Fibre-channel arbitrated-loop split loop operation

• US 20020044562A1
• Filed: 05/22/2001
• Published: 04/18/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 09/07/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sanmina-SCI Corporation
• Original Assignee: Sanmina Sci-Usa, Inc.
• Inventors: Martinez, Reuben Michael, Lieber, Timothy Gene, Killen, Odie Banks Jr.
• Granted Patent: US 6,975,590 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/406
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/433 with asynchronous transmission, e.g. token ring, register insertion

Abstract

An enclosure services processor card is arranged to selectively split a fibre-channel arbitrated-loop (FC-AL) into two split loops. The card is adapted to plug into a backplane for a rack enclosure and includes a first switch operatively connected to a hub for the FC-AL. The hub comprises a plurality of port bypass circuits, each port bypass circuit being connected to a pair of tracks which in use connect to a respective one of each of the devices comprising the fibre channel arbitrated loop. The hub further comprises a pair of switches operatively controlled by the first switch, the pair of switches being disposed between respective port bypass circuits at which the loop is to be split. In a first state the pair of switches connect the devices in a single loop and in a second state the pair of switches divide the devices into two split loops.

Claims

1. An enclosure services processor card arranged to selectively split a fibre-channel arbitrated-loop (FC-AL) into two split loops, said card being adapted to plug into a backplane for a rack enclosure and including a first switch operatively connected to a hub for said FC-AL, said hub comprising a plurality of port bypass circuits, each port bypass circuit being connected to a pair of tracks which in use connect to a respective one of each of said devices comprising said fibre channel arbitrated loop, said hub further comprising a pair of switches operatively controlled by said first switch, said pair of switches being disposed between respective port bypass circuits at which said loop is to be split so that in a first state said pair of switches connect said devices in a single loop and in a second state said pair of switches divide said devices into two split loops.

2. An enclosure services card as claimed in claim 1 wherein said card includes an enclosure services processor operatively connected to said first switch, said enclosure services processor being operable to selectively control said first switch to split said fibre-channel devices into two split loops.

3. An enclosure services card as claimed in claim 1 wherein said first switch comprises a jumper, said jumper being configurable to selectively split said fibre-channel devices into two split loops.

4. An enclosure services card as claimed in claim 1 wherein said hub further comprises a further port bypass circuit being connected to a pair of tracks which in use connect to an expansion port through which a further one or more devices can be connected to said loop.

5. An enclosure services card as claimed in claim 4 wherein said hub further comprises a pair of tracks connected between a pair of port bypass circuits and which in use connect to a host device.

6. An enclosure services card as claimed in claim 5 wherein said pair of tracks are arranged to locate said host device in a first split loop and said further port bypass circuit is arranged to locate said expansion port in a second split loop.

7. A rack enclosure comprising a processor card as claimed in claim 1, a backplane and a plurality of devices connected to said backplane forming one or more fibre channel arbitrated loops.