Abstract: Provided herein are various schemes for transmitting out of band (OOB) signals over optical connections that may not support the transmission of such signals. One scheme may involve converting the OOB signals to different types of signals that are supported by the optical connection, while another scheme may utilize a separate parallel connection that supports the transmission of out of band signals in order to extend the optical connection. Yet another scheme modulates the reference clock of the original (in-band) signal to transmit and receive the OOB information.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide for an IOC that does not limit each CPU to a particular port. Instead, the IOC may allow each CPU to communicate with all ports. Thus, the IOC can process CPU communications to determine which port to send them to, and send them to the correct port as well as process incoming communications from the ports to determine which CPU to send them to and send these communications to the correct CPU. This may significantly increase the flexibility and efficiency of a storage network.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention relate to performing network communications according to an existing protocol by using frames that are larger than those usually allowed by the existing protocol. Thus, embodiments of the present invention provide for an extension of the existing protocol which allows for the use of larger frames. The larger frames may result from the use of larger payloads and their size may be defined in terms of the payload size. Embodiments provide for use of various negotiation and initialization mechanisms of the existing protocol with additional modifications to allow for the negotiation of the use of larger frames. These modifications may provide for end to end negotiation of a larger frame or payload size. Some embodiments ensure that the negotiations are performed in such a manner that devices that feature the improvements of the present invention can communicate with devices that do not feature these improvements.

Abstract: A method for managing power consumption by a network device is disclosed. The network device includes first and second ports, each of the first and second ports identified by a unique identifier and adapted to handle separate network traffic. The method includes verifying that the first and the second ports are connected to a common network end node; shutting off a link between the first port and the network end node; obtaining the unique identifier of the first port; creating, on the second port, a virtual port in response to the unique identifier of the first port; discovering the virtual port on the network device; and redirecting traffic formerly routed through the link through the virtual port.

Abstract: Provided herein are various schemes for transmitting out of band (OOB) signals over optical connections that may not support the transmission of such signals. One scheme may involve converting the OOB signals to different types of signals that are supported by the optical connection, while another scheme may utilize a separate parallel connection that supports the transmission of out of band signals in order to extend the optical connection. Yet another scheme modulates the reference clock of the original (in-band) signal to transmit and receive the OOB information.

Abstract: In various embodiments, the present invention provides virtual disk formatting by intermediate devices including: (1) a storage shelf router and the storage shelf in which the storage-shelf is included, to external computing entities, such as disk-array controllers and host computers; (2) an I/O controller; and (3) a storage-bridge device. Additional embodiments of the present invention enhance virtual formatting by using additional padding, in a dual-abstraction method, to efficiently align virtual-block reads with underlying device blocks. Yet additional embodiments of the present invention allow for tracking and correcting device blocks corrupted during READ-MODIFY operations that occur during virtual-block WRITE operations. Various intermediate devices may employ two or more of the virtual formatting, dual abstraction, and corrupted-device-block tracking methods.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are methods and apparatus for accelerating RoCE packet sequence transmission and reducing processing latency in received RoCE packets. Under the disclosed method, the RoCE protocol stack and RDMA verbs are implemented partially in the host software and partially in the adapter hardware, thereby providing a better balance between simplifying the adapter configuration and maximizing the host processing efficiency. Particularly, the adapter implemented with partial RoCE offload is able to perform a few major functionalities under the RoCE protocol, such as offloading a complete RoCE packet sequence for transmission, building individual packets out of the RoCE packet sequence and performing Invariant CRC calculation, insertion, validation and removal thereof.

Abstract: An apparatus and method is disclosed for reducing the computational overhead incurred by a host processor during packet processing and improving network performance by adding additional functionality to a Network Interface Controller (NIC). Under certain circumstances the NIC coalesces multiple receive packets into a single coalesced packet stored within a coalesce buffer in host memory. The coalesced packet includes an Ethernet header, a coalesced Internet Protocol (IP) header, a coalesced Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) header, and a coalesced TCP payload containing the TCP payloads of the multiple receive packets. By coalescing received packets into fewer larger coalesced packets within the host memory, the host software needed to process a receive packet will be invoked less often, meaning that less processor overhead is incurred in the host.

Abstract: Disclosed is an improved mechanism for direct communications and frame routing between FCoE devices within an Ethernet network supporting FCoE protocols. In particular, the methods and systems disclosed herein enable direct communications from one FCoE device to another without going through any intermediary such as an FCF (FCoE Forwarder) that is designed to route traffic between FCoE devices according to the current FCoE standards. This is accomplished by registering the Ethernet MAC address of an FCoE device in a name server via certain objects presently used in an FIP fabric login request, e.g., Port_Name or Node_Name, and other standard-specified objects and functionalities without requiring any changes to the existing FCoE and FC standards.

Abstract: The Fibre Channel standard was created by the American National Standard for Information Systems (ANSI) X3T11 task group to define a serial I/O channel for interconnecting a number of heterogeneous peripheral devices to computer systems as well as interconnecting the computer systems themselves through optical fiber and copper media at gigabit speeds (i.e., one billion bits per second). Multiple protocols such as SCSI (Small Computer Serial Interface), IP (Internet Protocol), HIPPI, ATM (Asynchronous Transfer Mode) among others can concurrently utilize the same media when mapped over Fibre Channel. A Fibre Channel Fabric is an entity which transmits Fibre Channel frames between connected Node Ports. The Fibre Channel fabric routes the frames based on the destination address as well as other information embedded in the Fibre Channel frame header. Node Ports are attached to the Fibre Channel Fabric through links.

Abstract: A system and method are disclosed for enabling the system administrator to identify servers in which the installation of drivers failed without having to examine the installation log of each server by directing the server to send an e-mail to the system administrator in the event of an installation failure. The need for examination of installation logs is eliminated as e-mail messages provide proactive, immediate and specific failure notifications to the system administrator.

Abstract: Described herein is an improved mechanism for bridging between SAS and SATA drives based upon existing SAS expanders in a SAS domain. In particular, a bridge capable of translating between SAS and SATA protocols is embedded in or coupled to an expander. When a SAS initiator request is received at the expander, the expander can route the request, based on a routing table, either directly to a destination SAS device or to the bridge for necessary translation before it is transmitted to a destination SATA drive. The routing table includes corresponding relationships between all SAS addresses and Phys through which those SAS and SATA devices are attached to the expander. SATA devices can be virtualized in the expander through a few assigned addresses in the routing table in a SAS discovery process.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention allow for address scaling of existing addresses in a FC, FCoE, CEE or other type of network. More specifically, subaddresses can be used in conjunction with existing addresses, so that a combination of a subaddress and existing address can identify an addressable entity. Thus, multiple entities can be share a single existing address and be distinguished among each other by way of their respective subaddresses. Some embodiments of the invention allow for use of the inventive subaddressing scheme in conjunction with devices or network elements (e.g., gateways, switches, etc.) that may not be subaddressing aware. Further embodiments allow for the multiple distinct devices to communicate with a single Fiber Channel switching element through a single port by using N_Port_ID Virtualization.

Abstract: Systems and techniques to synchronize network configuration for a hardware accelerated network protocol. According to an aspect, a network configuration record is maintained for a hardware-accelerated network-protocol device, a network configuration store is monitored to identify a network configuration change, and the hardware-accelerated network-protocol device is reconfigured, in response to the identified network configuration change, based on the network configuration record and the network configuration change.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for Fibre Channel interconnection is provided between a plurality of private loop devices through a Fibre Channel private loop device interconnect system. In the preferred embodiments, the Fibre Channel private loop device interconnect system is a fabric or an intelligent bridging hub. In one aspect of this invention, a Fibre Channel private loop device is connected to two or more Arbitrated Loops containing, or adapted to contain, one or more private loop devices. Preferably, the interconnect system includes a routing filter to filter incoming Arbitrated Loop physical addresses (ALPAs) to determine which Fibre Channel frames must attempt to be routed through the fabric. Numerous topologies of interconnect systems may be achieved.

Abstract: The Fiber Channel standard was created by the American National Standard for Information Systems (ANSI) X3T11 task group to define a serial I/O channel for interconnecting a number of heterogeneous peripheral devices to computer systems as well as interconnecting the computer systems themselves through optical fiber and copper media at gigabit speeds (i.e., one billion bits per second). Multiple protocols such as SCSI (Small Computer Serial Interface), IP (Internet Protocol), HIPPI, ATM (Asynchronous Transfer Mode) among others can concurrently utilize the same media when mapped over Fiber Channel. A Fiber Channel Fabric is an entity which transmits Fiber Channel frames between connected Node Ports. The Fiber Channel fabric routes the frames based on the destination address as well as other information embedded in the Fiber Channel frame header. Node Ports are attached to the Fiber Channel Fabric through links.

Abstract: Re-sequencing commands and data between a master and slave device utilizing parallel processing is disclosed. When utilizing parallel processing while reading and writing data, there is a chance that the data will be read or written in an improper order, given the time delays associated with different slave devices and the processing time associated with various commands. Therefore, to retain the speed and improved performance of parallel processing while maintaining data coherency, the instructions and data are re-sequenced and processed in the proper order, and the returned data are re-sequenced and returned to the processor in the proper order.

Abstract: The Fiber Channel standard was created by the American National Standard for Information Systems (ANSI) X3T11 task group to define a serial I/O channel for interconnecting a number of heterogeneous peripheral devices to computer systems as well as interconnecting the computer systems themselves through optical fiber and copper media at gigabit speeds (i.e., one billion bits per second). Multiple protocols such as SCSI (Small Computer Serial Interface), IP (Internet Protocol), HIPPI, ATM (Asynchronous Transfer Mode) among others can concurrently utilize the same media when mapped over Fiber Channel. A Fiber Channel Fabric is an entity which transmits Fiber Channel frames between connected Node Ports. The Fiber Channel fabric routes the frames based on the destination address as well as other information embedded in the Fiber Channel frame header. Node Ports are attached to the Fiber Channel Fabric through links.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for communicating Fiber Channel frames between a private loop device and an Ethernet link through a Fiber Channel private loop device interconnect system. In the preferred embodiments, the Fiber Channel private loop device interconnect system I a fabric or an intelligent bridging hub. In one aspect of this invention, a Fiber Channel private loop device is storage device which contains JBOSD or RAIDS. Preferably, the interconnect system includes routing filter incoming Arbitrated Loop physical addresses (ALPAs) to determine which Fiber Channel frames must attempt to be routed through the fabric. Numerous topologies of interconnect systems may be achieved.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for indicating a status of a transfer of data from a first device to a second device over a network. In one embodiment, the data includes one or more data frames. Each frame includes a header having one or more bits. The method includes setting a last bit of the one or more bits in the header of a last frame of the one or more data frames to a first value if the status of the transfer of data is good and setting the value of the last bit of the last data frame to a second value if the transfer of data failed. This results in a less congested, more efficient network.