Patents Assigned to Brocade Communications Systems, Inc.
  • Exact match lookup scheme
    Patent number: 9280609
    Abstract: An exact match lookup system includes a hash function that generates a hash value in response to an input hash key. The hash value is used to retrieve a hash bucket index value from a hash bucket index table. The hash bucket index value is used to retrieve a plurality of hash keys from a plurality of hash bucket tables, in parallel. The retrieved hash keys are compared with the input hash key to identify a match. Hit logic generates an output index by concatenating the hash bucket index value with an address associated with the hash bucket table that provides the matching hash key. An exact match result is provided in response to the output index. A content addressable memory (CAM) may store hash keys that do not fit in the hash bucket tables.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2016
    Assignee: Brocade Communications Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Jian Liu
  • Selection of environmental profile based on system configuration
    Patent number: 9279597
    Abstract: Method and apparatus provide for cooling a system. For example, a network communication system may include a central processing unit (CPU) and a fan controller. A chassis includes a plurality of receiving portions, each portion configured to receive a field replaceable unit (FRU). The chassis may also include a fan and a temperature sensor. The system CPU is configured to load a plurality of environmental profiles into fan controller memory, each profile indicating a fan speed for the fan based on a temperature reading from the temperature sensor. The fan controller is to determine a first configuration of the network communication device as to which FRUs are installed in the chassis and to select an environmental profile from the fan controller memory to use based on the determined first configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2016
    Assignee: Brocade Communications Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Michael K. T. Lee
  • Tilted printed circuit board installation
    Patent number: 9282671
    Abstract: A blade for a chassis-based system includes a printed circuit board (PCB) mounted at a tilt angle within the blade. The tilt angle provides space above or below the PCB at the front end of the blade, such that media interface modules can be flexibly positioned within the blade. A tilt angle that positions the PCB higher near the front end of the blade may enable media interface modules mounted in a belly-to-belly configuration on the PCB to be fitted within the front end of the blade. A tilt angle that positions the PCB lower near the front end of the blade may enable media interface modules mounted on the upper surface of the PCB to be fitted within the first end of the blade. The tilt angle also positions a backplane connector mounted on the PCB to properly engage a backplane when the blade is inserted into a slot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2016
    Assignee: Brocade Communications Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: David A. Skirmont, Daniel K. Kilkenny
  • Core-trunking across cores on physically separated processors allocated to a virtual machine based on configuration information including context information for virtual machines
    Patent number: 9274851
    Abstract: Techniques for providing core-based virtualization based upon cores provided by one or more processors of a system. A device such as a network device comprising multiple processor cores provides for core-based virtualization. According to one embodiment, a network device is provided comprising a first subsystem for processing packets received by the network device. The first subsystem may comprise a set of one or more processors, the one or more processors providing a plurality of cores. Each core in the plurality of cores may have associated memory resources.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2016
    Assignee: Brocade Communications Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: David Cheung, Mani Prasad Kancherla, Deepak Kothari, Gary Hemminger
  • Synchronization of multicast information using incremental updates
    Patent number: 9276756
    Abstract: Techniques that enable a network device such as a router to provide multicast routing services without interruption, even in the event of a switchover. An incremental updates technique is used to synchronize multicast information maintained by a first processor and multicast information maintained by a second processor. The first processor may be a management processor operating in active mode in a network device and the second processor may be a management processor operating in standby mode in the network device. The second processor may also be a processor on a linecard of the network device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2016
    Assignee: Brocade Communications Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Mehul Dholakia, Wing-Keung Adam Yeung, Ajeer S. Pudiyapura
  • Name services for virtual cluster switching
    Patent number: 9270486
    Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention provides a switch that facilitates name services in a virtual cluster switch. The switch includes a name service database indicating at least one media access control (MAC) address learned at a second switch. The switch also includes a control mechanism. During operation, the control mechanism distributes information on a locally learned MAC address to the second switch. In addition, the control mechanism receives information on a MAC address learned at the second switch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2016
    Assignee: BROCADE COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEMS, INC.
    Inventors: Suresh Vobbilisetty, Phanidhar Koganti, Jesse B. Willeke
  • Transmission control protocol window size adjustment for out-of-order protocol data unit removal
    Patent number: 9270609
    Abstract: A system and method for sharing a WAN TCP tunnel between multiple flows without having head of the line blocking problem is disclosed. When a complete but out of order PDU is stuck behind an incomplete PDU in a TCP tunnel, the complete but out of order PDU is removed from the tunnel. To do that, first the boundaries of the PDUs of the different flows are preserved and the TCP receive window advertisement is increased. The receive window is opened when initially receiving out-of-order data. As out-of-order complete PDUs are pulled out of the receive queue, to address double counting, place holders are used in the receive queue to indicate data that was in the queue. As out-of-order data PDUs are pulled out of the queue the window advertisement is increased. This keeps the sending side from running out of TX window and stopping transmission of new data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2016
    Assignee: Brocade Communications Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Siva Adiraju, Ryan Hegland, Isaac Larson, Andy Dooley
  • Monitoring server load balancing
    Patent number: 9270566
    Abstract: Embodiments described herein discuss an approach to implementing load-balancing across multiple monitoring servers. One such embodiment describes a network monitoring device. The network monitoring device includes an ingress port, for receiving mirrored network packets, and a number of egress ports. The egress ports are associated with a number of monitoring servers, and used to forward the mirrored network packets to the monitoring servers. A packet classifier, coupled to the ingress port, examines the mirrored network packets, and determines which of the monitoring servers should receive the packets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2016
    Assignee: Brocade Communications Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Bing Wang, David Cheung
  • Method and system for traffic isolation in a network
    Patent number: 9270580
    Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention provides a system that facilitates traffic isolation (TI) in a network. During operation, the system configures a set of switch ports as members of a TI zone. The switch ports are part of an end-to-end path across one or more switch domains between a source and a destination. The switch ports within the TI zone and outside the TI Zone belong to a common storage area network (SAN) zone which compartmentalizes data for security purposes. The system then determines whether a data flow entering a switch domain belongs to the TI zone. The system subsequently forwards the data flow to the next port within the TI zone if the data flow belongs to the TI zone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2016
    Assignee: BROCADE COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEMS, INC.
    Inventors: Vineet M. Abraham, Sathish K. Gnanasekaran, Shashank R. Tadisina, Daniel Ji Yong Park Chung, Raymond Yimin Lai
  • Layer-3 support in TRILL networks
    Patent number: 9270572
    Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention provides a switch. The switch includes an IP header processor and a forwarding mechanism. The IP header processor identifies a destination IP address in a packet encapsulated with an inner Ethernet header, a TRILL header, and an outer Ethernet header. The forwarding mechanism determines an output port and constructs a new header for the packet based on the destination IP address. The switch also includes a packet processor which determines whether (1) an inner destination media access control (MAC) address corresponds to a local MAC address assigned to the switch; (2) a destination RBridge identifier corresponds to a local RBridge identifier assigned to the switch; and (3) an outer destination MAC address corresponds to the local MAC address.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2016
    Assignee: BROCADE COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEMS INC.
    Inventors: Phanidhar Koganti, Anoop Ghanwani, Suresh Vobbilisetty, Rajiv Krishnamurthy, Nagarajan Venkatesan, Shunjia Yu
  • Scalable map displays
    Patent number: 9264317
    Abstract: A desired node is selected from a tree structure or list and then a number of levels from that node are displayed in a map. For edge nodes, the number of undisplayed links from that node is displayed. When another node is selected on the map, the number of levels is recalculated based on that node or the existing nodes remain and the desired level is additionally displayed from the selected node. Multiple nodes can be selected from the list, which may result in separated islands which join when an common node is displayed in each island. Filters can be applied to limit the number of nodes. The filtering may either remove nodes from the display or provide an indication of the number of undisplayed nodes meeting the filter and any displayed nodes meeting the filter. The technique can be used on most linked networks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2016
    Assignee: Brocade Communications Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Suresh Muthu, Naveen Kondapalli
  • PROGRESSIVE MAC ADDRESS LEARNING
    Publication number: 20160043950
    Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention provides a switch in a network of interconnected switches. The switch includes a storage device, a hardware management apparatus, and a layer-2 management apparatus. The storage device stores a forwarding table, which includes an entry comprising a MAC address and an egress port for the MAC address. The hardware management apparatus determines whether a destination MAC address of a frame is present in a hardware table in memory of the switch. The layer-2 management apparatus, in response to a determination that the destination MAC address is not present in the hardware table, looks up a first entry comprising the destination MAC address in the forwarding table, and creates a second entry comprising the destination MAC address in the hardware table based on the first entry.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 10, 2015
    Publication date: February 11, 2016
    Applicant: BROCADE COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEMS, INC.
    Inventors: Suresh Vobbilisetty, Mythilikanth Raman, Phanidhar Koganti, Raju Shekarappa, Mahesh K. Pujara, Pankaj K. Jha
  • LINK STATE RELAY FOR PHYSICAL LAYER EMULATION
    Publication number: 20160041888
    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: October 21, 2015
    Publication date: February 11, 2016
    Applicant: BROCADE COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEMS, INC.
    Inventors: Srinivas S. Hanabe, Jitendra Verma, Eswara S. P. Chinthalapati
  • GLOBAL VLAN SERVICES
    Publication number: 20160036774
    Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention provides a switch in a network of interconnected switches. The switch includes a forwarding domain apparatus and a forwarding apparatus. The forwarding domain apparatus maintains a mapping between a first virtual local area network (VLAN) identifier and a first global VLAN identifier in a local storage device. The global VLAN identifier represents a layer-2 forwarding domain in the network and is distinct from a customer VLAN or a service-provider VLAN. The mapping is independent of a type of the VLAN identifier. During operation, the forwarding apparatus encapsulates a first packet belonging to the first VLAN in a network encapsulation header. The encapsulated packet is forwardable in the network based on the network encapsulation header. The forwarding apparatus includes the first global VLAN identifier in the network encapsulation header of the first packet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 31, 2015
    Publication date: February 4, 2016
    Applicant: BROCADE COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEMS, INC.
    Inventors: Chi Lung Chong, Ganesh D. Venkata
  • SCALABLE MAC ADDRESS VIRTUALIZATION
    Publication number: 20160036703
    Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention provides a switch. The switch includes one or more ports, a media access control (MAC) address management apparatus, and a forwarding apparatus. The MAC address management apparatus generates a routable MAC address mapped to an end device's MAC address learned from one of the one or more ports. The routable MAC address includes an endpoint identifier identifying an endpoint for the end device. The forwarding apparatus swaps the learned MAC address with the routable MAC address in a header of a packet. Alternatively, the MAC address management apparatus provides one or more routable MAC addresses to a hypervisor for assigning to virtual machines running on the hypervisor. The forwarding apparatus then determines an egress port from the one or more ports for a packet comprising a routable MAC address based on the endpoint identifier.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 14, 2015
    Publication date: February 4, 2016
    Applicant: BROCADE COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEMS, INC.
    Inventor: Ramakanth Josyula
  • Ejector and cable management system and method
    Patent number: 9253912
    Abstract: An electronic device includes a blade having a faceplate and a handle out locked position ejector. The handle out locked position ejector is configured to secure the blade to a chassis. The handle out locked position ejector includes two ejectors and a handle binding the two ejectors together. The handle out locked position ejector extends perpendicularly from the faceplate when the blade is secured to the chassis thus locating the handle out of the way of ports of the blade.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2016
    Assignee: BROCADE COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEMS, INC.
    Inventors: David Skirmont, Dan Kilkenny, Eric Farnholtz, Anthony Vanderveen, Peter Doyle
  • Electronic component cooling system and method
    Patent number: 9253919
    Abstract: An electronic device includes a fan field replaceable unit (FRU). The fan FRU includes a fan FRU chassis defining an airflow pathway through the fan FRU. A fan within the fan FRU chassis causes air to flow along the airflow pathway. The fan FRU further includes an edge connector located at a front face of the fan FRU out of the way of the airflow pathway. Accordingly, the edge connector does not block airflow through the fan FRU thus maximizing the efficiency of the fan FRU and the cooling of the electronic device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2016
    Assignee: BROCADE COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEMS, INC.
    Inventor: Michael K. T. Lee
  • OVERLAY TUNNEL IN A FABRIC SWITCH
    Publication number: 20160028626
    Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention provides a switch. The switch includes a tunnel management module, a packet processor, and a forwarding module. The tunnel management module operates the switch as a tunnel gateway capable of terminating an overlay tunnel. During operation, the packet processor, which is coupled to the tunnel management module, identifies in a data packet a virtual Internet Protocol (IP) address associated with a virtual tunnel gateway. This virtual tunnel gateway is associated with the switch and the data packet is associated with the overlay tunnel. The forwarding module determines an output port for an inner packet in the data packet based on a destination address of the inner packet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 1, 2015
    Publication date: January 28, 2016
    Applicant: BROCADE COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEMS, INC.
    Inventor: Phanidhar Koganti
  • Remote port mirroring
    Patent number: 9246703
    Abstract: A switch that facilitates remote port mirroring is described. The switch can include an encapsulation mechanism and a forwarding mechanism. The encapsulation mechanism can be configured to encapsulate a copy of a first packet in a second packet, thereby preserving header information (e.g., a VLAN identifier and/or a TRILL header) of the first packet. The forwarding mechanism can be configured to forward the first packet using header information of the first packet, and forward the second packet using header information of the second packet. The second packet can be received at a destination switch which extracts the first packet from the second packet, and sends the first packet on a port which is coupled to a network analyzer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2016
    Assignee: BROCADE COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEMS, INC.
    Inventors: Shunjia Yu, Phanidhar Koganti, John Michael Terry, Dilip Chatwani
  • Traffic management for virtual cluster switching
    Patent number: 9231890
    Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention provides a switch system. The switch includes one or more ports on the switch configured to transmit packets encapsulated based on a first protocol. The switch further includes a traffic management mechanism and a control mechanism. During operation, the control mechanism forms a logical switch based on a second protocol, receives an automatically assigned identifier for the logical switch without requiring manual configuration of the identifier, and joins a virtual cluster switch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2016
    Assignee: BROCADE COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEMS, INC.
    Inventors: Suresh Vobbilisetty, Phanidhar Koganti, Dilip Chatwani