USER SELECTABLE MULTIPLE PROTOCOL NETWORK INTERFACE DEVICE

• US 20130315256A1
• Filed: 11/16/2012
• Published: 11/28/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/04/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Brocade Communications Systems, Inc. (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Balakavi, Venkata Pramod, Nagapudi, Venky, Altekar, Sathseel, Varanasi, Surya Prakash, Zhao, Li, Bansal, Yash V.
• Granted Patent: US 9,100,349 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/401
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/32 Means for saving power
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/385 for adaptation of a particular data processing system to different peripheral devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2213/3808 Network interface controller
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0625 Power saving in storage systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0634 by changing the state or mode of one or more devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/067 Distributed or networked storage systems, e.g. storage area networks [SAN], network attached storage [NAS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/66 Arrangements for connecting between networks having differing types of switching systems, e.g. gateways
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/602 Multilayer or multiprotocol switching, e.g. IP switching
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management

Abstract

An Ethernet/Fibre Channel network interface device which can be configured by a user to operate on an FC SAN, a CEE network or both. In one embodiment the configuration can be done using jumpers or connections to the pins of a chip, thus allowing a manufacturer to only inventory one device for use with either or both networks. In a second embodiment the configuration can be done in software by setting registers and memory values on the device. This embodiment allows the device to be changed between configurations without removing it from the server or blade. The devices according to the preferred embodiments further reduce power consumption by shutting down portions of the chip not needed based on the configuration of the device.

Claims

1. A network adapter card comprising:

a host interface for connection to a host computer;

a network interface for connection to one of two different protocol physical networks; and

a chip connected to said host interface and said network interface which operates with at least one of two different network driver protocols, the two network driver protocols corresponding to the two network physical protocols, and operates according to at least one of the two different network physical protocols based on a selection made by a user, said chip transferring data between said host interface and said network interface and said chip operable with a network driver protocol different from the network physical protocol.

2. The card of claim 1, wherein the selection is performed by applying selected values to selected inputs of said chip.

3. The card of claim 2, further comprising:

a jumper arrangement connected to said chip for allowing the user to apply the selected values to selected inputs.

4. The card of claim 1, further comprising:

a flash memory connected to said chip, said flash memory containing values for performing the selection.

5. The card of claim 1, wherein said chip contains registers which can be programmed using said host interface, the values of said registers performing the selection.

6. The card of claim 1, wherein said network interface includes two chip port connections, wherein said chip includes two ports, each connected to one port connection of said network interface, and wherein the user selection selects the network physical protocol for each chip port independently.

7. The card of claim 6, wherein said chip further includes:

a first network protocol engine corresponding to a first of the different network protocols and having two ports;

a second network protocol engine corresponding to a second of the different network protocols and having two ports; and

a connection interface connected to said two ports of said first and second network protocol engines and said two chip ports, said connection interface configured to allow said two chip ports to be connected to any combination of said two ports of said first and second network protocol engines.

8. The card of claim 7, wherein said first network protocol engine is an Ethernet engine and wherein said network protocol engine is a Fibre Channel engine.

9. The card of claim 8, wherein said Ethernet and Fibre Channel engines are interconnected to allow use of the Fibre Channel over Ethernet protocol, wherein said Ethernet engine is connected to said network interface and said Fibre Channel engine is connected to said host interface, and wherein a Fibre Channel protocol network driver cooperates with said Fibre Channel engine, such that Fibre Channel over Ethernet data interfaces with an Ethernet protocol network through said Ethernet engine and with the host computer through said Fibre Channel engine and the Fibre Channel protocol network driver.

10. The card of claim 9, wherein said second network protocol engine is divided in a processing portion and a MAC portion and wherein said first network protocol engine and said second network protocol engines processing and MAC portions are in separate controllable power domains.

11. A network adapter integrated circuit comprising:

a host interface for connection to a host computer;

a network interface for connection to one of two different protocol physical networks; and

network adapter logic connected to said host interface and said network interface which operates with at least one of two different network driver protocols, the two network driver protocols corresponding to the two network physical protocols, and operates according to one of the two different network physical protocols based on a selection made by a user, said network adapter logic transferring data between said host interface and said network interface and said network adapter logic operable with a network driver protocol different from the network physical protocol.

12. The circuit of claim 11, wherein the selection is performed by applying selected values to selected inputs of said network adapter logic.

13. The circuit of claim 12, further comprising:

pins for connection to a jumper arrangement for allowing the user to apply the selected values to selected inputs.

14. The circuit of claim 11, further comprising:

inputs for a flash memory, the flash memory containing values used by said network adapter logic for performing the selection.

15. The circuit of claim 11, wherein said network adapter logic contains registers which can be programmed using said host interface, the values of said registers performing the selection.

16. The circuit of claim 11, wherein said network interface includes two circuit ports connected to said network adapter logic and wherein the user selection selects the network physical protocol for each circuit port independently.

17. The circuit of claim 16, wherein said network adapter logic further includes:

a first network protocol engine corresponding to a first of the different network protocols and having two ports;

a second network protocol engine corresponding to a second of the different network protocols and having two ports; and

a connection interface connected to said two ports of said first and second network protocol engines and said two circuit ports, said connection interface configured to allow said two circuit ports to be connected to any combination of said two ports of said first and second network protocol engines.

18. The circuit of claim 17, wherein said first network protocol engine is an Ethernet engine and wherein said network protocol engine is a Fibre Channel engine.

19. The circuit of claim 18, wherein said Ethernet and Fibre Channel engines are interconnected to allow use of the Fibre Channel over Ethernet protocol, wherein said Ethernet engine is connected to said network interface and said second Fibre Channel engine is connected to said host interface, and wherein a Fibre Channel protocol network driver cooperates with said Fibre Channel engine, such that Fibre Channel over Ethernet data interfaces with an Ethernet protocol network through said Ethernet engine and with the host computer through said Fibre Channel engine and the Fibre Channel protocol network driver.

20. The circuit of claim 19, wherein said second network protocol engine is divided in a processing portion and a MAC portion, and wherein said first network protocol engine and said second network protocol engines processing and MAC portions are in separate controllable power domains.