Method for validating operation of a fibre link

• US 20040019833A1
• Filed: 07/25/2002
• Published: 01/29/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 07/25/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: LSI Logic Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Riedl, Daniel A.
• Granted Patent: US 7,055,068 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 714/43
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/4221 being an input/output bus, e.g. ISA bus, EISA bus, PCI bus, SCSI bus

Abstract

A method for validating operation of a fibre link when the fibre link is initialized includes the steps of entering a trial link up state upon receiving a command to initialize the fibre link so that normal commands to other devices within the fibre channel loop are not resumed, and thereafter entering a final link up state and resuming normal commands to other devices within the fibre channel loop. In exemplary embodiments, the method may be implemented by devices within a system such as a disk array system of a storage area network (SAN), or the like.

Claims

1. A method for validating operation of a fibre link, comprising:

entering a trial link up state upon receiving a command to initialize the fibre link so that normal commands to other devices within the fibre channel loop are not resumed; and

thereafter entering a final link up state and resuming normal commands to other devices within the fibre channel loop.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising receiving a command to initialize the fibre link.

3. The method as claimed in claim 2, wherein the step of receiving a request to initialize the fibre link comprises receiving a Loop Initialization Primitive (LIP).

4. The method as claimed in claim 3, wherein the Loop Initialization Primitive (LIP) includes a Loop Initialization Primitive completion frame (LILP).

5. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising sending a no operation frame (NOP) while in the trial linkup state, and receiving the no operation frame (NOP) whereupon the final linkup state is entered upon receiving the no operation frame (NOP).

6. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising sending a self-directed command while in the trial linkup state and receiving the self-directed command for verifying that the fibre link is stable.

7. The method as claimed in claim 6, wherein the self-directed command comprises at least one of a read command and a write command.

8. A system capable of validating operation of a fibre link of the system, comprising:

means for entering a trial link up state upon receiving a command to initialize the fibre link so that normal commands to other devices within the fibre channel loop are not resumed; and

means for thereafter entering a final link up state and resuming normal commands to other devices within the fibre channel loop.

9. The system as claimed in claim 8, further comprising means for receiving a command to initialize the fibre link.

10. The system as claimed in claim 9, wherein the request to initialize the fibre link comprises a Loop Initialization Primitive (LIP).

11. The system as claimed in claim 10, wherein the Loop Initialization Primitive (LIP) includes a Loop Initialization Primitive completion frame (LILP).

12. The system as claimed in claim 8, further comprising means for sending a no operation frame (NOP) while in the trial linkup state, and receiving the no operation frame (NOP) whereupon the final linkup state is entered upon receiving the no operation frame (NOP).

13. The system as claimed in claim 8, further comprising means for sending a self-directed command while in the trial linkup state and receiving the self-directed command for verifying that the fibre link is stable.

14. The system as claimed in claim 13, wherein the self-directed command comprises at least one of a read command and a write command.

15. A disk array system, comprising:

a disk array controller for controlling devices within the disk array system; and

a device within the disk array system, the device being coupled to the disk array controller via a fibre channel loop,

wherein at least one of the disk array controller and the device is capable of validating operation of a fibre link within the fibre channel loop by entering a trial link up state upon receiving a command to initialize the fibre link so that normal commands to other devices within the fibre channel loop are not resumed and thereafter entering a final link up state and resuming normal commands to other devices within the fibre channel loop.

16. The disk array system as claimed in claim 15, wherein the disk array controller provided a command to initialize the fibre link to the device.

17. The disk array system as claimed in claim 16, wherein the command to initialize the fibre link comprises a Loop Initialization Primitive (LIP).

18. The disk array system as claimed in claim 17, wherein the Loop Initialization Primitive (LIP) includes a Loop Initialization Primitive completion frame (LILP).

19. The disk array system as claimed in claim 15, wherein at least one of the disk array controller and the device sends a no operation frame (NOP) to itself while in the trial linkup state and enters the final linkup state is entered upon receiving the no operation frame (NOP).

20. The disk array system as claimed in claim 15, wherein at least one of the disk array controller and the device is capable of sending and receiving a self-directed command while in the trial linkup state for verifying that the fibre link is stable.

21. The disk array system as claimed in claim 20, wherein the self-directed command comprises at least one of a read command and a write command.

22. A storage area network, comprising:

a disk array controller for controlling devices within the disk array system; and

a device within the disk array system, the device being coupled to the disk array controller via a fibre link,

wherein at least one of the disk array controller and the device is capable of validating operation of a fibre link by entering a trial link up state upon receiving a command to initialize the fibre link so that normal commands to other devices within the fibre channel loop are not resumed and thereafter entering a final link up state and resuming normal commands to other devices within the fibre channel loop.

23. The storage area network as claimed in claim 22, wherein the disk array controller provided a command to initialize the fibre link to the device.

24. The storage area network as claimed in claim 23, wherein the command to initialize the fibre link comprises a Loop Initialization Primitive (LIP).

25. The storage area network as claimed in claim 24, wherein the Loop Initialization Primitive (LIP) includes a Loop Initialization Primitive completion frame (LILP).

26. The storage area network as claimed in claim 22, wherein at least one of the disk array controller and the device sends a no operation frame (NOP) to itself while in the trial linkup state and enters the final linkup state is entered upon receiving the no operation frame (NOP).

27. The storage area network as claimed in claim 22, wherein at least one of the disk array controller and the device is capable of sending and receiving a self-directed command while in the trial linkup state for verifying that the fibre link is stable.

28. The storage area network as claimed in claim 22, wherein the self-directed command comprises at least one of a read command and a write command.