Abstract: A Layer 2 network switch is partitionable into a plurality of switch fabrics. The single-chassis switch is partitionable into a plurality of logical switches, each associated with one of the virtual fabrics. The logical switches behave as complete and self-contained switches. A logical switch fabric can span multiple single-chassis switch chassis. Logical switches are connected by inter-switch links that can be either dedicated single-chassis links or logical links. An extended inter-switch link can be used to transport traffic for one or more logical inter-switch links. Physical ports of the chassis are assigned to logical switches and are managed by the logical switch. Legacy switches that are not partitionable into logical switches can serve as transit switches between two logical switches.

Abstract: A hypervisor preferably provides VM (virtual machine) identification, priority and LUN/LBA range information to the HBA (hoist bus adapter) when a VM is created. Alternatively, the HBA can determine that a LUN/LBA range is new and request VM identity, priority and LUN/LBA range from the hypervisor. The HBA creates a table containing the VM identification, priority and LUN/LBA range. The HBA then detects operations directed to the LUN/LBA range and does a lookup to determine VM identification and priority. VM identification and priority are then mapped into a field in a frame using a unique identifier. The unique identifier can be placed using reserved bits on the existing Fiber Channel (FC) header or can use bits in an additional header, such as a modified IFR header or an optional device header. The VM identification aware HBAs register with the NS.

Abstract: A switch detecting a slow drain situation and providing a slow drain primitive to the slow draining device, such as a storage unit. The slow draining device detects the slow drain primitive and provides a throttling message to the relevant sources of frames being received by the slow draining device. The use of a primitive instead of a frame allows the slow condition notification to be provided even when there is no available credit for sending a frame.

Abstract: A hypervisor preferably provides VM (virtual machine) identification, priority and LUN/LBA range information to the HBA (host bus adapter) when a VM is created. Alternatively, the HBA can determine that a LUN/LBA range is new and request VM identity, priority and LUN/LBA range from the hypervisor. The HBA creates a table containing the VM identification, priority and LUN/LBA range. The HBA then detects operations directed to the LUN/LBA range and does a lookup to determine VM identification and priority. VM identification and priority are then mapped into a field in a frame using a unique identifier. The unique identifier can be placed using reserved bits on the existing Fiber Channel (FC) header or can use bits in an additional header, such as a modified IFR header or an optional device header. The VM identification aware HBAs register with the NS.

Abstract: An analytics and diagnostic node according to the present disclosure monitors oversubscription and determines flow metrics by receiving mirror command frames from one or more switching nodes. The mirror command frames could correspond to a multiple flows traversing over a connection within a network. The analytics and diagnostic node collects at least one latency metric for each of the flows using timestamps found within the mirror command frames. Based on the latency metrics and timestamps, the analytic diagnostic node determines an average data rate for each of the flows. The analytics and diagnostic node also computes the cumulative data rates corresponding to different bucket intervals based on the average data rates. To detect oversubscription, the analytics and diagnostic node compares the cumulative data rates with one or more oversubscription rules.

Abstract: A host connected to a switch using a PCI Express (PCIe) link. At the switch, the packets are received and routed as appropriate and provided to a conventional switch network port for egress. The conventional networking hardware on the host is substantially moved to the port at the switch, with various software portions retained as a driver on the host. This saves cost and space and reduces latency significantly. As networking protocols have multiple threads or flows, these flows can correlate to PCIe queues, easing QoS handling. The data provided over the PCIe link is essentially just the payload of the packet, so sending the packet from the switch as a different protocol just requires doing the protocol specific wrapping. In some embodiments, this use of different protocols can be done dynamically, allowing the bandwidth of the PCIe link to be shared between various protocols.

Abstract: A switch detecting a slow drain situation and providing a slow drain primitive to the slow draining device, such as a storage unit. The slow draining device detects the slow drain primitive and provides a throttling message to the relevant sources of frames being received by the slow draining device. The use of a primitive instead of a frame allows the slow condition notification to be provided even when there is no available credit for sending a frame.

Abstract: A diagnostic testing utility is used to perform single link diagnostics tests including an electrical loopback test, an optical loopback test, a link traffic test, and a link distance measurement test. To perform the diagnostic tests, two ports at each end of a link are identified and then statically configured by a user. The ports will be configured as D_Ports and as such will be isolated from the fabric with no data traffic flowing through them. The ports will then be used to send test frames to perform the diagnostic tests.

Abstract: Handling of ELS REQ and RSP packets that contain addresses in the payload is shifted to the edge fabric switches connected to the node devices issuing and receiving the ELS REQ packet, the ingress and egress switches. This allows the ELS REQ and RSP packet payload address modification operations to be removed from the tasks handled by the router processor. As this removes a processing burden from the router processors, those router processors are free to handle other normal operations, thus allowing more processor bandwidth to be provided to those other operations, which allows further growth of the network as one limitation has been removed. The need to replicate or provide commands between switches or routers is avoided as there are no redundant paths at that point.

Abstract: Is in a Fibre Channel storage area network (SAN) and its included routers, the routers are placed in groups or pods. Each router only contains router port and fabric access data for routers in the same group or pod. In this manner the size of the relevant tables are reduced, which allows for greater expansion of the SAN as a whole. Each router may be programmed by an administrator with a pod value, indicating the pod containing the router. This value may be provided to the Name Server during router registration and may be requested from the Name Server when developing the router's inter-fabric router (IFR) topology or the pod value can be exchanged in the IF_ILS_HLO messages. Router port database information is only stored from routers in the same pod or provided to routers in the same pod, thus reducing the entries in the router port database.

Abstract: An analytics and diagnostic node according to the present disclosure monitors oversubscription and determines flow metrics by receiving mirror command frames from one or more switching nodes. The mirror command frames could correspond to a multiple flows traversing over a connection within a network. The analytics and diagnostic node collects at least one latency metric for each of the flows using timestamps found within the mirror command frames. Based on the latency metrics and timestamps, the analytic diagnostic node determines an average data rate for each of the flows. The analytics and diagnostic node also computes the cumulative data rates corresponding to different bucket intervals based on the average data rates. To detect oversubscription, the analytics and diagnostic node compares the cumulative data rates with one or more oversubscription rules.

Abstract: A diagnostic testing utility is used to perform single link diagnostics tests including an electrical loopback test, an optical loopback test, a link traffic test, and a link distance measurement test. These diagnostics tests can be performed on trunked links and virtual channels and can be performed while QoS is enabled. Additionally the tests can be performed non-intrusively by using a dedicated VC such that regular traffic is not affected by the diagnostics testing.

Abstract: Is in a Fibre Channel storage area network (SAN) and its included routers, the routers are placed in groups or pods. Each router only contains router port and fabric access data for routers in the same group or pod. In this manner the size of the relevant tables are reduced, which allows for greater expansion of the SAN as a whole. Each router may be programmed by an administrator with a pod value, indicating the pod containing the router. This value may be provided to the Name Server during router registration and may be requested from the Name Server when developing the router's inter-fabric router (IFR) topology or the pod value can be exchanged in the IF_ILS_HLO messages. Router port database information is only stored from routers in the same pod or provided to routers in the same pod, thus reducing the entries in the router port database.

Abstract: A host connected to a switch using a PCI Express (PCIe) link. At the switch, the packets are received and routed as appropriate and provided to a conventional switch network port for egress. The conventional networking hardware on the host is substantially moved to the port at the switch, with various software portions retained as a driver on the host. This saves cost and space and reduces latency significantly. As networking protocols have multiple threads or flows, these flows can correlate to PCIe queues, easing QoS handling. The data provided over the PCIe link is essentially just the payload of the packet, so sending the packet from the switch as a different protocol just requires doing the protocol specific wrapping. In some embodiments, this use of different protocols can be done dynamically, allowing the bandwidth of the PCIe link to be shared between various protocols.

Abstract: A Layer 2 network switch is partitionable into a plurality of switch fabrics. The single-chassis switch is partitionable into a plurality of logical switches, each associated with one of the virtual fabrics. The logical switches behave as complete and self-contained switches. A logical switch fabric can span multiple single-chassis switch chassis. Logical switches are connected by inter-switch links that can be either dedicated single-chassis links or logical links. An extended inter-switch link can be used to transport traffic for one or more logical inter-switch links. Physical ports of the chassis are assigned to logical switches and are managed by the logical switch. Legacy switches that are not partitionable into logical switches can serve as transit switches between two logical switches.

Abstract: A diagnostic testing utility is used to perform single link diagnostics tests including an electrical loopback test, an optical loopback test, a link traffic test, and a link distance measurement test. To perform the diagnostic tests, two ports at each end of a link are identified and then statically configured by a user. The ports will be configured as D_Ports and as such will be isolated from the fabric with no data traffic flowing through them. The ports will then be used to send test frames to perform the diagnostic tests.

Abstract: A diagnostic testing utility is used to perform single link diagnostics tests including an electrical loopback test, an optical loopback test, a link traffic test, and a link distance measurement test. To perform the diagnostic tests, two ports at each end of a link are identified and then statically configured by a user. The ports will be configured as D_Ports and as such will be isolated from the fabric with no data traffic flowing through them. The ports will then be used to send test frames to perform the diagnostic tests.

Abstract: Back pressure is mapped within a network, and primary bottlenecks are distinguished from dependent bottlenecks. Further, the presently disclosed technology is capable of performing network healing operations designed to reduce the data load on primary bottlenecks while ignoring dependent bottlenecks. Still further, the presently disclosed technology teaches identifying and/or suggesting a switch port for adding a node to the network. More specifically, various implementations analyze traffic load and back pressure in a network, identify primary and dependent bottlenecks, resolve the primary bottlenecks, collect new node parameters, and/or select a switch port for the new node. Further, a command can be sent to a selected switch to activate an indicator on the selected port. New node parameters may include new node type, maximum load, minimum load, time of maximum load, time of minimum load and type of data associated with the new node.

Abstract: A diagnostic testing utility is used to perform single link diagnostics tests including an electrical loopback test, an optical loopback test, a link traffic test, and a link distance measurement test. These diagnostics tests can be performed on trunked links and virtual channels and can be performed while QoS is enabled. Additionally the tests can be performed non-intrusively by using a dedicated VC such that regular traffic is not affected by the diagnostics testing.

Abstract: The scale of the fabric being decoupled from the scale capabilities of each switch. Only the directly attached node devices are included in the name server database of a particular switch. Only needed connections, such as those from hosts to disks, i.e., initiators to targets, are generally maintained in the routing database. When a switch is connected to the network it is configured as either a server, storage or core switch, defining the routing entries that are necessary. This configuration addresses the various change notifications that must be provided from the switch. In host to host communications, disk to tape device communications in a backup, or disk to disk communications in a data migration, there must be transfers between like type devices, i.e. between two communications devices connected to server switches or connected to storage switches. These cases are preferably developed based on the zoning information.