Abstract: In one embodiment, a solution is provided wherein a volume hierarchy may be received at a network device in a storage area network. Once the network device is ready to apply the volume hierarchy, a message so indicating may be sent. Later, a command to apply the volume hierarchy may be received and the volume hierarchy may be applied so that the network device processes IOs using the volume hierarchy.

Abstract: In one embodiment, an indication of a fault condition is received relating to a first service running on a physical device in a computer network. The first service is associated with a first virtual device context defined on the physical device. Then, the first service is disabled without affecting operation of a second service on the physical device. The second service is associated with a second virtual device context defined on the physical device. In another embodiment, a first virtual device context is created on a physical device in a computer network. Then, a second virtual device context is created on the physical device. The first virtual device context may then be managed independently of the second virtual device context such that resources assigned to a virtual device context are managed without affecting management of another virtual device context.

Abstract: A method is provided in one example and includes broadcasting a switching node identifier associated with a first link-state protocol enabled switching node to a plurality of link-state protocol enabled switching nodes. The plurality of link-state protocol enabled switching nodes are in communication with one another by a link-state protocol cloud. The method further includes broadcasting a priority associated with the first link-state protocol enabled switching node to the plurality of link-state protocol enabled switching nodes. The method further includes broadcasting connectivity information of the first link-state protocol enabled switching node to the plurality of link-state protocol enabled switching nodes using the link-state protocol cloud. The connectivity information includes connectivity of the first link-state protocol enabled switching node with at least one spanning tree protocol enabled switching node.

Abstract: Method and system for providing distributed domains in a fiber channel fabric including determining a domain configuration of a resource, retrieving one or more current domain configuration parameters, determining a list of domains in a fiber channel fabric, and generating an updated domain list for the resource in the fabric is disclosed.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a solution is provided wherein multiple virtual devices may be configured on the same physical port of a network device. For example, a first virtual device and a second virtual device may be configured to use the same physical port. A single internal spanning tree instance may be configured for both the first virtual device and the second virtual device.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a first switch is located at a first border between first networks that utilize a STP to detect and break loops and second networks. The first switch is interconnected via the first networks with a second switch located at a second border between the first networks and the second networks. The first switch detects, via a protocol other than STP, addition of a link in the second networks that provides a new path across the second networks between the first switch and the second switch. The first switch blocks data packets from traversing through one or more network boundary ports of the first switch coupled to the first networks, while allowing STP BPDUs to traverse through the one or more network boundary ports, for a period of time sufficient for the first networks to discover the new path using STP.

Abstract: In one embodiment, detecting a failure mode of a first communication link on a first port, selecting a second communication link on a second port associated with the first port, and transmitting a profile information associated with the second port are provided.

Abstract: In an embodiment, a method comprises: detecting a change in a multiple-switch configuration in a data communications network comprising a plurality of packet data switches configured as roots of multicast trees. In response to detecting that the multiple-switch configuration has changed, a first value, a second value and a third value representing limits on a number of multicast trees supported in the network and prioritization of the switches are retrieved. The method further comprises determining a type of the multiple-switch configuration change. In response to determining that the type indicates that a first switch was added to the multiple-switch configuration, using at least the first, second and third values, it is determined whether to configure the first switch as a first root in the multiple-switch configuration. The method is performed by one or more computing devices.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for virtual device context (VDC) integration for network services. VDC integration for network services generally includes mapping a virtual switch, physical ports on the network switch assigned to the virtual switch, a service node and a physical port on a service node to share a common VDC associated with a configuration of the virtual switch. In this manner, the VDC concept is extended to the service node and the network may be easily managed, with a network switch and associated service nodes configured through a single processing system on the network switch or service node.

Abstract: A method is provided that includes configuring a first network element as a peer to a second network element. The first network element and the second network element are configured to execute a spanning-tree protocol (STP) in a network environment. The method may also include configuring a priority characteristic to be a same value for the first network element and the second network element such that both operate as root network elements for other network elements in the network environment.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for reconfiguring a fabric associated with a storage area network (SAN) are disclosed. According to one aspect of the present invention, a method includes undergoing an update process, the update process being arranged to update software associated with a switch. The switch is included in a SAN fabric. The method also includes determining when the update process is completed, and ascertaining whether there is at least one state change associated with the SAN fabric when the update process is completed. Finally, the method includes initiating a recovery action in the SAN fabric if there is at least one state change associated with the SAN fabric.

Abstract: In one embodiment, detecting a failure mode of a first communication link on a first port, selecting a second communication link on a second port associated with the first port, and transmitting a profile information associated with the second port are provided.

Abstract: A Fiber Channel switch is provided for a relative addressing scheme for domain values to avoid losing portions of a Fiber Channel identifier. At a Fiber Channel switch, data is stored that assigns a relative domain field value to a run-time domain. The relative domain field value used for a Fiber Channel identifier is determined for devices connected to the switch based on the run-time domain of the devices and the virtual storage area network in which the devices are active. A Fiber Channel identifier is stored in a memory of the switch that comprises the relative domain field value determined for the device together with area and port values for the device. The relative domain value is either a reserved domain field value for an existing virtual storage area network or any of the regular domain field values for a new virtual storage area network.

Abstract: A method is provided in one example and includes broadcasting a switching node identifier associated with a first link-state protocol enabled switching node to a plurality of link-state protocol enabled switching nodes. The plurality of link-state protocol enabled switching nodes are in communication with one another by a link-state protocol cloud. The method further includes broadcasting a priority associated with the first link-state protocol enabled switching node to the plurality of link-state protocol enabled switching nodes. The method further includes broadcasting connectivity information of the first link-state protocol enabled switching node to the plurality of link-state protocol enabled switching nodes using the link-state protocol cloud. The connectivity information includes connectivity of the first link-state protocol enabled switching node with at least one spanning tree protocol enabled switching node.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for preventing loops in a network with network devices operating a spanning tree protocol and network devices operating a link state routing protocol to prevent loops are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method includes receiving from one of the network devices operating a link state protocol, a link state routing synchronization packet at a first network device in communication with one of the network devices operating the spanning tree protocol, blocking at the first network device, boundary ports in communication with the network devices operating the spanning tree protocol, transmitting a link state routing synchronization acknowledgement packet at the first network device after the boundary ports are blocked, and performing a loop-free topology convergence process at the first network device.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method includes establishing a link between two N_Port Identifier Virtualization (NPIV) switches, the link having a high cost assigned thereto. The NPIV switches are in communication with a plurality of hosts through an N_Port Virtualization (NPV) device. The method further includes receiving at a first of the NPIV switches, an indication of a failure at a second of the NPIV switches, receiving data at the first NPIV switch, the data destined for one of the hosts associated with a domain of the second NPIV switch, and forwarding the data to the NPV device for delivery to the host, wherein a Fibre Channel Identifier (FCID) of the host is the same before and after the failure at the second NPIV switch. An apparatus is also disclosed.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a technique for returning Domain IDs to a Fiber Channel fabric without a full build fabric (BF) phase is provided. A switch in the fabric may send a principal switch a message requesting the return of one or more Domain IDs assigned to that device. The principal switch may update the list of fabric Domain IDs to remove the Domain IDs identified in the message and send the updated list to devices in the fabric.

Abstract: A system and method runs a multiple spanning tree protocol (MSTP) in a computer network having a very large number of bridge domains. The computer network includes a plurality of intermediate network devices, each having a plurality of ports for forwarding network messages. Within each device, a plurality of bridge domains are defined, each bridge domain is identified by a Virtual Local Area Network (VLAN) Identifier (VID), and one or more device ports. For each port, a separate mapping of VIDs to Multiple Spanning Tree Instances (MSTIs), based on the bridge domains defined at the port, is established. Each mapping is converted to a port-based configuration digest, which is entered into Spanning Tree Protocol (STP) control messages sent from the respective port. Ports receiving STP control messages whose configuration digest values that match the configuration digests values computed for the ports are said to be in the same Multiple Spanning Tree region.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method includes obtaining an indication that a state associated with a node is to be changed and preventing data from being received on a first link. The method also includes updating at least one selected from a group including an incoming interface check (IIC) table and an outgoing interface (OIF) table to reflect the state. The state indicates that a second link is to be activated. Finally, the method includes allowing the data to be received on the second link after updating either or both the IIC table and the OIF table and after the timer duration for the NULL value for IIC has expired.

Abstract: An example method includes disengaging a target node from a cluster, where the disengaging comprises: selecting an inheritor; migrating flows from the target node to the inheritor; informing a migration manager that the target node is disengaged from the cluster; and broadcasting to peer nodes of the target node that the target node is replaced by the inheritor. In particular implementations of the present disclosure, the cluster can include a first layer of a network topology including a forwarding engine that implements hash-based packet forwarding; a second layer of the network topology comprising the target node and the inheritor, where the target node and the inheritor implement flow-based packet forwarding; and a third layer including service nodes configured for packet processing in a network.