Virtual channel remapping

• US 20050063394A1
• Filed: 09/18/2003
• Published: 03/24/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/18/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Brocade Communications Systems, Inc. (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Ko, Kung-Ling
• Granted Patent: US 7,656,898 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/397
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/10 Flow control; Congestion control
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/39 Credit based
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/20 Support for services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/254 Centralised controller, i.e. arbitration or scheduling
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/30 Peripheral units, e.g. input or output ports

Abstract

Virtual channel enabled networking devices may map frames to specific virtual channels based upon frame characteristics (e.g. destination address, class of service). Devices and methods that provide a remapping of virtual channels are disclosed. In one embodiment, a network having virtual channel remapping may include: a first set of one or more switches that each support a first number of virtual channels, and a second set of one or more switches that each support a second number of virtual channels different from the first number of virtual channels. At least one switch from the second set is coupled to at least one switch from the first set and is configured to establish a correspondence (“map”) between the virtual channels supported by the first set and the virtual channels supported by the second set.

Claims

1. A device that comprises:

a port configured to receive frames on a plurality of virtual channels; and

control logic configured to determine the virtual channels associated with said frames based upon virtual channel characteristics from an external device.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein said external device comprises a networking device.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein said external device comprises a user terminal.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein said characteristic comprises a set of virtual channel identifiers.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein said characteristics comprise a virtual channel mapping mode.

6. The device of claim 1 further comprising an incoming remapping table that associates internal virtual channels with virtual channels of said external device.

7. A device that comprises:

a port configured to transmit frames on a plurality of virtual channels; and

control logic configured to determine the virtual channels associated with said frames based upon virtual channel characteristics from an external device.

8. The device of claim 7, wherein said external device comprises a networking device.

9. The device of claim 7, wherein said external device comprises a user terminal.

10. The device of claim 7, wherein said characteristics comprise a set of virtual channel identifiers.

11. The device of claim 7, wherein said characteristics comprise a virtual channel mapping mode.

12. The device of claim 7 further comprising an outgoing remapping table that associates internal virtual channels with virtual channels of said external device.

13. A device that comprises:

a port configured to receive and transmit frames on a plurality of virtual channels; and

control logic configured to determine the virtual channels associated with said frames based upon virtual channel characteristics from an external device.

14. The device of claim 13, wherein said external device comprises a networking device.

15. The device of claim 13, wherein said external device comprises a user terminal.

16. The device of claim 13, wherein said characteristics comprise a set of virtual channel identifiers.

17. The device of claim 13, wherein said characteristic comprises a virtual channel mapping mode.

18. The device of claim 13 further comprising an incoming and outgoing remapping table that associates internal virtual channels with virtual channels of said external device.

19. A switch that comprises:

a plurality of ports configured to send and receive frames on a plurality of virtual channels; and

control logic configured to determine the virtual channels associated with said frames based upon virtual channel characteristics from an external device.

20. The switch of claim 19, wherein said external device comprises a networking device.

21. The switch of claim 19, wherein said external device comprises a user terminal.

22. The switch of claim 19, wherein said characteristics comprise virtual channel identifiers.

23. The switch of claim 19, wherein said characteristics comprise a virtual channel count.

24. The switch of claim 19, wherein said characteristics comprise a mapping mode.

25. A method for transmitting frames on virtual channels, the method comprising:

receiving virtual channel characteristics of an external device;

determining a correspondence between internal virtual channels and virtual channels of said external device; and

remapping outgoing frames according to said correspondence.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein said external device comprises a networking device.

27. The method of claim 25, wherein said external device comprises a user terminal.

28. The method of claim 25, wherein said characteristics comprise virtual channel identifiers.

29. The method of claim 25, wherein said characteristics comprise a virtual channel count.

30. The method of claim 25, wherein said characteristics comprise a mapping mode.

31. A method for receiving frames on virtual channels, the method comprising:

receiving virtual channel characteristics of an external device;

determining a correspondence between internal virtual channels and virtual channels of said external device; and

remapping incoming frames according to said correspondence.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein said external device comprises a networking device.

33. The method of claim 31, wherein said external device comprises a user terminal.

34. The method of claim 31, wherein said characteristics comprise virtual channel identifiers.

35. The method of claim 31, wherein said characteristics comprise a virtual channel count.

36. The method of claim 31, wherein said characteristics comprise a mapping mode.

37. A method for receiving and transmitting frames on virtual channels, the method comprising:

receiving virtual channel characteristics of an external device;

determining a correspondence between internal virtual channels and virtual channels of said external device; and

remapping incoming and outgoing frames according to said correspondence.

38. The method of claim 37, wherein said external device comprises a networking device.

39. The method of claim 37, wherein said external device comprises a user terminal.

40. The method of claim 37, wherein said characteristics comprise virtual channel identifiers.

41. The method of claim 37, wherein said characteristics comprise a virtual channel count.

42. The method of claim 37, wherein said characteristics comprise a mapping mode.

43. A Fibre Channel (FC) fabric that comprises:

multiple FC switches couples together,

wherein at least one of the switches is configured with a plurality of ports that send and receive frames on a plurality of virtual channels and with control logic that determines the virtual channels associated with said frames based upon virtual channel characteristics from an external device.

44. The switch of claim 43, wherein said external device comprises a networking device.

45. The switch of claim 43, wherein said external device comprises a user terminal.

46. The switch of claim 43, wherein said characteristics comprise virtual channel identifiers.

47. The switch of claim 43, wherein said characteristics comprise a virtual channel count.

48. The switch of claim 43, wherein said characteristics comprise a mapping mode.

49. A network that comprises:

at least two nodes;

a Fibre Channel (FC) fabric coupling the nodes,

wherein the fabric comprises at least one switch that is configured with a plurality of ports that send and receive frames on a plurality of virtual channels and with control logic that determines the virtual channels associated with said frames based upon virtual channel characteristics from an external device.

50. The switch of claim 49, wherein said external device comprises a networking device.

51. The switch of claim 49, wherein said external device comprises a user terminal.

52. The switch of claim 49, wherein said characteristics comprise virtual channel identifiers.

53. The switch of claim 49, wherein said characteristics comprise a virtual channel count.

54. The switch of claim 49, wherein said characteristics comprise a mapping mode.