Abstract: Systems and methods to use all incoming multicast (MC) packets as a basis for global unique identifier (GUID) to local identifier (LID) cache contents in a high performance computing environment, in accordance with an embodiment. Since all multicast packets have a Global Route Header (GRH), there is always both a source GID and a source LID defined for an incoming multicast packet. This implies that it is, in general, possible for an HCA implementation to gather information about GID and GUID to LID mappings for any sender node based on all incoming MC packets.

Abstract: Systems and methods for supporting dual-port virtual router in a high performance computing environment. In accordance with an embodiment, a dual port router abstraction can provide a simple way for enabling subnet-to-subnet router functionality to be defined based on a switch hardware implementation. A virtual dual-port router can logically be connected outside a corresponding switch port. This virtual dual-port router can provide an InfiniBand specification compliant view to a standard management entity, such as a Subnet Manager. In accordance with an embodiment, a dual-ported router model implies that different subnets can be connected in a way where each subnet fully controls the forwarding of packets as well as address mappings in the ingress path to the subnet.

Abstract: Systems and methods to provide default multicast group (MCG) for announcements and discovery as extended port information in a high performance computing environment. In accordance with an embodiment, hence, in order to enable IB multicast operations in a well-defined way without depending on SA access, there should be at least one IB multicast group (MCG) defined by the Subnet Manager and communicated to the IB clients via extended SMA attributes.

Abstract: Systems and methods for supporting dual-port virtual router in a high performance computing environment. In accordance with an embodiment, a dual port router abstraction can provide a simple way for enabling subnet-to-subnet router functionality to be defined based on a switch hardware implementation. A virtual dual-port router can logically be connected outside a corresponding switch port. This virtual dual-port router can provide an InfiniBand specification compliant view to a standard management entity, such as a Subnet Manager. In accordance with an embodiment, a dual-ported router model implies that different subnets can be connected in a way where each subnet fully controls the forwarding of packets as well as address mappings in the ingress path to the subnet.

Abstract: Systems and methods for providing explicit multicast local identifier assignment for per-partition default multicast local identifiers defined as subnet manager policy input in a high performance computing environment. In accordance with an embodiment, an explicit multicast local identifier (MLID) assignment policy can be provided (as, e.g., administrative input) that explicitly defines which MLIDs will be used for which partitions in a subnet. Further, an MLID assignment policy can also define which dedicated MLIDs will be associated with given multicast group idnetifiers (for example, partition independent MLIDs). By employing such an MLID assignment policy, a new or restarted master subnet manger can observe and verify the MLIDs used for existing partitions, instead of generating new MGID to MLID mappings. In this way, changes in MLID associations for any corresponding MGID can be avoided as a result of master SM restarts or failovers, or any subnet-merge operations.

Abstract: Systems and methods for providing multicast group multicast local identifier (MLID) dynamic discovery on received multicast messages for a relevant multicast global identifier (MGID) in a high performance computing environment. By allowing InfiniBand (IB) clients to associate local queue pairs (QPs) with the MGID(s) of relevant multicast group(s) without requiring any join request to the subnet manager (SM)/subnet administration (SA), it is possible to receive relevant multicast (MC) messages without imposing the SM/SA overhead of a conventional multicast group join request. After receiving, at an end-node of the subnet, a multicast packet including a multicast global identifier and a multicast local identifier, the end-node can inspect the multicast packet to learn the multicast local identifier and include the learned multicast local identifier in the multicast group record at the end-node for the received multicast global identifier.

Abstract: Systems and methods for providing dual multicast local identifiers (MLIDs) per multicast group to facilitate both full and limited partition members in a high performance computing environment. In accordance with an embodiment, in order to avoid the need for the above special handling of P_Key access violations, as well as to ensure complete isolation between limited partition members in terms of multicast traffic, two MLIDs can be allocated to a single MCG, in accordance with an embodiment. A first MLID can be allocated and used by end-ports for sending from full partition members to both full and limited partition members. Additionally, a second MLID can be allocated and used by end-ports for sending from limited partition members to full partition members. Using this scheme, a limited partition member can avoid sending multicast packets to other limited partition members in the MCG.

Abstract: Systems and methods for InfiniBand fabric optimizations to minimize SA access and startup failover times. A system can comprise one or more microprocessors, a first subnet, the first subnet comprising a plurality of switches, a plurality of host channel adapters, a plurality of hosts, and a subnet manager, the subnet manager running on one of the one or more switches and the plurality of host channel adapters. The subnet manager can be configured to determine that the plurality of hosts and the plurality of switches support a same set of capabilities. On such determination, the subnet manager can configure an SMA flag, the flag indicating that a condition can be set for each of the host channel adapter ports.

Abstract: Systems and methods for InfiniBand fabric optimizations to minimize SA access and startup failover times. Based on the combination of path record parameters defined with values from the Homogeneous Fabric/Subnet flag (or configuration parameter), as well as the GID and SLID information defined by IPoIB ARP requests and responses, there is no additional need for SA requests to obtain path records or path related information in general.

Abstract: Systems and methods can provide a switch mode that is similar to “boot in progress”, but that is admin (e.g., administrator) controllable. This mode can ensure that an admin can perform re-cabling and cable test operations for any single switch in an operational subnet (e.g., an InfiniBand subnet) without causing unnecessary subnet re-routing and re-configuration operations.

Abstract: Systems and methods can provide for fabric level verification of host defined port GUIDs in a high performance computing network. A lightweight scheme for fabric level verification of host defined port GUIDs is provided wherein a virtual machine is assigned a set of GUIDs that travel with the virtual machine, even on migration or re-start.

Abstract: Systems and methods for supporting coordinated link up handling following a switch reset in a high performance computing environment. Systems and methods can ensure that when a switch of a fabric is rebooted, HCA ports connected to that switch will be set in Active state at the same time even though link training times for different ports may vary with up to several seconds.

Abstract: A system and method can support subnet manager (SM) level robust handling of an incoming unknown management key in an InfiniBand (IB) network. A local SM in a fabric is adaptive to receive an incoming subnet management packet (SMP) from a remote SM, wherein the SMP contains a first management key. Furthermore, the local SM operates to check whether the first management key is consistent with a configuration associated with the local SM, and can silently drop the incoming SMP if the first management key is not consistent with the local SM configuration.

Abstract: A system and method can support automatic disabling of degraded links in an InfiniBand (IB) network. At least one node in a fabric can monitor one or more local ports of the at least one node for one or more error states associated with a link at the at least one node, wherein the link is connected to a local port of the at least one node. The at least one node further allows a subnet manager to observe the one or more error states associated with the link at the at least one node, and allows the subnet manager to set the link in a basic state if the observed error states exceed a threshold. In this basic state, the link allows only SMP traffic and prevents data traffic and non-SMP based management traffic.

Abstract: A system and method can support security management in a network environment. A switch in the network environment includes a switch chip, which is configured with a secure management key (M_Key) prior to one or more external links becoming operational. Furthermore, a local daemon in the switch can monitor the secure M_key on the switch chip, and persistently store a current M_key used by a local subnet manager (SM). The current M_key is a state that is dynamically updated in a fabric in the network environment.

Abstract: Systems and methods for supporting dual-port virtual router in a high performance computing environment. In accordance with an embodiment, a dual port router abstraction can provide a simple way for enabling subnet-to-subnet router functionality to be defined based on a switch hardware implementation. A virtual dual-port router can logically be connected outside a corresponding switch port. This virtual dual-port router can provide an InfiniBand specification compliant view to a standard management entity, such as a Subnet Manager. In accordance with an embodiment, a dual-ported router model implies that different subnets can be connected in a way where each subnet fully controls the forwarding of packets as well as address mappings in the ingress path to the subnet.

Abstract: System and method for supporting a flexible framework for extendable SMA attributes in a high performance computing environment. In accordance with an embodiment, an information attribute can provide for enhancements in a number of areas. For example, in addition to indicating which version of an interface a queried node supports, the information attribute can additionally provide a mask indicating which vendor specific SMA attributes the node supports. In this way, a subnet manager can identify a version of an interface at each node in a subnet, as well as each node's SMA attribute capabilities. In turn, this allows nodes to run different versions of an interface within a same subnet, without introducing confusion.

Abstract: System and method for supporting scalable representation of switch port status in a high performance computing environment. In accordance with an embodiment, a scalable representation of switch port status can be provided. By adding a scalable representation of switch port status at each switch (both physical and virtual)—instead of getting all switch port changes individually, the scalable representation of switch port status can combine a number of ports that can scale by just using a few bits of information for each port's status.

Abstract: System and method for supporting scalable representation of link stability and availability in a high performance computing environment. A method can provide at attribute at each node in a subnet, wherein the attribute provides a single location at each node for a subnet manager to query the stability and availability of each link connected to the queried node. The attribute can be populated and maintained by a subnet management agent residing at the node.

Abstract: System and method for providing an InfiniBand network device having a vendor-specific attribute that contains a signature of the vendor. An exemplary embodiment can provide an InfiniBand compatible network device from a vendor. The vendor can further define a subnet management attribute, where the subnet management attribute has an attribute identifier in the range of attribute identifiers reserved in the InfiniBand specification. The vendor can define a signature bit string that is a fixed number of bits in length and a number of offset bits, where the number of offset bits indicates the start of the signature bit string within the attribute. The subnet management attribute can be configured with the signature bit string starting where the offset bits indicate, and the subnet management attribute can be included as an attribute of the InfiniBand compatible network device.