Abstract: In one embodiment, a method for enabling communication between two network fiber channel (FC) switches, includes: receiving at least one protocol frame at a first network FC switch, the at least one protocol frame being received from a second network FC switch connected to the first network FC switch and comprising information related to a manufacturer of the second network FC switch; retrieving a first identifier of the second network FC switch from the at least one protocol frame, the first identifier comprising primary manufacturer information identifying a manufacturer of the second network FC switch; determining that the retrieved first identifier does not match one of a plurality of peer switch manufacturer identifiers stored in a memory of the first network FC switch, each of the plurality of peer switch manufacturer identifiers identifying peer switches for which one or more features may be enabled for communicating with the first network FC switch; retrieving a second identifier of the second network

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method for enabling communication between two network fiber channel (FC) switches, includes: receiving at least one protocol frame at a first network FC switch, the at least one protocol frame being received from a second network FC switch connected to the first network FC switch and comprising information related to a manufacturer of the second network FC switch; retrieving a first identifier of the second network FC switch from the at least one protocol frame, the first identifier comprising primary manufacturer information identifying a manufacturer of the second network FC switch; determining that the retrieved first identifier does not match one of a plurality of peer switch manufacturer identifiers stored in a memory of the first network FC switch, each of the plurality of peer switch manufacturer identifiers identifying peer switches for which one or more features may be enabled for communicating with the first network FC switch; retrieving a second identifier of the second network

Abstract: A unified policy management system for an organization including a central policy server and remotely situated policy enforcers. A central database and policy enforcer databases storing policy settings are configured as LDAP databases adhering to a hierarchical object oriented structure. Such structure allows the policy settings to be defined in an intuitive and extensible fashion. Changes in the policy settings made at the central policy server are automatically transferred to the policy enforcers for updating their respective databases. Each policy enforcer collects and transmits health and status information in a predefined log format and transmits it to the policy server for efficient monitoring by the policy server. For further efficiencies, the policy enforcement functionalities of the policy enforcers are effectively partitioned so as to be readily implemented in hardware.

Abstract: A unified policy management system for an organization including a central policy server and remotely situated policy enforcers. The central policy server includes a central database storing configuration information for the remotely situated policy enforcers. Each policy enforcer includes a policy enforcer database storing a portion of the configuration information associated with the policy enforcer. Changes in the policy settings made at the central policy server are stored in a log for later processing and sending to the appropriate policy enforcers. Upon receipt of the change information, each receiving policy enforcer updates the portion of its policy enforcer database affected by the change.

Abstract: A unified policy management system for an organization including a central policy server and remotely situated policy enforcers. A central database and policy enforcer databases storing policy settings are configured as LDAP databases adhering to a hierarchical object oriented structure. Such structure allows the policy settings to be defined in an intuitive and extensible fashion. Changes in the policy settings made at the central policy server are automatically transferred to the policy enforcers for updating their respective databases. Each policy enforcer collects and transmits health and status information in a predefined log format and transmits it to the policy server for efficient monitoring by the policy server. For further efficiencies, the policy enforcement functionalities of the policy enforcers are effectively partitioned so as to be readily implemented in hardware.