Abstract: An invention is provided for building configurable designs synthesizable to gates. The invention includes creating a configurable design using an HDL. The configurable design has a plurality of instantiated configurable constructs that can be optionally included in a design. Basically, the configurable design is an all-inclusive design having a large set of features, including varying interfaces, FIFO depths, and other features. Then, a derived design is generated by removing configurable constructs from the configurable design based on a specification, typically a customer specification received from a customer for a particular design. The specification indicates which configurable constructs are to be included in a derived design. Thereafter, the derived design is synthesizable in logic.

Abstract: A method and a fiber channel switch element for processing receive-modify-send (“RMS”) frames in a fiber channel network are provided. The method includes, determining if a received frame is a RMS frame; modifying the RMS frame without copying the RMS frame to a transmit buffer; and transmitting the modified frame. The RMS frame is modified in a receive buffer before being sent to the transmit buffer and a port state machine controls the receive buffer where RMS frames are modified. The switch element includes a port having a state machine that determines if a received frame needs to be modified before being transmitted, and if the frame is to be modified then such modification occurs in a receive buffer without being copied to a transmit buffer before such modification. A buffer select logic selects the appropriate buffer for modifying and transmitting frames from.

Abstract: A method and system for detecting orphaned CLS primitives in a fibre channel network having a fibre channel switch element coupled to an arbitrated loop is provided. The method includes, sending an OPN primitive to a switch element pore's own AL_PA to open a connection with itself; and determining if a CLS primitive is received within a loop a latency period. If a CLS primitive is received within the latency period then the CLS primitive is classified as an orphan and the orphaned CLS primitive is removed by the switch element by enabling a firmware based removal feature. The switch element includes a port that arbitrates for the arbitrated loop ownership and sends an OPN primitive to its own AL_PA.

Abstract: A method and fiber channel switch element for capturing data in a fiber channel system is provided. The method includes, detecting a condition for enabling data capture; setting a control bit to enable data capture; and capturing data based on the set control bit. The switch element includes, a diagnostic port that can configured as a traditional communication port and/or a data capture port depending on incoming frame data. The diagnostic port filters incoming frames, which is used to enable data capture.

Abstract: A method and system for detecting orphaned CLS primitives in a fibre channel network having a fibre channel switch element coupled to an arbitrated loop is provided. The method includes, sending an OPN primitive to a switch element pore's own AL_PA to open a connection with itself; and determining if a CLS primitive is received within a loop a latency period. If a CLS primitive is received within the latency period then the CLS primitive is classified as an orphan and the orphaned CLS primitive is removed by the switch element by enabling a firmware based removal feature. The switch element includes a port that arbitrates for the arbitrated loop ownership and sends an OPN primitive to its own AL_PA.

Abstract: An invention is provided for building configurable designs synthesizable to gates. The invention includes creating a configurable design using an HDL. The configurable design has a plurality of instantiated configurable constructs that can be optionally included in a design. Basically, the configurable design is an all-inclusive design having a large set of features, including varying interfaces, FIFO depths, and other features. Then, a derived design is generated by removing configurable constructs from the configurable design based on a specification, typically a customer specification received from a customer for a particular design. The specification indicates which configurable constructs are to be included in a derived design. Thereafter, the derived design is synthesizable in logic.

Abstract: A method and system for detecting orphaned CLS primitives in a fibre channel network having a fibre channel switch element coupled to an arbitrated loop is provided. The method includes, sending an OPN primitive to a switch element port's own AL_PA to open a connection with itself; and determining if a CLS primitive is received within a loop a latency period. If a CLS primitive is received within the latency period then the CLS primitive is classified as an orphan and the orphaned CLS primitive is removed by the switch element by enabling a firmware based removal feature. The switch element includes a port that arbitrates for the arbitrated loop ownership and sends an OPN primitive to its own AL_PA.

Abstract: A method for performing a fibre channel arbitrated loop integrity test using a fibre channel switch element is provided. The method includes, sending a fibre channel frame through the arbitrated loop; receiving the fibre channel frame after it has traversed through the arbitrated loop; performing a data compare between the fibre channel frame that was sent and the fibre channel frame that is received; detecting internal errors, if any, in the traversed fibre channel loop; and isolating a module that may have generated the error. The switch element includes, a cascade port that is used to couple one fibre channel switch element to another in a loop; and a port that sends a fibre channel frame through the loop and detects internal errors based on the comparison and a isolates a module that may have generated the internal error.

Abstract: A method and fibre channel switch element is provided for isolating a defective device that is coupled to a fibre channel arbitrated loop. The method includes, isolating a port if a loop initialization primitive (“LIP”) is detected from a device coupled to the arbitrated loop; configuring the device and acquiring an AL_PA; determining if the device is sending LIPs; and isolating the device if the device continues to send LIPs. The switch element includes, a port having an isolation state machine that allows the switch element to isolate a device whose behavior may result in disruption of other devices in the network. The state machine may also configure a device after detecting disruptive parameters from the device and perform diagnostic operations on the device.

Abstract: A method and a switch element for buffer utilization in a network are provided. The method includes, receiving plural frames in a first buffer, if the received frames are less than a full size frame and can be accommodated in the first buffer; sending an available buffer signal after the first buffer has been utilized; and receiving a frame after the available buffer signal has been sent. The switch element includes, a port having a state machine that monitors buffer utilization by receiving plural frames in a first buffer. Also, a method for managing a receive queue for a network is provided. The method includes, copying a receive descriptor queue entry from a first location to another location while a processor is performing a critical operation; and freeing the receive queue entry such that the processor can complete the critical operation.