Interconnecting network processors with heterogeneous fabrics

• US 20040109473A1
• Filed: 12/05/2002
• Published: 06/10/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/05/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tahoe Research Limited (f/k/a Learndale Limited) (Vector Capital Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Lebizay, Gerald, Oliver, Neal C., Gish, David W.
• Granted Patent: US 7,573,876 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/466
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/08 Protocols for interworking; Protocol conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

A method and apparatus to perform protocol translation for a modular system may be described.

Claims

1. A method to translate a protocol, comprising:

receiving at least one first packet created in accordance with a first protocol;

determining a packet type for said first packet;

selecting a second protocol based on said packet type; and

translating said at least one first packet to at least one second packet in accordance with said second protocol.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said first protocol comprises a protocol as defined by an Infiniband Specification.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said packet type comprises a Backward Event Congestion Notification (BECN) packet.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein said second protocol comprises a protocol in accordance with a CSIX Specification.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein said translating comprises:

retrieving a Local Route Header (LRH) having BECN information in a BECN message field from said first packet;

retrieving a network address and congestion control information from said BECN information, said congestion control information having a first portion and a second portion;

mapping said network address to a CSIX destination address field of said second packet;

mapping said first portion to a CSIX speed field of said second packet; and

mapping said second portion to a CSIX class field of said second packet.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein said packet type comprises an Infiniband data packet.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein said second protocol comprises a protocol in accordance with a SPI-4 Specification.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein said first packet comprises header information and payload information, and said translating comprises:

mapping said header information and a portion of said payload information into said at least one second packet;

mapping any remaining payload information into additional packets until said payload information has been mapped; and

adding a SPI-4 header to each of said second packet and said additional packets.

9. The method of claim 2, wherein said packet type comprises a Multi-Protocol Label Format (MPLF) packet.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein said second protocol comprises a protocol in accordance with a CSIX Specification.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein said first packet comprises Local Route Header (LRH) information, MPLF header information, and payload information, and said translating comprises:

mapping said MPLF header information and a portion of said payload information into said second packet;

mapping any remaining payload information into additional packets until said payload information has been mapped;

adding a CSIX header field to each of said second packet and additional packets; and

mapping at least a portion of said LRH information into each CSIX header field.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein said mapping at least said portion of said LRH information comprises:

retrieving service level information, length information and a network address from said LRH information; and

mapping said service level information to a CSIX class field, said length information to a CSIX length field, a first portion of said network address to a CSIX destination address field, and a second portion of said network address to a CSIX reserved field.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein said first protocol is a protocol as defined by a SPI-4 Specification.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein said packet type comprises one of a Backward Event Congestion Notification (BECN) packet, an Infiniband data packet and a Multi-Protocol Label Format (MPLF) packet.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein said second protocol comprises a protocol in accordance with an Infiniband Specification.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein said first packet is a SPI-4 packet in a sequence of SPI-4 packets, and said translating comprises:

retrieving header information and a portion of payload information from said first packet;

retrieving any remaining payload information from additional SPI-4 packets in said sequence; and

creating said at least one second packet using said header information and payload information.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein said first protocol is a protocol as defined by ExB/AS Specification.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein said second protocol is a protocol in accordance with one of a CSIX Specification and SPI-4 Specification.

19. An article comprising:

a storage medium;

said storage medium including stored instructions that, when executed by a processor, result in translating a protocol by receiving at least one first packet created in accordance with a first protocol, determining a packet type for said first packet, selecting a second protocol based on said packet type, and translating said at least one first packet to at least one second packet in accordance with said second protocol.

20. The article of claim 19, wherein the stored instructions, when executed by a processor, further result in said first protocol comprising a protocol as defined by an Infiniband Specification.

21. The article of claim 20, wherein the stored instructions, when executed by a processor, further result in said packet type comprising a Backward Event Congestion Notification (BECN) packet.

22. The article of claim 21, wherein the stored instructions, when executed by a processor, further result in said second protocol comprising a protocol in accordance with a CSIX Specification.

23. The article of claim 22, wherein the stored instructions, when executed by a processor, further result in said translating by retrieving a Local Route Header (LRH) having BECN information in a BECN message field from said first packet, retrieving a network address and congestion control information from said BECN information, said congestion control information having a first portion and a second portion, mapping said network address to a CSIX destination address field of said second packet, mapping said first portion to a CSIX speed field of said second packet, and mapping said second portion to a CSIX class field of said second packet.

24. The article of claim 19, wherein the stored instructions, when executed by a processor, further result in said packet type comprising an Infiniband data packet.

25. The article of claim 24, wherein the stored instructions, when executed by a processor, further result in said second protocol comprising a protocol in accordance with a SPI-4 Specification.

26. The article of claim 25, wherein the stored instructions, when executed by a processor, further result in said first packet comprising header information and payload information, and said translating is performed by mapping said header information and a portion of said payload information into said at least one second packet, mapping any remaining payload information into additional packets until said payload information has been mapped, and adding a SPI-4 header to each of said second packet and said additional packets.

27. The article of claim 19, wherein the stored instructions, when executed by a processor, further result in said packet type comprising a Multi-Protocol Label Format (MPLF) packet.

28. The article of claim 27, wherein the stored instructions, when executed by a processor, further result in said second protocol comprising a protocol in accordance with a CSIX Specification.

29. The article of claim 28, wherein the stored instructions, when executed by a processor, further result in said first packet comprising Local Route Header (LRH) information, MPLF header information, and payload information, and said translating is performed by mapping said MPLF header information and a portion of said payload information into said second packet, mapping any remaining payload information into additional packets until said payload information has been mapped, adding a CSIX header field to each of said second packet and additional packets, and mapping at least a portion of said LRH information into each CSIX header field.

30. The article of claim 29, wherein the stored instructions, when executed by a processor, further result in said mapping at least said portion of said LRH information by retrieving service level information, length information and a network address from said LRH information, and mapping said service level information to a CSIX class field, said length information to a CSIX length field, a first portion of said network address to a CSIX destination address field, and a second portion of said network address to a CSIX reserved field.

31. The article of claim 19, wherein the stored instructions, when executed by a processor, further result in said first protocol being a protocol as defined by a SPI-4 Specification.

32. The article of claim 31, wherein the stored instructions, when executed by a processor, further result in said packet type comprising one of a Backward Event Congestion Notification (BECN) packet, an Infiniband data packet and a Multi-Protocol Label Format (MPLF) packet.

33. The article of claim 32, wherein the stored instructions, when executed by a processor, further result in said second protocol comprising a protocol in accordance with an Infiniband Specification.

34. The article of claim 33, wherein the stored instructions, when executed by a processor, further result in said first packet being a SPI-4 packet in a sequence of SPI-4 packets, and said translating is performed by retrieving header information and a portion of payload information from said first packet, retrieving any remaining payload information from additional SPI-4 packets in said sequence, and creating said at least one second packet using said header information and payload information.

35. The article of claim 34, wherein the stored instructions, when executed by a processor, further result in said first protocol being a protocol as defined by ExB/AS Specification.

36. The article of claim 35, wherein the stored instructions, when executed by a processor, further result in said second protocol being a protocol in accordance with one of a CSIX Specification and SPI-4 Specification.

37. A system, comprising:

a switching fabric;

at least one network node connected to said switching fabric, said network node comprising a network processor and, a Fabric Interface Chip (FIC), wherein said FIC translates one or more packets communicated between said switching fabric and said network processor from a first protocol to a second protocol based on a packet type associated with each packet.

38. The system of claim 37, wherein said network node further comprises an ingress port and an adjunct port, and said FIC translates one or more packets communicated between said network processor and said ports from a first protocol to a second protocol based on said packet type.

39. The system of claim 38, wherein said first protocol is an Infiniband protocol, said packet type is a Backward Event Congestion Notification (BECN) packet, and said second protocol is a CSIX protocol.

40. The system of claim 38, wherein said first protocol is an Infiniband protocol, said packet type is a Multi-Protocol Label Format (MPLF) packet, and said second protocol is a CSIX protocol.

41. The system of claim 38, wherein said first protocol is an Infiniband protocol, said packet type is an IBA data packet, and said second protocol is a SPI-4 protocol.

42. The system of claim 38, wherein said first protocol is SPI-3 protocol, said packet type is a SPI-3 packet, and said second protocol is a SPI-4 protocol.

43. The system of claim 38, wherein said first protocol is a S-RIO protocol, said packet type is a S-RIO packet, and said second protocol is a SPI-4 protocol.

44. The system of claim 38, wherein said first protocol is a ExB/AS protocol, said packet type is a ExB/AS packet, and said second protocol is a SPI-4 protocol.

45. The system of claim 38, wherein said first protocol is a SPI-4 protocol, said protocol type is BECN packet, and said second protocol is an Infiniband protocol.

46. The system of claim 38, wherein said first protocol is a SPI-4 protocol, said protocol type is MPLF packet, and said second protocol is an Infiniband protocol.

47. The system of claim 38, wherein said first protocol is a SPI-4 protocol, said protocol type is IBA data packet, and said second protocol is an Infiniband protocol.

48. The system of claim 38, wherein said first protocol is a SPI-4 protocol, said protocol type is a SPI-3 packet, and said second protocol is a SPI-3 protocol.

49. The system of claim 38, wherein said first protocol is a SPI-4 protocol, said protocol type is S-RIO packet, and said second protocol is a S-RIO protocol.

50. The system of claim 38, wherein said first protocol is a SPI-4 protocol, said protocol type is ExB/AS packet, and said second protocol is a ExB/AS protocol.