METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR PROGRAMMABLE DATA DEPENDANT NETWORK ROUTING
0 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method and system for routing fibre channel frames using a fibre channel switch element is provided. The switch element includes, a hashing module whose output is used to select the column from a look up table to route frames. The method includes, indexing a look up table using domain, area, virtual storage area network identifier, a hashing module output and/or AL_PA values; selecting a column from the look up table based on a column select signal; and routing a frame if a route is valid. The hashing module takes a fibre channel header to generate a pseudo random value used for selecting a column from the look up table. The hashing module uses same field values in an exchange to generate the pseudo random value. A hash function is used on a frame'"'"'s OX_ID, D_ID, S_ID, and/or RX_ID to route fibre channel frames.
-
Citations
31 Claims
-
1-12. -12. (canceled)
-
13. A method for routing frames via a network element having a plurality of ports, comprising:
-
(a) receiving a frame at a port of the network element; (b) indexing a look tip table by using an output value generated by a hashing module for the network element and at least an another field used for routing the frame;
wherein the look up table includes a plurality of values;(c) selecting a column value from the look up table based on a column select signal generated by a hardware logic;
wherein the column select signal is based on a pseudo random number value generated by the hashing module by applying a hashing function on a field of a frame header for the received frame; and(d) based on the selected column value, routing the frame if a route is valid. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
-
-
20. A network element for routing frames, configured to select a route from amongst a plurality of routes, the network element comprising:
-
at least one port for receiving and transmitting a frame having a frame header; a look up table having a plurality of columns indexed by using an output value generated by a hashing module for the network element and at least an another field used for routing the frame; and a hardware logic that receives a plurality of inputs and based on one of the inputs, a column select signal is generated to select a value from one of the plurality of columns to route the frame; wherein the column select signal is based a pseudo random number value generated by the hashing module by applying a hash function on a field of the frame header. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
-
-
26. A network system, comprising:
-
a computing system for sending and receiving information; and at least one network element operationally coupled to the computing system for routing frames and configured to select a route from amongst a plurality of routes, where the network element includes; at least one port for receiving and transmitting a frame having a frame header; a look up table having a plurality of columns indexed by using an output value generated by a hashing module for the network element and at least an another field used for routing the frame; and a hardware logic that receives a plurality of inputs and based on one of the inputs, a column select signal is generated to select a value from one of the plurality of columns to route the frame; wherein the column select signal is based a pseudo random number value generated by the hashing module by applying a hash function on a field of the frame header. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
-
Specification