63 results about "Fibre Channel over Ethernet" patented technology

Systems, apparatus and methods are provided for interconnection of one or more Fibre Channel over Ethernet (FCoE) devices. The system preferably comprises a virtualized or virtual server which in turn comprises a virtual machine having an FCoE device interconnection apparatus controller, a virtual switch, the virtual switch being coupled to the FCoE device interconnection apparatus controller, and a network interface. The network interface is coupled to the virtual switch, which in turn couples to an Ethernet fabric. A first Ethernet link couples the network interface to the Ethernet fabric. One or more Fibre Channel over Ethernet (FCoE) devices are coupled to the Ethernet fabric via Ethernet links.

Methods, apparatus and systems are provided for forwarding Fibre Channel Initialization Protocol (FIP) and Fibre Channel over Ethernet (FCoE) frames by a FCoE device interconnection apparatus (FIA) and a Fibre Channel over Ethernet device interconnection apparatus controller (FIAC). In one aspect of the invention, a command is sent from a FIAC to the FIA to set the frame processing apparatus to identify received FIP frames, which are forwarded with the original destination and source Ethernet Media Access Control (MAC) addresses. A command is sent from the FIAC to the FIA to identify received FCoE frames to replace the source and destination Ethernet MAC addresses. When a FCoE frame is received by the FIA, the source and destination Ethernet MAC addresses are replaced, such as where the destination Ethernet MAC address of the received matched FCoE frame is replaced by the MAC address assigned to the desired end port. The FCoE frame is forwarded to a destination FCoE device.

The present invention provides methods and devices for implementing a Low Latency Ethernet (“LLE”) solution, also referred to herein as a Data Center Ethernet (“DCE”) solution, which simplifies the connectivity of data centers and provides a high bandwidth, low latency network for carrying Ethernet and storage traffic. Some aspects of the invention involve transforming FC frames into a format suitable for transport on an Ethernet. Some preferred implementations of the invention implement multiple virtual lanes (“VLs”) in a single physical connection of a data center or similar network. Some VLs are “drop” VLs, with Ethernet-like behavior, and others are “no-drop” lanes with FC-like behavior. Some preferred implementations of the invention provide guaranteed bandwidth based on credits and VL. Active buffer management allows for both high reliability and low latency while using small frame buffers. Preferably, the rules for active buffer management are different for drop and no drop VLs.

The entire FCoE fabric is a single virtual domain, even though there may be multiple FCFs and FDFs. The virtual domain is a different Domain_ID than any of the FCFs. In certain embodiments there are multiple FCFs, of which one is selected as the master or designated FCF. The master FCF performs normal fabric configuration in conjunction with the Fibre Channel fabric. The master FCF assigns the virtual domain FC node IDs and controls development of subdomain IDs. Virtual links are instantiated between the master FCF and other FCFs, between top level FDFs and the FCFs and between the FDFs at each of various levels. FDFs connected to ENodes proxy the master FCF for most FIP operations. FIP FLOGI and FDISC operations are handled by the master FDF, but the FDFs convert the FIP FLOGI requests to VD_FLOGI requests, which include information about the FDF handling the transaction.

A method for detecting a switch failure and managing switch failover in a Fiber Channel over Ethernet network. The plurality of Fiber Channel over Ethernet switches are connected to an intermediary Ethernet switch and to each other via an Ethernet connection. The intermediary Ethernet switch is different from the plurality of Fiber Channel over Ethernet switches. A plurality of end ports are also connected to the intermediary Ethernet switch. A failure is detected in a first switch in the plurality of Fiber Channel over Ethernet switches. The first switch is associated with a first end port in the plurality of end ports. A failure notification is sent to the first end port using the intermediary Ethernet switch. The failure notification might specify a second switch destination and an identification of the first switch. A fabric login is exchanged between the first end port and the second switch.

A system for using a virtual switch in a network. In response to a switch connecting to a network, network configuration data is read to determine whether the switch is part of a virtual switch. In response to determining that the switch is part of the virtual switch, a priority number for the switch is sent to other switches connected to the network. Priority numbers are received from the other switches. It is determined whether the switch has a highest priority number. In response to determining that the switch does have the highest priority number, the switch is selected to be a master switch for the virtual switch. Then, domain identification data for the virtual switch is sent to the other switches. Afterward, the switch and the other switches respond to requests over the network as one domain identified by the domain identification data.

A Data Center Ethernet (“DCE”) network and related methods and device are provided. A DCE network simplifies the connectivity of data centers and provides a high bandwidth, low latency network for carrying Ethernet, storage and other traffic. A Fiber Channel (“FC”) frame, including FC addressing information, is encapsulated in an Ethernet frame for transmission on a Data Center Ethernet (“DCE”) network. The Ethernet address fields may indicate that the frame includes an FC frame, e.g., by the use of a predetermined Organization Unique Identifier (“OUI”) code in the D_MAC field, but also include Ethernet addressing information. Accordingly, the encapsulated frames can be forwarded properly by switches in the DCE network whether or not these switches are configured for operation according to the FC protocol. Accordingly, only a subset of Ethernet switches in the DCE network needs to be FC-enabled. Only switches so configured will require an FC Domain_ID.

Methods are provided for creating virtual links between Fiber Channel over Ethernet (FCoE) nodes. FIP Discovery Advertisement frames are received from multiple FCoE device interconnection apparatus (FIA). The FIP Discovery Advertisement frames comprises source Ethernet MAC addresses, a destination Ethernet MAC address of All-ENode-MACs, Fabric FIP descriptor, and a Priority FIP descriptor. A list is stored of one or more of the source Ethernet MAC address, FIP Priority descriptor, and FIP Fabric descriptor for each unique FIP Discovery Advertisement frame received as indicated by the Fabric descriptor. The Name Server is queried for each source Ethernet MAC address in said storage. For all FCoE devices that match in more that one Name Server, connect to those FCoE devices using the highest priority Ethernet MAC address from matching list items.

In one embodiment, a Fibre Channel over Ethernet (FCoE) proxy point (FPP) that is connected to one or more end-point devices is coupled to one or more other FPPs, and to a FCoE control and management plane (F-CMP) server. The FPP provides data plane functionality. The F-CMP server provides control plane functionality. At least some control and management traffic received at the FPP is proxied between the F-CMP server and the one or more end point devices connected to the FPP. FCoE traffic received at the FPP from the one or more end point devices connected to the FPP is transmitted to the one or more other FPPs without the FCoE traffic traversing the F-CMP server. The transmitting is performed by data plane functionality of the FPP operating under directions from the control plane functionality of the F-CMP server.

Methods, apparatus and systems are provided for forwarding Fiber Channel Initialization Protocol (FIP) and Fiber Channel over Ethernet (FCoE) frames by a FCoE device interconnection apparatus (FIA) and a Fiber Channel over Ethernet device interconnection apparatus controller (FIAC). In one aspect of the invention, a command is sent from a FIAC to the FIA to set the frame processing apparatus to identify received FIP frames, which are forwarded with the original destination and source Ethernet Media Access Control (MAC) addresses. A command is sent from the FIAC to the FIA to identify received FCoE frames to replace the source and destination Ethernet MAC addresses. When a FCoE frame is received by the FIA, the source and destination Ethernet MAC addresses are replaced, such as where the destination Ethernet MAC address of the received matched FCoE frame is replaced by the MAC address assigned to the desired end port. The FCoE frame is forwarded to a destination FCoE device.

The present invention provides methods and devices for implementing a Low Latency Ethernet (''LLE'') solution, also referred to herein as a Data Center Ethernet (''DCE'') solution, which simplifies the connectivity of data centers and provides a high bandwidth, low latency network for carrying Ethernet and storage traffic. Some aspects of the invention involve transforming FC frames into a format suitable for transport on an Ethernet. Some preferred implementations of the invention implement multiple virtual lanes (''VLs'') in a single physical connection of a data center or similar network. Some VLs are ''drop'' VLs, with Ethernet-like behavior, and others are ''no-drop'' lanes with FC-like behavior. Some preferred implementations of the invention provide guaranteed bandwidth based on credits and VL. Active buffer management allows for both high reliability and low latency while using small frame buffers. Preferably, the rules for active buffer management are different for drop and no drop VLs.

Methods, apparatus and systems are provided for forwarding Fibre Channel Initialization Protocol (FIP) frames and Fibre Channel over Ethernet (FCoE) frames by a FCoE device interconnection apparatus (FIA) and with a Fibre Channel over Ethernet device interconnection apparatus controller (FIAC). An FCoE frame received by the FIA from the FCoE device includes at least destination and source Ethernet MAC address fields which are replaced, such as where the destination Ethernet MAC address is replaced by the MAC address assigned to a remote FCoE device, such as the desired end port. The frame is forwarded to the destination FCoE device. Preferably, first and second ports are coupled to the connectivity apparatus, which are then coupled to first and second FCoE devices.

The invention discloses Ethernet network equipment and a method for forwarding FCoE (Fibre Channel Over Ethernet) data. The method comprises the following steps of: obtaining a destination FCID (Fiber Channel ID) address from an FCoE data frame when confirming a received data frame is the FCoE data frame; confirming a network equipment port corresponding to the destination FCID address according to an established FCID address forwarding table; and forwarding the FCoE data frame to destination equipment through the corresponding network equipment port. According to the method, the FCoE data frame is forwarded according to a corresponding relation of an FCID address of the destination equipment and the network equipment port instead of according to an MAC (Media Access Control) address forwarding table, so that the FCoE data frame can be accurately forwarded to the destination equipment even though forwarding processing is carried out on the same Ethernet network equipment and a port aggregation technology is adopted on the network equipment.

The entire FCoE fabric is a single virtual domain, even though there may be multiple FCFs and FDFs. The virtual domain is a different Domain_ID than any of the FCFs. In certain embodiments there are multiple FCFs, of which one is selected as the master or designated FCF. The master FCF performs normal fabric configuration in conjunction with the Fiber Channel fabric. The master FCF assigns the virtual domain FC node IDs and controls development of subdomain IDs. Virtual links are instantiated between the master FCF and other FCFs, between top level FDFs and the FCFs and between the FDFs at each of various levels. FDFs connected to ENodes proxy the master FCF for most FIP operations. FIP FLOGI and FDISC operations are handled by the master FDF, but the FDFs convert the FIP FLOGI requests to VD_FLOGI requests, which include information about the FDF handling the transaction.