Method and Apparatus for Managing, Configuring, and Controlling an I/O Virtualization Device through a Network Switch
First Claim
1. In a system comprising a server in communication with an external switching device over a physical link, the server having an input/output virtualization (IOV) device that is in communication with the external switching device over the physical link, a method for bridging frames sent from a source entity to a destination entity, both entities running on the server, the method comprising configuring the IOV device to bridge some frames locally within the IOV device at the server from the source entity to the destination entity and to pass other frames through the IOV device to the external switching device for bridging these other frames between the entities by the external switching device.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus and method bridges frames between entities running on the same server. The server has a physical network interface that supports I/O virtualization. The physical network interface has an IOV device with a bridging function capable of bridging frames between entities running on the server. A network switch has a physical port coupled to the server by a physical link and a switching fabric in communication with the physical port for transmitting and receiving Ethernet data frames to and from the IOV device. A control processor, in communication with the IOV device, configures the bridging function of the IOV device to bridge some frames locally within the server between the entities running on the server and to pass other frames through the IOV device over the physical link to the physical port and the switching fabric, so that the switching fabric bridges these other frames between the entities.
-
Citations
20 Claims
- 1. In a system comprising a server in communication with an external switching device over a physical link, the server having an input/output virtualization (IOV) device that is in communication with the external switching device over the physical link, a method for bridging frames sent from a source entity to a destination entity, both entities running on the server, the method comprising configuring the IOV device to bridge some frames locally within the IOV device at the server from the source entity to the destination entity and to pass other frames through the IOV device to the external switching device for bridging these other frames between the entities by the external switching device.
-
10. A network switch, comprising:
-
a physical port in communication over a physical link with a physical network interface of a server, the physical network interface having an IOV device with a bridging function capable of bridging frames between entities running on the server; a switching fabric coupled to the physical port to transmit frames to and receive frames from the IOV device; and a control processor, in communication with the IOV device, configuring the bridging function of the IOV device to bridge some frames locally within the server between the entities running on the server and to pass other frames through the IOV device over the physical link to the switching fabric, for bridging by the switching fabric of these other frames between the entities. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
-
-
18. A data center, comprising:
-
a server having a physical network interface that supports I/O virtualization, the physical network interface having an IOV device with a bridging function capable of bridging frames between entities running on the server; a network switch having a physical port coupled to the server by a physical link and a switching fabric in communication with the physical port for transmitting and receiving Ethernet data frames to and from the IOV device; and a control processor, in communication with the IOV device, configuring the bridging function of the IOV device to bridge some frames locally within the server between the entities running on the server and to pass other frames through the IOV device over the physical link to the physical port and the switching fabric, so that the switching fabric bridges these other frames between the entities.
-
-
19. A physical network interface, comprising:
-
an IOV device with a configurable bridging function for bridging frames between entities running on a server; a port receiving a frame from a source entity running on the server targeted to a destination entity running on the server; and a processing element bridging the frame locally within the IOV device if the bridging function is capable of and configured to bridge the frame locally to the destination entity, and otherwise transmitting the frame through an Ethernet port over a physical link to an external switching device, so that the external switching device bridges the frame between the source and destination entities. - View Dependent Claims (20)
-
Specification