METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR DYNAMICALLY ASSIGNING DOMAIN IDENTIFICATION IN A MULTI-MODULE FIBRE CHANNEL SWITCH

• US 20070201457A1
• Filed: 05/03/2007
• Published: 08/30/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/22/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Renae Weber, Steven Betker, Timothy Vitters
• Original Assignee: Renae Weber, Steven Betker, Timothy Vitters
• Inventors: Betker, Steven, Weber, Renae, Vitters, Timothy
• Application Number:
  US11/743,852
• Publication Number:
  US 20070201457A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/360
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/10 characterised by the switching fabric construction
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/357 Fibre channel switches
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/65 Re-configuration of fast packet switches

Abstract

A method for entering fabric configuration in a fibre channel system for a multi-module fibre channel switch is provided. The method includes determining if a primary blade has been selected for the multi-module switch; sending exchange fabric parameters to internal ports of the multi-module switch; and processing principal switch selection events.

Claims

2. A method for processing principal switch selection events in a fibre channel system using a multi-module fibre channel switch, comprising:

determining if exchange fabric parameters have been received by a switch module;

determining if domain identification values have been received by the switch module;

sending domain identification values to all internal ports; and

operating as a non-principal switch if the switch module is also a primary blade.

1. A method for entering fabric configuration in a fibre channel system for a multi-module fibre channel switch, comprising:

determining if a primary blade has been selected for the multi-module switch;

sending exchange fabric parameters to internal ports of the multi-module switch; and

processing principal switch selection events.

3. The method for claim 2, further comprising:

determining if a F_S_TOV timer has expired if no domain identification value is received; and

operating as the principal switch if the switch module is a primary blade and the F_S-TOV timer has expired.

3-1. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

assigning the switch module as a non-primary blade if the domain identification value is received by the switch module and the switch module is not a primary blade.

4. A method for operating a principal switch in a fibre channel system using a multi-module switch, comprising:

sending exchange blade parameters with a local domain assigned value to plural internal ports in the switch module.

5. A method for operating a multi-module switch as a non-principal switch in a fibre channel system, comprising:

requesting local domain identification values from other modules; and

sending exchange blade parameters with local domain assigned values to internal ports.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

isolating the switch module if the local domain assignment value was unsuccessful.

7. A method for domain identification value assignment for a multi-module switch in a fibre channel system, comprising:

receiving exchange blade parameters with local domain value assigned; and

sending domain identification value assigned flags to external ports.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

isolating external ports if the exchange blade parameter has a rejected value for local domain assignment.