Abstract: A method for decreasing routing latency of a switching platform comprises identifying ports which have changed their operational state and modifying the port polling code associated with the respective ports so that operational ports are polled for frames to be routed, while non-operational ports are not polled. In one embodiment, the method is implemented in a fibre channel switch. Non-operational ports are identified as having operational states below a pre-determined threshold level of functionality. The polling code for the ports is modified while polling operations are carried out in the switch. The code for a newly operational port is modified by copying into the code one or more instructions that poll the port for a frame and routes the frame. The code for a newly non-operational port is modified by copying into the code a branch instruction that bypasses the remainder of the polling code for the port.

Abstract: Inquiry data received from sequential target devices is stored in a cache memory. In one embodiment, the cache memory is coupled to a router. In one embodiment, when the router receives from a host an inquiry command about a target, the router first checks to see if the inquiry command can be serviced from the cache. If so, the inquiry data about the target is retrieved from the cache and returned to the host. If not, the router checks to see if the target is busy. If not busy, the router routes the inquiry command to the target and stores the inquiry data returned by the target in the cache. If the target is busy, the router places the inquiry command in a queue. When the target becomes available, the router forwards the inquiry command to the target for processing, thereby keeping the inquiry command from timing out.

Abstract: One embodiment includes a system providing application-layer functionality between one or more database clients and one or more database servers. The system includes one or more decoders residing at a decoding layer above a network layer. The decoders reside at a first network location between one or more database clients residing at one or more second network locations and one or more database servers residing at one or more third network locations. The decoders receive database messages communicated from the database clients and intended for the database servers and database messages communicated from the database servers and intended for the database clients, decode the database messages, and extract query-language statements from the database messages. The system also includes an application residing at an application layer above the decoding layer. The application resides at the first network location. The application receives and processes query-language statements extracted at the decoders.

Abstract: A storage router (56) and storage network (50) provide virtual local storage on remote SCSI storage devices (60, 62, 64) to Fibre Channel devices. A plurality of Fibre Channel devices, such as workstations (58), are connected to a Fibre Channel transport medium (52), and a plurality of SCSI storage devices (60, 62, 64) are connected to a SCSI bus transport medium (54) The storage router (56) interfaces between the Fibre Channel transport medium (52) and the SCSI bus transport medium (54). The storage router (56) maps between the workstations (58) and the SCSI storage devices (60, 62, 64) and implements access controls for storage space on the SCSI storage devices (60, 62, 64). The storage router (56) then allows access from the workstations (58) to the SCSI storage devices (60, 62, 64) using native low level, block protocol in accordance with the mapping and the access controls.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide systems and methods for processing concurrent extended copy commands. One embodiment can include a method for processing multiple extended copy commands that comprises receiving at least two extended copy commands that specify the same destination device, reading data from source devices specified in the extended copy commands; and writing data to the destination device in the order the data is received from the source devices, wherein the data written to the destination device comprises intermingled data corresponding to the multiple threads. Thus, embodiments of the present invention can interleave data from multiple threads to a destination device.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide a media library controller that can communicate with multiple physical libraries that are physically separate from each other (i.e., that cannot pass media back and forth). The media library controller can maintain a virtualized aggregate media library representing the physical media libraries with which it is in communication. From the physical media libraries, the media library controller can establish a virtual media library and associate a host with the virtual media library. The virtual media library can represent the portions of a physical media library to which the host is allowed access.

Abstract: One embodiment includes a system for application-layer monitoring of communication between one or more database clients and one or more database servers. The system includes one or more decoders residing at a decoding layer above a network layer. The decoders reside at a first network location between one or more database clients residing at one or more second network locations and one or more database servers residing at one or more third network locations. The decoders receive database messages communicated from the database clients and intended for the database servers and database messages communicated from the database servers and intended for the database clients, decode the database messages, and extract query-language statements from the database messages. The system also includes a monitoring application residing at an application layer above the decoding layer. The monitoring application resides at the first network location.

Abstract: Systems and methods for sharable tape devices are presented. More particularly, embodiments of a virtual tape server may automatically create a virtual tape device for an identified host such that hosts may interact with corresponding virtual tape devices. Thus, rather than having multiple hosts share a limited number of virtual tape devices, each host may interact with a virtual tape device corresponding only to that host (or a limited number of hosts), allowing substantially simultaneous interactions to take place between multiple hosts and multiple virtual tape devices and substantially alleviating the need of an application on a particular host to take into account other hosts or other applications when scheduling operations.

Abstract: One embodiment includes a system providing application-layer functionality between one or more database clients and one or more database servers. The system includes one or more decoders residing at a decoding layer above a network layer. The decoders reside at a first network location between one or more database clients residing at one or more second network locations and one or more database servers residing at one or more third network locations. The decoders receive database messages communicated from the database clients and intended for the database servers and database messages communicated from the database servers and intended for the database clients, decode the database messages, and extract query-language statements from the database messages. The system also includes an application residing at an application layer above the decoding layer. The application resides at the first network location. The application receives and processes query-language statements extracted at the decoders.

Abstract: One embodiment includes a system for application-layer monitoring of communication between one or more database clients and one or more database servers. The system includes one or more decoders residing at a decoding layer above a network layer. The decoders reside at a first network location between one or more database clients residing at one or more second network locations and one or more database servers residing at one or more third network locations. The decoders receive database messages communicated from the database clients and intended for the database servers and database messages communicated from the database servers and intended for the database clients, decode the database messages, and extract query-language statements from the database messages. The system also includes a monitoring application residing at an application layer above the decoding layer. The monitoring application resides at the first network location.

Abstract: A method for decreasing routing latency of a switching platform comprises identifying ports which have changed their operational state and modifying the port polling code associated with the respective ports so that operational ports are polled for frames to be routed, while non-operational ports are not polled. In one embodiment, the method is implemented in a fiber channel switch. Non-operational ports are identified as having operational states below a pre-determined threshold level of functionality. The polling code for the ports is modified while polling operations are carried out in the switch. The code for a newly operational port is modified by copying into the code one or more instructions that poll the port for a frame and routes the frame. The code for a newly non-operational port is modified by copying into the code a branch instruction that bypasses the remainder of the polling code for the port.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide a media library controller that can communicate with multiple physical libraries that are physically separate from each other (i.e., that cannot pass media back and forth). The media library controller can maintain a virtualized aggregate media library representing the physical media libraries with which it is in communication. From the physical media libraries, the media library controller can establish a virtual media library and associate a host with the virtual media library. The virtual media library can represent the portions of a physical media library to which the host is allowed access.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide for conversion between command protocols. A routing device, or other device in the command path, can receive a command from an initiator, determine if the initiator and target for the command support the same command protocol and, if not, convert the command and/or response between the command protocols used by the initiator and the target. For commands not supported by the target or for particular predetermined commands, the device can generate a response to the command rather than passing the command to the target. Additionally, the device can modify responses from the target to include additional data and indications of errors according to the command protocol supported by the initiator.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide a system and method of media library access that eliminates, or at least substantially reduces, the shortcomings of prior art media library access systems and methods. More particularly, embodiments of the present invention provide systems and methods of distributed mapping of media library partitions. According to one embodiment, the present invention can include a first controller connected to a data transport element of a media library and a second controller connected to a media changer of the media library. The first controller can maintain a media library partition representing a portion of the media library, receive a command from a host application based on the media library partition and forward the command to the second controller. The first controller can further translate logical addresses referenced in the command to physical addresses before forwarding the command to the second controller.

Abstract: A storage router (56) and storage network (50) provide virtual local storage on remote SCSI storage devices (60, 62, 64) to Fibre Channel devices. A plurality of Fibre Channel devices, such as workstations (58), are connected to a Fibre Channel transport medium (52), and a plurality of SCSI storage devices (60, 62, 64) are connected to a SCSI bus transport medium (54) The storage router (56) interfaces between the Fibre Channel transport medium (52) and the SCSI bus transport medium (54). The storage router (56) maps between the workstations (58) and the SCSI storage devices (60, 62, 64) and implements access controls for storage space on the SCSI storage devices (60, 62, 64). The storage router (56) then allows access from the workstations (58) to the SCSI storage devices (60, 62, 64) using native low level, block protocol in accordance with the mapping and the access controls.

Abstract: Systems and methods for distributing management information in a computing system over existing power are disclosed. Embodiments of these systems and methods may eliminate the need for a separate physical network to distribute management information in the computer system and the commensurate physical hardware need to implement these networks. More particularly, embodiments may provide a management system which may place a management communication on a physical transport medium. This management communication may then be placed on the power lines used to power the various components of the computing system and distributed to the various components along these power lines, where it may be received by its intended recipient and acted upon if necessary.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide a system and method of media library access that eliminates, or at least substantially reduces, the shortcomings of prior art media library access systems and methods. More particularly, embodiments of the present invention provide systems and methods of distributed mapping of media library partitions. According to one embodiment, the present invention can include a first controller connected to a data transport element of a media library and a second controller connected to a media changer of the media library. The first controller can maintain a media library partition representing a portion of the media library, receive a command from a host application based on the media library partition and forward the command to the second controller. The first controller can further translate logical addresses referenced in the command to physical addresses before forwarding the command to the second controller.

Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention includes a method for handling status commands direct to a partitioned media library that comprises establishing a set of initial logical element addresses for a set of physical element addresses with each initial logical element address corresponding to a physical element address of an element assigned to a library partition, assigning a set of new logical element addresses for the set of physical element addresses in response to a command from a host application (e.g., a MODE SELECT command) and determining a corresponding physical address for a received element address based on the set of new logical element addresses.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide an advantage over prior art software architectures by allowing a kernel to send requests to and receive corresponding results from user space applications. Because the kernel can utilize user space applications, the kernel can use the results of complex calculations without requiring a significantly larger kernel. This provides advantages because programming and debugging of complex algorithms can occur at the user space level rather than the kernel space level.

Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention can include a method for message and error reporting for multiple extended copy commands that comprises receiving a message from a destination device that is the destination device for at least two concurrent extended copy commands, determining the at least two concurrent extended copy commands that specify the destination device, determining an associated host for each of the at least two extended copy commands and for each of the at least two concurrent extended copy commands, propagating the message to the host associated with that extended copy command.