Patents Assigned to Brocade Communication Systems, Inc.
  • System And Method For Detecting And Isolating A Remote Loop
    Publication number: 20120106361
    Abstract: A system and method are provided for enabling a first network to detect a loop in a second network connected thereto. The first network runs a first instance of a Spanning Tree Protocol and the second network runs either a different instance or no instance. The method includes sending a Remote Loop Detection Packet (“RLDP”) from the ports in bridges of the first network which are connected to the second network. The RLDP includes identifiers such as the source bridge, port and VLAN. The system and method further includes checking for receipt of the RLDP on the same bridge which sent the RLDP. If such a receipt occurs, a loop is detected and one of the ports of the receiving/sending bridge is blocked.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 19, 2011
    Publication date: May 3, 2012
    Applicant: Brocade Communications Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Jordi Moncada-Elias, Rajiv Ramanathan
  • METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR ESTABLISHING METAZONES ACROSS DISSIMILAR NETWORKS
    Publication number: 20120106572
    Abstract: A system and method for creating and enforcing meta-zones that cross the interface between different network protocols are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method of enforcing meta-zones comprises: (a) receiving an Infiniband (IB) packet destined for a Fibre Channel (FC) target device; (b) comparing a partition key in the IB packet to a partition key associated with the FC target device; and (c) converting the IB packet to a FC frame only if the partition keys match. The method may further comprise receiving FC frames destined for an IB target device and converting the FC frame into an IB packet having a partition key associated with the source of the FC frame. Also disclosed are a gateway configured to create and enforce meta-zones, and computer networks having such a gateway.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 11, 2012
    Publication date: May 3, 2012
    Applicant: BROCADE COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEMS, INC.
    Inventor: Howard GREEN
  • Virtual disk mapping
    Patent number: 8171253
    Abstract: A storage area network can include a storage virtualization entity—intelligent storage application resource (iSAR)—either as a separate device in the fabric, or as an integrated module in one or more switches within the fabric. All I/O operations can be re-directed to iSAR for processing. iSAR can segment virtual storage and physical storage into units, where each unit of the virtual storage is mapped to a single unit in physical storage. Data associated with incoming I/O operation can be compressed before being stored in physical storage. iSAR includes overflow reserve storage at the block, sub-page and page level to accommodate changes in compressed data size on subsequent I/O operations. These measures can improve I/O performance and reduce fragmentation. iSAR can also employ deduplication of incoming data stored on physical storage to improve storage efficiency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2012
    Assignee: Brocade Communications Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Senthilkumar Narayanasamy
  • PATH DIAGNOSIS IN COMMUNICATION NETWORKS
    Publication number: 20120099443
    Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention provides a system for mapping all possible paths between a source node and a destination node. During operation, the system receives a management frame, determines all possible next-hop nodes based on a destination address carried in the payload of the management frame. The system then selects one of the next-hop nodes, and modifies payload of the received management frame to include information associated with the next-hop nodes and the selected next-hop node. The system then forwards the modified data frame to the selected next-hop node.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 8, 2011
    Publication date: April 26, 2012
    Applicant: BROCADE COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEMS, INC.
    Inventors: Dennis Makishima, Vidya Renganarayanan, Anil Kumar Chintalapati, Sathish K. Gnanasekaran, Daniel Ji Young Park Chung, Vidya Sagar Ravipati
  • END-TO-END VIRTUALIZATION
    Publication number: 20120099602
    Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention provides a system that facilitates end-to-end virtualization. During operation, a network interface residing on an end host sets up a tunnel. The network interface then encapsulates a packet destined to a virtual machine based on a tunneling protocol. By establishing a tunnel that allows a source host to address a remote virtual machine, embodiments of the present invention facilitate end-to-end virtualization.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 10, 2011
    Publication date: April 26, 2012
    Applicant: BROCADE COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEMS, INC.
    Inventors: Venkatesh Nagapudi, Satsheel B. Altekar
  • Dynamic configuration of liveliness detection
    Patent number: 8165032
    Abstract: Techniques for dynamically establishing and configuring a liveliness detection session for a local repair connection of a connection. In one set of embodiments, a signaling message is received at a node configured to maintain a local repair connection for a connection. A configuration parameter is identified in the signaling message, where the configuration parameter pertains to a liveliness detection mechanism or protocol. A liveliness detection session is then established for the local repair connection based on the configuration parameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2012
    Assignee: Brocade Communications Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Mohammad Hanif, Lisa Hong Nguyen
  • DOMAIN NAME SYSTEM SECURITY EXTENSIONS (DNSSEC) FOR GLOBAL SERVER LOAD BALANCING
    Publication number: 20120096166
    Abstract: Techniques are provided to enable a network device, such as a switch, to perform global server load balancing (GSLB) while operating as a proxy to a domain name system security extensions (DNSSEC)-capable authoritative DNS server. The network device preserves an original signature generated by the DNSSEC-capable authoritative DNS server for a resource record set contained in a DNSSEC reply.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 29, 2010
    Publication date: April 19, 2012
    Applicant: Brocade Communications Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Sridhar J. Devarapalli, Prajakta S. Joshi
  • REDUNDANCY LOGIC
    Publication number: 20120096310
    Abstract: A network system provides network device having a secondary memory that mirrors the content of a primary memory maintaining data structure parameters entries. The integrity of each data structure parameter entry is tested as the entry is output from the primary memory, such as by using a parity test. If an error is detected in the entry, a corresponding entry from the second memory structure is select for use instead of the entry from the primary memory. The corresponding entries in each memory are then flushed, updated, synchronized, or overwritten from the each memory and processing continues using the new entries or other entries from the primary memory. In the rare instance that corresponding entries from both memories exhibit an error, then an error notification is issued.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 18, 2010
    Publication date: April 19, 2012
    Applicant: BROCADE COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEMS, INC.
    Inventors: Surya Prakash Varanasi, Kung-Ling Ko, Satsheel B. Altekar, Venkata Pramod Balakavi
  • Method and system for facilitating QoS zoning in a network
    Patent number: 8160072
    Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention provides a system that facilitates end-to-end quality of service (QoS) between a source and a destination in a network. During operation, the system allocates virtual channels on an output port of a switch to a number of quality of service (QoS) levels. The system further assigns a virtual channel to a traffic flow based on a QoS zone, wherein the QoS zone is identified by a host identifier, a target identifier, and a QoS level of the traffic flow. In addition, the system forwards data frames in the traffic flow via the assigned virtual channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2012
    Assignee: Brocade Communications Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Sathish K. Gnanasekaran, Ponpandiaraj Rajarathinam, Vineet M. Abraham
  • Pluggable transceiver module with enhanced circuitry
    Patent number: 8161332
    Abstract: Pluggable transceiver modules with additional functions and circuitry contained within the module. In a first embodiment, additional circuitry is added to determine bit error rates at the point of the module itself. This allows a much better diagnostic evaluation of location of problem. In an alternate embodiment, various logic is placed in the module. In a first alternate embodiment encryption/decryption units are placed in the converter module so that encryption and decryption operations on the serial bitstream do not need to be performed in a switch. Existing switches can be used but the interconnecting links can still be encrypted. A second alternate embodiment includes compression/decompression units placed in the module to allow effective higher throughput on the selected links.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2012
    Assignee: Brocade Communications Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: David Aaron Skirmont, Daniel Kiernan Kilkenny, Surya Parkash Varanasi, Kung-Ling Ko
  • LINK STATE RELAY FOR PHYSICAL LAYER EMULATION
    Publication number: 20120087232
    Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention provides a fault-management system. During operation, the system identifies a failure at a remote location associated with a communication service. The system then determines a local port used for the communication service, and suspends the local port, thereby allowing the failure to be detected by a device coupled to the local port.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2011
    Publication date: April 12, 2012
    Applicant: BROCADE COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEMS, INC.
    Inventors: Srinivas S. Hanabe, Jitendra Verma, Eswara S. P. Chinthalapati
  • DYNAMIC LATENCY-BASED REROUTING
    Publication number: 20120075999
    Abstract: A switch creates and dynamically updates a latency map of a network to adjust routing of flows. Further, the network is monitored to detect latency issues and trigger a dynamic adjustment of routing based on the latency map. In this manner, a flow can be routed along a route (i.e., a faster route) that provides less latency than other available routes. The latency map can be generated based on latency probe packets that are issued from and returned to the source switch. By evaluating many such latent probe packets that have traveled along many available routes (e.g., corresponding to various ports of the switch), the switch or associated administrative logic can dynamically adjust the latency map to updated latency information of available routes. Therefore, responsive to a trigger, the source switch can dynamically adjust the routing of a flow based on latency issues discerned from the network.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2010
    Publication date: March 29, 2012
    Applicant: BROCADE COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEMS, INC.
    Inventors: Kung-Ling Ko, Surya Prakash Varanasi, Satsheel B. Altekar, John Michael Terry, Vankata Pramod Balakavi
  • Transmission bandwidth quality of service
    Publication number: 20120076149
    Abstract: A bandwidth limiting circuit provides limiting the bandwidth of a group of virtual channels at a transmitting port to a maximum value. A limiting circuit includes a register that is repeatedly incremented with a threshold value, which threshold value is related to the desired maximum bandwidth for the group. The register is decremented by the frame length, in bytes, of the frame transmitted from one of the virtual channels belonging to the group. A comparator enables frame transmission for the group if the register value is greater than zero. A bandwidth guarantee circuit provides at least the bandwidth specified by the limiting circuit. The guarantee circuit enables one of the groups for frame transmission based on a fairness algorithm when the outputs of comparators of each of the limiting circuit are low.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 23, 2010
    Publication date: March 29, 2012
    Applicant: BROCADE COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEMS, INC.
    Inventors: Kung-Ling Ko, Tony Nguyen, Venkata Pramod Balakavi
  • Side-exhaust cooling system with extensible duct for rack mounted equipment
    Patent number: 8144464
    Abstract: A cooling device for rack mount equipment comprises an extensible side duct, open on its inner and rear-facing sides which redirects warm exhaust air exiting vents in the side of a chassis towards the rear of an enclosure holding the chassis. An apparatus incorporating the cooling device may be installed in a rack with the extensible side duct in a retracted position. The extensible side duct may extend under the influence of air pressure, forming a plenum in fluid communication with the interior of a chassis on which it is mounted such that warm air exiting the chassis is collected in the plenum formed by the extensible side duct and directed out towards the rear of the chassis. Use of the apparatus permits conventional front-to-back cooling airflow patterns to be maintained even with chassis having side exhaust vents.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2012
    Assignee: Brocade Communication Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Anthony Siebe VanDerVeen, Daniel Kiernan Kilkenny
  • CONGESTION NOTIFICATION ACROSS MULTIPLE LAYER-2 DOMAINS
    Publication number: 20120063316
    Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention provides a congestion notification. During operation, the system receives a congestion notification message with a destination layer-2 address set as the receiving mechanism's layer-2 address. The system modifies a destination layer-2 address, a source layer-2 address, and optionally a VLAN identifier of the congestion notification message, and forwards the modified congestion notification message.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 23, 2011
    Publication date: March 15, 2012
    Applicant: BROCADE COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEMS, INC.
    Inventors: Anoop Ghanwani, Shunjia Yu
  • Manageability Tools for Lossless Networks
    Publication number: 20120063329
    Abstract: Manageability tools are provided for allowing an administrator to have better control over switches in a lossless network of switches. These tools provide the ability to detect slow drain and congestion bottlenecks, detect stuck virtual channels and loss of credits, while hold times on edge ASICs to be different from hold times encore ASICs, and mitigate severe latency bottlenecks.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 14, 2010
    Publication date: March 15, 2012
    Applicant: BROCADE COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEMS, INC.
    Inventors: Sathish Kumar Gnanasekaran, Rishi Sinha, Michael Gee
  • Manageability Tools for Lossless Networks
    Publication number: 20120063333
    Abstract: Manageability tools are provided for allowing an administrator to have better control over switches in a lossless network of switches. These tools provide the ability to detect slow drain and congestion bottlenecks, detect stuck virtual channels and loss of credits, while hold times on edge ASICs to be different from hold times encore ASICs, and mitigate severe latency bottlenecks.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 14, 2010
    Publication date: March 15, 2012
    Applicant: BROCADE COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEMS, INC.
    Inventors: Sathish Kumar Gnanasekaran, Rishi Sinha
  • Manageability Tools for Lossless Networks
    Publication number: 20120063303
    Abstract: Manageability tools are provided for allowing an administrator to have better control over switches in a lossless network of switches. These tools provide the ability to detect slow drain and congestion bottlenecks, detect stuck virtual channels and loss of credits, while hold times on edge ASICs to be different from hold times encore ASICs, and mitigate severe latency bottlenecks.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 14, 2010
    Publication date: March 15, 2012
    Applicant: BROCADE COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEMS, INC.
    Inventors: Sathish Kumar Gnanasekaran, Dennis Hideo Makishima, Abhijit Seal
  • Manageability Tools for Lossless Networks
    Publication number: 20120063304
    Abstract: Manageability tools are provided for allowing an administrator to have better control over switches in a lossless network of switches. These tools provide the ability to detect slow drain and congestion bottlenecks, detect stuck virtual channels and loss of credits, while hold times on edge ASICs to be different from hold times encore ASICs, and mitigate severe latency bottlenecks.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 14, 2010
    Publication date: March 15, 2012
    Applicant: BROCADE COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEMS, INC.
    Inventors: Sathish Kumar Gnanasekaran, Rishi Sinha
  • Caching remote switch information in a Fibre Channel switch
    Patent number: 8135009
    Abstract: A network of switches with a distributed name server configuration and caching of remote node device information is disclosed. The network preferably comprises a first switch coupled to a second switch. Each of the switches directly couple to respective node devices. The first switch maintains a name server database about its local node devices, as does the second switch. The second switch further maintains a information cache about remote node devices. The name server preferably notifies other switches of changes to the database, and the cache manager preferably uses the notifications from other switches to maintain the cache. The name server accesses the cache to respond to queries about remote node devices. The cache manager may also aggregate notification messages from other switches when notifying local devices of state changes. Traffic overhead and peak traffic loads may advantageously be reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2012
    Assignee: Brocade Communications Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Lalit D. Pathak, Raymond C. Tsai, Richard L. Hammons