Method and apparatus for distributing traffic over multiple switched fibre channel routes
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Abstract
A computer network has two or more switches and a plurality of links. A first machine and a second machine are interconnected by the network in such a way that there exist multiple paths through the network from an N_Port of the first machine to an N_Port of the second machine. Network traffic from the N_Port of the first machine to the N_Port of the second machine is distributed between the multiple paths such that frames related to any single exchange traverse the same path yet frames of a first exchange need not traverse the same path as frames of a second exchange. Frames of each exchange therefore tend to be received by their destination in order with respect to other frames of that exchange, while they are not necessarily received in-order with respect to frames of other exchanges.
85 Citations
34 Claims
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1-17. -17. (canceled)
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18. A method of routing between or among a plurality of paths in a network fabric between a first N_Port and a second N_Port, comprising:
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receiving a packet containing a destination identifier and an originator exchange identifier;
accessing an entry of a routing table using an address generated based on at least portions of each of the destination identifier and originator exchange identifier; and
selecting one of the plurality of paths between the first N_Port and second N_Port based on the accessed entry of the routing table. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. A program product comprising computer-readable code to distribute data between or among paths between a first N_Port and a second N_Port, the computer-readable code executable to cause a switch to:
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maintain a routing table having plural entries selectable by an address;
receive a packet containing a destination identifier and an exchange identifier;
generate the address based on at least portions of each of the destination identifier and the exchange identifier; and
route the packet on one of the paths based on the entry of the routing table selected by the generated address. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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32. A switch operable in a network having a plurality of paths, comprising:
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a plurality of ports including a first port to receive a frame over the network, and additional ports;
a storage to store a routing table having entries for identifying corresponding additional ports for routing a frame received at the first port, wherein the received frame has a destination identifier and an exchange identifier; and
a generator to generate an address based on at least portions of each of the destination identifier and exchange identifier, the address to select one of the entries of the routing table; and
routing logic to route the received frame through one of the additional ports based on the entry selected by the address. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34)
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Specification