus for mapping between a fibre channel network and an infiniband network
Granted: February 5, 2004
Application Number:
20040024911
An Inifiniband (IB) network that incorporates a Fibre Channel (FC) network is disclosed. The IB and FC networks are coupled by a gateway that maps the FC network to a virtual IB network. In generating the virtual IB network, the gateway may provide a virtual IB target for each node port in the FC network, and may further provide a minimum number of virtual IB switches necessary to support the virtual IB targets. The gateway assigns a globally unique identifier (GUID) to each of the…
Method and apparatus for transparent communication between a fibre channel network and an infiniband network
Granted: February 5, 2004
Application Number:
20040024905
A system and method for providing transparent communications between an Infiniband (IB) network and a Fibre Channel (FC) network are disclosed. One method comprises: (a) detecting FC node ports in the FC network; (b) creating virtual IB targets for each FC node port in the FC network; and (c) converting IB packets directed to the virtual IB targets into FC frames directed to the corresponding FC node port. It may further comprise intercepting management packets directed to the virtual IB…
Cascade credit sharing for fibre channel links
Granted: January 29, 2004
Application Number:
20040017771
A switch having a higher speed port, one or more slower speed ports, a larger buffer memory and numerous larger counters to achieve higher speed and longer range of communication. In one embodiment a larger switch having a larger buffer memory and larger counters connects to a smaller switch having a smaller buffer memory and smaller counters, the larger switch practically expanding the buffer memory and counters in the smaller switch. A combination of several counters can also avoid…
Method and apparatus for round trip delay measurement in a bi-directional, point-to-point, serial data channel
Granted: January 29, 2004
Application Number:
20040017806
The link round trip delay between two switches in a Fibre Channel network may be determined by sending a particular timing signal value from an originating switch to a responding switch. The responding switch may store the timing signal value in an “echo” register for comparison to subsequently received timing signals. The originating switch may then send the pre-selected timing signal to the responding switch while simultaneously starting a timer. When the responding switch…
Virtualized multiport switch
Granted: January 29, 2004
Application Number:
20040017808
A multiport switch assembly comprises a plurality of discrete switch devices coupled together in a way that virtualizes the behavior of a multiport switch assembly. Each of said switch devices preferably has fewer ports than the number of ports made externally available by the multiport switch assembly. The multiport switch assembly preferably comprises a plurality of tiers of switch devices and a processor connected directly or indirectly to all or at least some of the switch devices.…
Frame-pull flow control in a fibre channel network
Granted: October 30, 2003
Application Number:
20030202474
A link level flow control technique implements a “pull frame” transmission model in a Fibre Channel network. In one embodiment, frames remain in a first Fibre Channel device until they are requested by a second Fibre Channel device, wherein the second Fibre Channel device does not issue a request unless conditions are such that it can immediately transmit the frame toward its target destination. In another embodiment, a Fibre Channel device provides hardware messaging…
Network security and applications to the fabric
Granted: August 28, 2003
Application Number:
20030163692
A method and apparatus for securing networks, focusing on application in Fibre Channel networks. A combination of unique security techniques are combined to provide overall network security. Responsibility for security in the network is assigned to one or more designated entities. The designated entities deploy management information throughout the network to enhance security by modifying the capabilities and operational permissions of the devices participating in the network. For…
Network security through configuration servers in the fabric environment
Granted: August 28, 2003
Application Number:
20030163727
A network configuration device or entity has control of defined management and security functions in the network, or in many embodiments, in a Fibre Channel fabric. The network configuration device may control many functions. Foremost, it may control the recognition, operation and succession procedure for network configuration entities. It may also control user configurable options for the network, rules for interaction between other entities in the network, rules governing…
Method and apparatus for starting up a network or fabric
Granted: August 28, 2003
Application Number:
20030163682
A method and system for starting up a network or network device with particular discussion regarding Fibre Channel networks and switches. The method and system relate to powering on or re-starting a plurality of Fibre Channel switching devices, each of those devices having ports. The system generally calls for the selection of a priority threshold that relates to the importance of tasks in fabric formation. Some embodiments of the system exploit a port authentication procedure to…
Secure distributed time service in the fabric environment
Granted: August 21, 2003
Application Number:
20030158971
A secure and distributed time service is discussed for use in a network. In particular, the invention relates to Fibre Channel networks and the secure distribution of time service using a push model. In order to distribute time on a push model, one entity assumes responsibility for time in the network. Other entities in the network receive periodic time updates and check the validity of their own time by gauging the elapsed time since the previous time update. The time service is secured…
Network fabric management via adjunct processor inter-fabric service link
Granted: July 31, 2003
Application Number:
20030142628
An adjunct processor controls an inter-fabric service link (IFSL) coupled to at least two independent SAN switching networks. The inter-fabric service link is coupled between multiple switching fabrics to allow the attached switching fabrics to be logically managed as a single entity while still being physically independent of each other. The IFSL does not transmit nor receive data being transmitted from a storage device to a host; rather, only management data is transmitted along the…
Fault-tolerant updates to a distributed fibre channel database
Granted: July 24, 2003
Application Number:
20030137941
Fault tolerant techniques to update a distributed database in a switched-fabric network are described. A commit master switch initiates an update operation using a four-phase process that provides for the automatic fail-over to a second (or more) switches if the commit master should not complete the update operation. In response to a lost commit master switch, one or more switches may assume the role of the commit master to either abort or complete the update operation.
Node and port authentication in a fibre channel network
Granted: June 26, 2003
Application Number:
20030120915
A method and system for authenticating devices in a network with particular discussion regarding Fibre Channel networks and switches. The method and system relate to mutual authentication between two connected ports. Generally, such two ports are connected by a medium dedicated exclusively to those ports. The method and system involve the exchange of authenticating information between the ports including host switch information, various encode or decode information, and secreting…
Fibre channel zoning by device name in hardware
Granted: November 28, 2002
Application Number:
20020176417
The present invention provides a system and a method for filtering a plurality of frames sent between devices coupled to a fabric by Fibre Channel connections. Frames are reviewed against a set of individual frame filters. Each frame filter is associated with an action, and actions selected by filter matches are prioritized. Groups of devices are “zoned” together and frame filtering ensures that restrictions placed upon communications between devices within the same zone are…
Frame filtering of fibre channel packets
Granted: November 28, 2002
Application Number:
20020176433
The present invention provides a system and a method for filtering a plurality of frames sent between devices coupled to a fabric by Fiber Channel connections. Frames are reviewed against a set of individual frame filters. Each frame filter is associated with an action, and actions selected by filter matches are prioritized. Groups of devices are “zoned” together and frame filtering ensures that restrictions placed upon communications between devices within the same zone are…
Fibre channel zoning by logical unit number in hardware
Granted: November 28, 2002
Application Number:
20020176434
The present invention provides a system and a method for filtering a plurality of frames sent between devices coupled to a fabric by Fiber Channel connections. Frames are reviewed against a set of individual frame filters. Each frame filter is associated with an action, and actions selected by filter matches are prioritized. Groups of devices are “zoned” together and frame filtering ensures that restrictions placed upon communications between devices within the same zone are…
Dynamic path selection with in-order delivery within sequence in a communication network
Granted: October 24, 2002
Application Number:
20020156918
In a communication network system having a multi-switch Fiber Channel fabric, switches are in communication through a plurality of paths. To distribute the traffic load, more than one path can be used for any source-destination pair. However, due to limitations under the Fiber Channel standard, in-order delivery is required for certain data frames, such as those belonging to the same sequence or exchange. To avoid compromising the in-order requirement, a dynamic path selection scheme is…
