Abstract: An ALUA path selection system includes a networking device in a networking fabric that couples a host device to a storage subsystem. The networking device receives a host device communication generated by the host device and retrieves a host device hop count that identifies a number of hops between the host device and the networking device. The networking device also receives a storage subsystem communication generated by the storage subsystem and retrieves a storage subsystem hop count that identifies a number of hops between the storage subsystem and the networking device. When the networking device receives a hop count request from the host device, it transmits the host device hop count and/or the storage subsystem hop count to the host device, and the host device uses the host device hop count and/or the storage subsystem hop count to select an active-optimized path to a LUN included in the storage subsystem.

Abstract: Data Center Bridge (DCB)-based path selection methods and systems reduce packet loss in a network system comprising a Link Aggregation Group (LAG) topology. In embodiments, once traffic received at a LAG node and identified as DCB traffic, links whose DCB status are identified as “up” are assigned to a LAG sub-trunk that may be used to forward the DCB traffic on the LAG trunk, while non-DCB traffic is forwarded to any member of the LAG, irrespective of DCB status. In addition, DCB traffic received from a LAG peer node, which sends traffic on an inter-node link (INL) when no DCB-enabled links to a downstream device are present, is identified as DCB traffic and forwarded on a LAG sub-trunk that comprises DCB-enabled links. An egress mask that indicates to not forward the traffic received at the LAG node on the INL may be overridden, such that DCB traffic may be forwarded.

Abstract: An ALUA path selection system includes a networking device in a networking fabric that couples a host device to a storage subsystem. The networking device receives a host device communication generated by the host device and retrieves a host device hop count that identifies a number of hops between the host device and the networking device. The networking device also receives a storage subsystem communication generated by the storage subsystem and retrieves a storage subsystem hop count that identifies a number of hops between the storage subsystem and the networking device. When the networking device receives a hop count request from the host device, it transmits the host device hop count and/or the storage subsystem hop count to the host device, and the host device uses the host device hop count and/or the storage subsystem hop count to select an active-optimized path to a LUN included in the storage subsystem.

Abstract: An ALUA path distribution system includes host devices coupled to storage subsystems by aggregated networking devices. A first aggregated networking device snoops communications between the host devices and the storage subsystems to identify first snooped information, retrieves second snooped information identified by a second aggregated networking device, and uses the snooped information to build a path distribution table identifying each active-optimized path provided by the aggregated networking devices between the host devices and respective LUNs on the storage subsystems.

Abstract: An FCoE pinning system includes a second switch device that is coupled to a first switch device via a link aggregation group (LAG). The second switch device transmits a first communication that indicates a first port that is included on the second switch device and that is coupled to a first member of the LAG has a first FCoE pinning configuration and is in a willing mode. In response to determining that a second communication received from the first switch device indicates that a second port that is included on the first switch device and that is coupled to a second member link of the LAG has a second FCoE pinning configuration, and that the first switch device is in a willing mode, the second switch device forwards, in response to determining that no mismatch exists between the FCoE pinning configurations, FCoE type traffic via the first port.

Abstract: A Fibre Channel over Ethernet (FCoE) network can be inexpensively extended by additional switches (220x) that do not have a full FCoE functionality, e.g. do not have full E-port functionality. The additional switches may or may not have unique Domain IDs. A virtual switch fabric can be extended by such additional switches.

Abstract: An automatic fabric provisioning system includes first uplink switch device(s) associated with a first fabric, and second uplink switch device(s) associated with a second fabric. A gateway device is coupled to each of the first and second uplink switch device(s), and transmits a respective fabric login communication to each of the first uplink switch device(s) via at least one first uplink, and to each of the second uplink switch device(s) via at least one second uplink. When the gateway device receives respective first fabric login accept communication(s) from each of the uplink switch device(s) via the at least one uplink to that uplink switch device that identifies the fabric associated with that uplink switch device, it automatically associates each at least one first uplink with the first fabric, and each at least one second uplink with the second fabric.

Abstract: A zone merging system includes a first FC networking device that is associated with one or more first FC networking device zones and a second FC networking device that is associated with one or more second FC networking device zones, wherein each of the one or more first and second FC networking device zones identifies a plurality of zone member devices. The second FC networking device performs limited zone merging operations subsequent to establishing a link with the first FC networking device. The limited zone merging operations include merging, via the link with first FC networking device zones, each of the second FC networking device zones that identifies at least one zone member device that is not local to the second FC networking device, while not merging each of the second FC networking device zones that identify only zone members that are local to the second FC networking device.

Abstract: An ALUA path distribution system includes host devices coupled to storage subsystems by aggregated networking devices. A first aggregated networking device snoops communications between the host devices and the storage subsystems to identify first snooped information, retrieves second snooped information identified by a second aggregated networking device, and uses the snooped information to build a path distribution table identifying each active-optimized path provided by the aggregated networking devices between the host devices and respective LUNs on the storage subsystems.

Abstract: An ALUA path distribution system includes host devices coupled to storage subsystems by aggregated networking devices. A first aggregated networking device snoops communications between the host devices and the storage subsystems to identify first snooped information, receives second snooped information identified by a second aggregated networking device, and uses the snooped information to build a path distribution table identifying each active-optimized path provided by the aggregated networking devices between the host devices and respective LUNs on the storage subsystems.

Abstract: An FCoE pinning system includes a second switch device that is coupled to a first switch device via a link aggregation group (LAG). The second switch device transmits a first communication that indicates a first port that is included on the second switch device and that is coupled to a first member of the LAG has a first FCoE pinning configuration and is in a willing mode. In response to determining that a second communication received from the first switch device indicates that a second port that is included on the first switch device and that is coupled to a second member link of the LAG has a second FCoE pinning configuration, and that the first switch device is in a willing mode, the second switch device forwards, in response to determining that no mismatch exists between the FCoE pinning configurations, FCoE type traffic via the first port.

Abstract: An ALUA path selection system includes a networking device in a networking fabric that couples a host device to a storage subsystem. The networking device receives a host device communication generated by the host device and retrieves a host device hop count that identifies a number of hops between the host device and the networking device. The networking device also receives a storage subsystem communication generated by the storage subsystem and retrieves a storage subsystem hop count that identifies a number of hops between the storage subsystem and the networking device. When the networking device receives a hop count request from the host device, it transmits the host device hop count and/or the storage subsystem hop count to the host device, and the host device uses the host device hop count and/or the storage subsystem hop count to select an active-optimized path to a LUN included in the storage subsystem.

Abstract: An ALUA path selection system includes a networking device in a networking fabric that couples a host device to a storage subsystem. The networking device receives a host device communication generated by the host device and retrieves a host device hop count that identifies a number of hops between the host device and the networking device. The networking device also receives a storage subsystem communication generated by the storage subsystem and retrieves a storage subsystem hop count that identifies a number of hops between the storage subsystem and the networking device. When the networking device receives a hop count request from the host device, it transmits the host device hop count and/or the storage subsystem hop count to the host device, and the host device uses the host device hop count and/or the storage subsystem hop count to select an active-optimized path to a LUN included in the storage subsystem.

Abstract: A Fibre Channel over Ethernet (FCoE) network can be inexpensively extended by additional switches (220x) that do not have a full FCoE functionality, e.g. do not have full E-port functionality. The additional switches may or may not have unique Domain IDs. A virtual switch fabric can be extended by such additional switches.

Abstract: A Fibre Channel Forwarder (FCF) routing system includes a target device coupled to a Fibre Channel (FC) networking device via a first link, and a Fibre Channel Forwarder (FCF) device that is coupled to an initiator device via a second link, the FC networking device via a third link that is mapped to the second link, and the FC networking device via a fourth link that is mapped to the second link. The FCF device receives, via the second link, first traffic that originates from the initiator device and that is addressed to the target device. The FCF device determines, using an initiator device identifier included in the first traffic and a link mapping table, that the third link and the fourth link are mapped to the second link on which the first traffic was received and load balances the first traffic between the third link and the fourth link.

Abstract: Data Center Bridge (DCB)-based path selection methods and systems reduce packet loss in a network system comprising a Link Aggregation Group (LAG) topology. In embodiments, once traffic received at a LAG node and identified as DCB traffic, links whose DCB status are identified as “up” are assigned to a LAG sub-trunk that may be used to forward the DCB traffic on the LAG trunk, while non-DCB traffic is forwarded to any member of the LAG, irrespective of DCB status. In addition, DCB traffic received from a LAG peer node, which sends traffic on an inter-node link (INL) when no DCB-enabled links to a downstream device are present, is identified as DCB traffic and forwarded on a LAG sub-trunk that comprises DCB-enabled links. An egress mask that indicates to not forward the traffic received at the LAG node on the INL may be overridden, such that DCB traffic may be forwarded.

Abstract: An adaptive switch port role configuration system includes a first switch coupled to port on a second switch by an ISL, with end devices coupled to the second switch. The second switch transmits a port reconfiguration message to the first switch via the ISL while operating as a leaf switch with the port configured as an E port and, in response to an acceptance, performs link reset operations including reconfiguring the port as an N port. The second switch then transmits a FLOGI message for the port configured as the N port to the first switch via the ISL and, in response to an acceptance, transmits a respective FDISC message via the first ISL to the first switch for each of the end devices. The second switch then receives a response for each FDISC message, and uses end device addresses included in the responses to operate as an NPIV gateway.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure include systems and methods for performing maintenance of a virtual fabric in a fibre channel (FC) network. In one or more embodiments, the system includes a gateway that receives a maintenance notice of a vfabric from a FC switch, the vfabric including at least one VN port session. In one or more embodiments, the gateway receives a logout notice of the at least one VN port session from the FC switch, and sends a first notice to an application, the first notice causing the application to stop sending data to the gateway. In one or more embodiments, the gateway receives a second notice that the maintenance is completed from the FC switch, re-logins the at least one VN port session into the vfabric, and sends a third notice to the application to resume sending data to the gateway.

Abstract: A Fibre Channel Forwarder (FCF) port auto-configuration system includes a Fibre Channel (FC) networking device and an FCF device that includes a plurality of ports. The FCF devices configures, in response to a link being established on a first port of the plurality of ports, the first port as a first type port that indicates that the first port is connected to a second type port on the FC networking device. The FCF device provides a first fabric login through the first type port. In response to the FCF device not receiving an acceptance of the first fabric login after a first predetermined time threshold, the FCF device configures the first port as the second type port.

Abstract: An FC fabric login/logout system includes an FC switch device coupled to an endpoint device by an intermediate FC fabric device. The intermediate FC fabric device receives a first FC fabric login from the endpoint device and, in response, performs FC fabric login operations to create an FC fabric session between the endpoint device and the FC switch device, and stores FC fabric session information in hardware table(s). When the intermediate FC fabric device determines that an FC fabric session time period has passed, it ends the FC fabric session by clearing the FC fabric session information from the hardware table(s), and stores the FC fabric session information in software table(s). If the intermediate FC fabric device then receives a second FC fabric login from the endpoint device, it recreates the FC fabric session by transferring the FC fabric session information from the software table(s) to the hardware table(s).