Host bus adaptor-based virtualization switch

• US 20040028063A1
• Filed: 07/31/2002
• Published: 02/12/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Brocade Communications Systems, Inc. (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Brocade Communications Systems, Inc. (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Roy, Subhojit, Alonso, Carlos, Maveli, Naveen S., Costantino, Cirillo Lino, Walter, Richard A., Pong, Michael Yiu-Wing
• Granted Patent: US 7,269,168 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/402
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/433 with asynchronous transmission, e.g. token ring, register insertion
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/3009 Header conversion, routing tables or routing tags
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/351 for local area network [LAN], e.g. Ethernet switches
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1097 for distributed storage of data in networks, e.g. transport arrangements for network file system [NFS], storage area networks [SAN] or network attached storage [NAS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/22 Parsing or analysis of headers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

Placing virtualization agents in the switches which comprise the SAN fabric. Higher level virtualization management functions are provided in an external management server. Conventional HBAs can be utilized in the hosts and storage units. In a first embodiment, a series of HBAs are provided in the switch unit. The HBAs connect to bridge chips and memory controllers to place the frame information in dedicated memory. Routine translation of known destinations is done by the HBA, based on a virtualization table provided by a virtualization CPU If a frame is not in the table, it is provided to the dedicated RAM. Analysis and manipulation of the frame headers is then done by the CPU, with a new entry being made in the HBA table and the modified frames then redirected by the HBA into the fabric. This can be done in either a standalone switch environment or in combination with other switching components located in a director level switch. In an alternative embodiment, specialized hardware scans incoming frames and detects the virtualized frames which need to be redirected. The redirection is then handled by translation of the frame header information by hardware table-based logic and the translated frames are then returned to the fabric. Handling of frames not in the table and setup of hardware tables is done by an onboard CPU.

Claims

1. A virtualization device comprising:

a host bus adaptor;

frame memory coupled to said HBA to store frames received by and for transmission by said HBA;

a central processor unit (CPU);

a bus coupling said CPU and said frame memory to allow said CPU to access said frame memory;

CPU memory; and

a virtualization translation table containing physical storage unit addressing information related to virtualized storage units,

wherein said HBA utilizes said translation table to determine to if a received frame is directed to a virtualized storage unit with addressing information stored in said translation table and utilizes said physical storage unit addressing information related to said virtualized storage unit for translating said received frame for transmission to said physical storage unit; and

wherein said CPU is programmed to provide entries containing physical storage unit addressing information into said virtualization table if a frame received by said HBA and directed to a virtualized storage unit does not have physical storage unit addressing information stored in said virtualization table.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein said translation table includes a first portion coupled to said HBA and said CPU for access by said HBA and said CPU and a second portion coupled to said CPU for access by said CPU.

3. The device of claim 2, wherein said frame memory and said translation table first portion are contained in a common memory.

4. The device of claim 2, wherein said translation table first portion is contained in said HBA.

5. The device of claim 1, further comprising:

a second HBA; and

second frame memory coupled to said second HBA to store frames received by and for transmission by said HBA,

wherein said bus is further coupled to said second frame memory to allow said CPU to access said second frame memory,

wherein said second HBA utilizes said translation table to determine to if a received frame is directed to a virtualized storage unit with addressing information stored in said translation table and utilizes said physical storage unit addressing information related to said virtualized storage unit for translating said received frame for transmission to said physical storage unit; and

wherein said CPU is programmed to provide entries containing physical storage unit addressing information into said virtualization table if a frame received by said second HBA and directed to a virtualized storage unit does not have physical storage unit addressing information stored in said virtualization table.

6. The device of claim 5, wherein said translation table includes a third portion coupled to said second HBA and said CPU for access by said second HBA and said CPU.

7. The device of claim 6, wherein said second frame memory and said translation table third portion are contained in a common memory.

8. The device of claim 7, wherein said translation table third portion is contained in said second HBA.

9. A switched fabric comprising:

a switch; and

a virtualization device coupled to said switch, said virtualization device including;

a host bus adaptor;

frame memory coupled to said HBA to store frames received by and for transmission by said HBA;

a central processor unit (CPU);

a bus coupling said CPU and said frame memory to allow said CPU to access said frame memory;

CPU memory; and

a virtualization translation table containing physical storage unit addressing information related to virtualized storage units,

wherein said HBA utilizes said translation table to determine to if a received frame is directed to a virtualized storage unit with addressing information stored in said translation table and utilizes said physical storage unit addressing information related to said virtualized storage unit for translating said received frame for transmission to said physical storage unit; and

wherein said CPU is programmed to provide entries containing physical storage unit addressing information into said virtualization table if a frame received by said HBA and directed to a virtualized storage unit does not have physical storage unit addressing information stored in said virtualization table.

10. The fabric of claim 9, wherein said translation table includes a first portion coupled to said HBA and said CPU for access by said HBA and said CPU and a second portion coupled to said CPU for access by said CPU.

11. The fabric of claim 10, wherein said frame memory and said translation table first portion are contained in a common memory.

12. The fabric of claim 10, wherein said translation table first portion is contained in said HBA.

13. The fabric of claim 9, said virtualization device further including:

a second HBA; and

second frame memory coupled to said second HBA to store frames received by and for transmission by said HBA,

wherein said bus is further coupled to said second frame memory to allow said CPU to access said second frame memory,

wherein said second HBA utilizes said translation table to determine to if a received frame is directed to a virtualized storage unit with addressing information stored in said translation table and utilizes said physical storage unit addressing information related to said virtualized storage unit for translating said received frame for transmission to said physical storage unit; and

wherein said CPU is programmed to provide entries containing physical storage unit addressing information into said virtualization table if a frame received by said second HBA and directed to a virtualized storage unit does not have physical storage unit addressing information stored in said virtualization table.

14. The fabric of claim 13, wherein said translation table includes a third portion coupled to said second HBA and said CPU for access by said second HBA and said CPU.

15. The fabric of claim 14, wherein said second frame memory and said translation table third portion are contained in a common memory.

16. The fabric of claim 15, wherein said translation table third portion is contained in said second HBA.

17. A network comprising:

a host;

a physical storage unit;

a switch coupled to said host and said physical storage unit; and

a virtualization device coupled to said switch, said virtualization device including;

a host bus adaptor;

frame memory coupled to said HBA to store frames received by and for transmission by said HBA;

a central processor unit (CPU);

a bus coupling said CPU and said frame memory to allow said CPU to access said frame memory;

CPU memory; and

a virtualization translation table containing physical storage unit addressing information related to virtualized storage units,

wherein said HBA utilizes said translation table to determine to if a received frame is directed to a virtualized storage unit with addressing information stored in said translation table and utilizes said physical storage unit addressing information related to said virtualized storage unit for translating said received frame for transmission to said physical storage unit; and

wherein said CPU is programmed to provide entries containing physical storage unit addressing information into said virtualization table if a frame received by said HBA and directed to a virtualized storage unit does not have physical storage unit addressing information stored in said virtualization table.

18. The network of claim 17, wherein said translation table includes a first portion coupled to said HBA and said CPU for access by said HBA and said CPU and a second portion coupled to said CPU for access by said CPU.

19. The network of claim 18, wherein said frame memory and said translation table first portion are contained in a common memory.

20. The network of claim 18, wherein said translation table first portion is contained in said HBA.

21. The network of claim 17, said virtualization device further including:

a second HBA; and

second frame memory coupled to said second HBA to store frames received by and for transmission by said HBA,

wherein said bus is further coupled to said second frame memory to allow said CPU to access said second frame memory,

wherein said second HBA utilizes said translation table to determine to if a received frame is directed to a virtualized storage unit with addressing information stored in said translation table and utilizes said physical storage unit addressing information related to said virtualized storage unit for translating said received frame for transmission to said physical storage unit; and

wherein said CPU is programmed to provide entries containing physical storage unit addressing information into said virtualization table if a frame received by said second HBA and directed to a virtualized storage unit does not have physical storage unit addressing information stored in said virtualization table.

22. The network of claim 21, wherein said translation table includes a third portion coupled to said second HBA and said CPU for access by said second HBA and said CPU.

23. The network of claim 22, wherein said second frame memory and said translation table third portion are contained in a common memory.

24. The network of claim 23, wherein said translation table third portion is contained in said second HBA.