Method and apparatus for accelerating receive-modify-send frames in a fibre channel network

• US 20050027877A1
• Filed: 07/12/2004
• Published: 02/03/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 07/16/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Marvell Asia Pte Limited (Marvell Technology Group Limited)
• Original Assignee: QLogic Corporation (Marvell Technology Group Limited)
• Inventors: Wen, William J., Fike, Melanie A.
• Granted Patent: US 7,620,059 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/236
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/357 Fibre channel switches

Abstract

A method and a fibre channel switch element for processing receive-modify-send (“RMS”) frames in a fibre 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.

Claims

1. A method for processing receive-modify-send (“

RMS”

) frames in a fibre channel network, comprising;

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.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the RMS frame is modified in a receive buffer before being sent to the transmit buffer.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein a port state machine controls the receive buffer where RMS frames are modified.

4. A fibre channel switch element coupled to an arbitrated loop in a network, comprising:

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.

5. The switch element of claim 4, wherein a buffer select logic selects the appropriate buffer for modifying and transmitting frames from.

6. A fibre channel network, comprising:

a fibre channel switch element including 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.

7. The network of claim 6, wherein a buffer select logic selects the appropriate buffer for modifying and transmitting frames from.