Abstract: Presented herein are embodiments for providing and using a symbolic name for referencing an element of a non-volatile memory express (NVMe™) entity in an NVMe™-over-Fabric (NVMe-oF™) environment. In one or more embodiments, the symbolic name may be used to identify an element of an NVMe™ host or NVM subsystem in one or more processes. In one or more embodiments, a symbolic name may be provided as part of a registration process. Symbolic names may be used for identifying elements when performing other processes, such as masking and zoning for granting access rights. In one or more embodiments, a symbolic name may be shared by two or more elements.

Abstract: Presented herein are embodiments for implicitly or indirectly registering elements of a non-volatile memory express (NVMe™) entity in an NVMe-over-Fabric (NVMe-oF) environment. In one or more embodiments, one or more interactions between an NVMe™ entity and a centralized storage fabric service component, such as part of the Link Layer Discovery Protocol (LLDP) process or the Multicast Domain Name System (mDNS) process, may be used by the centralized storage fabric service to extract information about the NVMe™ entity and automatically register it with a centralized registration datastore. In one or more embodiments, the centralized registration datastore may be used to facilitate services in the NVMe-oF system, such as discovery of NVMe™ entities, provisioning, and access control. In one or more embodiments, an implicitly registered NVMe™ entity may also subsequently explicitly register, which may include supplying additional information about the NVMe™ entity.

Abstract: Presented herein are systems and methods for facilitating access control among elements of a non-volatile memory express (NVMe™) entity in an NVMe™-over-Fabric (NVMe-oF) environment. In one or more embodiments, NVMe™ entities, whether NVMe™ hosts or NVMe™ subsystems, can obtain information about elements of NVMe™ entities that have registered with a centralized storage fabric service component via a discovery controller of the centralize service. In one or more embodiments, based upon information received from requesting NVMe™ entities, the centralized storage fabric service creates and maintains a data store of zones, in which a zone comprises a listing of elements of NVMe™ entities that are members of that zone and have access rights relative to other members of that zone.

Abstract: Presented herein are embodiments for registering elements of a non-volatile memory express (NVMe) entity in an NVMe-over-Fabric (NVMe-oF) environment. In embodiments, a method for registering with a centralized storage fabric service component via a discovery controller (DC) of the centralize service comprises transmitting a DC registration command to the DC. In embodiments, the DC registration command includes a number of registration entries that the NVMe entity will be submitting for registration. In embodiments, the identified number of NVMe registration entries are transmitted to the centralized service and are stored in a registry. The NVMe registration entry may include an entry type for indicating an NVMe registration entry type, an NVMe qualified name (NQN) for identifying the NVMe entity, and a transport address for specifying an address of the element of the NVMe entity. Other NVMe entities may query the registry to obtain information about NVMe elements in the system.

Abstract: Presented herein are systems and methods for facilitating access control among elements of a non-volatile memory express (NVMe) entity in an NVMe-over-Fabric (NVMe-oF) environment. In one or more embodiments, NVMe entities, whether NVMe hosts or NVMe subsystems, can obtain information about elements of NVMe entities that have registered with a centralized storage fabric service component via a discovery controller of the centralize service. In one or more embodiments, based upon information received from requesting NVMe entities, the centralized storage fabric service creates and maintains a data store of zones, in which a zone comprises a listing of elements of NVMe entities that are members of that zone and have access rights relative to other members of that zone.

Abstract: Presented herein are embodiments for implicitly or indirectly registering elements of a non-volatile memory express (NVMe) entity in an NVMe-over-Fabric (NVMe-oF) environment. In one or more embodiments, one or more interactions between an NVMe entity and a centralized storage fabric service component, such as part of the Link Layer Discovery Protocol (LLDP) process or the Multicast Domain Name System (mDNS) process, may be used by the centralized storage fabric service to extract information about the NVMe entity and automatically register it with a centralized registration datastore. In one or more embodiments, the centralized registration datastore may be used to facilitate services in the NVMe-oF system, such as discovery of NVMe entities, provisioning, and access control. In one or more embodiments, an implicitly registered NVMe entity may also subsequently explicitly register, which may include supplying additional information about the NVMe entity.

Abstract: Presented herein are embodiments for registering elements of a non-volatile memory express (NVMe) entity in an NVMe-over-Fabric (NVMe-oF) environment. In embodiments, a method for registering with a centralized storage fabric service component via a discovery controller (DC) of the centralize service comprises transmitting a DC registration command to the DC. In embodiments, the DC registration command includes a number of registration entries that the NVMe entity will be submitting for registration. In embodiments, the identified number of NVMe registration entries are transmitted to the centralized service and are stored in a registry. The NVMe registration entry may include an entry type for indicating an NVMe registration entry type, an NVMe qualified name (NQN) for identifying the NVMe entity, and a transport address for specifying an address of the element of the NVMe entity. Other NVMe entities may query the registry to obtain information about NVMe elements in the system.

Abstract: Presented herein are embodiments for providing and using a symbolic name for referencing an element of a non-volatile memory express (NVMe) entity in an NVMe-over-Fabric (NVMe-oF) environment. In one or more embodiments, the symbolic name may be used to identify an element of an NVMe host or NVM subsystem in one or more processes. In one or more embodiments, a symbolic name may be provided as part of a registration process. Symbolic names may be used for identifying elements when performing other processes, such as masking and zoning for granting access rights. In one or more embodiments, a symbolic name may be shared by two or more elements.

Abstract: An aggregated link flow control system includes a first networking device having a plurality of peer ports and a second networking device that includes a first port having a first flow control configuration. The first port is coupled to the first networking device via a first peer port of the plurality of peer ports. The second networking device includes a second port having a second flow control configuration. The second port is coupled to the first networking device via a second peer port of the plurality of peer ports. The second networking device groups the first port and the second port as an aggregated link interface. The second networking device determines that the first flow control configuration of the first port is compatible with a third flow control configuration of the first peer port and, in response, provides a data flow for the aggregated link interface through the first port.

Abstract: A variable length field FC address system includes a source device coupled to a target device via an FC fabric. A first FC switch device identifies a number of FC switch devices in the FC fabric, a number of links provided by each FC switch device, a number of sessions required by each link, and then allocates unique FC addresses to the FC switch devices. Each unique FC address associated with an FC switch device includes a domain identifier provided by a first number of bits based on the number of FC switch devices in the FC fabric, an area identifier provided by a second number of bits based on the number of links provided by that FC switch device, and a session identifier provided by a third number of bits based on the number of sessions required by the link provided by that FC switch device.

Abstract: An aggregated link flow control system includes a first networking device having a plurality of peer ports and a second networking device that includes a first port having a first flow control configuration, The first port is coupled to the first networking device via a first peer port of the plurality of peer ports. The second networking device includes a second port having a second flow control configuration. The second port is coupled to the first networking device via a second peer port of the plurality of peer ports. The second networking device groups the first port and the second port as an aggregated link interface. The second networking device determines that the first flow control configuration of the first port is compatible with a third flow control configuration of the first peer port and, in response, provides a data flow for the aggregated link interface through the first port.

Abstract: A system and method of automated Data Center Bridging (DCB) configuration of an access switch includes a control unit, a memory, and a port configured to couple the access switch to a peer device. The control unit is configured to operate the port according to a state machine including a DCB disabled state, a DCB downstream state, and a DCB upstream state. When the port is in the DCB disabled state, the control unit exchanges network traffic on the port without any DCB extensions. When the port is in the DCB upstream state, the control unit exchanges network traffic on the port using DCB extensions based on the DCB configuration and receives the DCB configuration from the peer device. When the port is in the DCB downstream state, the control unit exchanges network traffic on the port using the DCB extensions and transmits the DCB configuration to the peer device.

Abstract: A system and method of automated Data Center Bridging (DCB) configuration of an access switch includes a control unit, a memory, and a port configured to couple the access switch to a peer device. The control unit is configured to operate the port according to a state machine including a DCB disabled state, a DCB downstream state, and a DCB upstream state. When the port is in the DCB disabled state, the control unit exchanges network traffic on the port without any DCB extensions. When the port is in the DCB upstream state, the control unit exchanges network traffic on the port using DCB extensions based on the DCB configuration and receives the DCB configuration from the peer device. When the port is in the DCB downstream state, the control unit exchanges network traffic on the port using the DCB extensions and transmits the DCB configuration to the peer device.

Abstract: A system and method of automated Data Center Bridging (DCB) configuration of an access switch includes a control unit, a memory, and a port configured to couple the access switch to a peer device. The control unit is configured to operate the port according to a state machine including a DCB disabled state, a DCB downstream state, and a DCB upstream state. When the port is in the DCB disabled state, the control unit exchanges network traffic on the port without any DCB extensions. When the port is in the DCB upstream state, the control unit exchanges network traffic on the port using DCB extensions based on the DCB configuration and receives the DCB configuration from the peer device. When the port is in the DCB downstream state, the control unit exchanges network traffic on the port using the DCB extensions and transmits the DCB configuration to the peer device.

Abstract: A system and method of automated Data Center Bridging (DCB) configuration of an access switch includes a control unit, a memory, and a port configured to couple the access switch to a peer device. The control unit is configured to operate the port according to a state machine including a DCB disabled state, a DCB downstream state, and a DCB upstream state. When the port is in the DCB disabled state, the control unit exchanges network traffic on the port without any DCB extensions. When the port is in the DCB upstream state, the control unit exchanges network traffic on the port using DCB extensions based on the DCB configuration and receives the DCB configuration from the peer device. When the port is in the DCB downstream state, the control unit exchanges network traffic on the port using the DCB extensions and transmits the DCB configuration to the peer device.

Abstract: A system and method of automated Data Center Bridging (DCB) configuration of an access switch includes a control unit, a memory, and a port configured to couple the access switch to a peer device. The control unit is configured to operate the port according to a state machine including a DCB disabled state, a DCB downstream state, and a DCB upstream state. When the port is in the DCB disabled state, the control unit exchanges network traffic on the port without any DCB extensions. When the port is in the DCB upstream state, the control unit exchanges network traffic on the port using DCB extensions based on the DCB configuration and receives the DCB configuration from the peer device. When the port is in the DCB downstream state, the control unit exchanges network traffic on the port using the DCB extensions and transmits the DCB configuration to the peer device.

Abstract: A system and method of automated Data Center Bridging (DCB) configuration of an access switch includes a control unit, a memory, and a port configured to couple the access switch to a peer device. The control unit is configured to operate the port according to a state machine including a DCB disabled state, a DCB downstream state, and a DCB upstream state. When the port is in the DCB disabled state, the control unit exchanges network traffic on the port without any DCB extensions. When the port is in the DCB upstream state, the control unit exchanges network traffic on the port using DCB extensions based on the DCB configuration and receives the DCB configuration from the peer device. When the port is in the DCB downstream state, the control unit exchanges network traffic on the port using the DCB extensions and transmits the DCB configuration to the peer device.