Diagnostic Port for Inter-Switch Link Testing in Electrical, Optical and Remote Loopback Modes

• US 20140308032A1
• Filed: 06/26/2014
• Published: 10/16/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/01/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Brocade Communications Systems, Inc. (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Skirmont, David Aaron, Buragohain, Saumitra, Wusirika, Balakrishna, Kollu, Badrinath, Kim, Kyuh
• Granted Patent: US 9,401,760 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 398/25
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/073 using an out-of-service signal H04B10/071 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/077 using a supervisory or additional signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/0773 Network aspects, e.g. central monitoring of transmission parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/0775 Performance monitoring and measurement of transmission parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/0779 Monitoring line transmitter or line receiver equipment
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/079 using measurements of the data signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/0793 Network aspects, e.g. central monitoring of transmission parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/0795 Performance monitoring; Measurement of transmission parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/0799 Monitoring line transmitter or line receiver equipment
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/25 Arrangements specific to fibre transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/27 Arrangements for networking
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/25 Routing or path finding in a switch fabric
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 11/0062 Network aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2011/0083 Testing; Monitoring

Abstract

A diagnostic testing utility is used to perform single link diagnostics tests including an electrical loopback test, an optical loopback test, a link traffic test, and a link distance measurement test. To perform the diagnostic tests, two ports at each end of a link are identified and then statically configured by a user. The ports will be configured as D_Ports and as such will be isolated from the fabric with no data traffic flowing through them. The ports will then be used to send test frames to perform the diagnostic tests.

Claims

1. A device comprising:

a processor; and

a network port coupled to the processor, the network port including a media interface module;

wherein the media interface module includes the capabilities to loopback incoming optical signals;

wherein the processor is adapted to configure the media interface module to loopback the incoming optical signals; and

wherein the processor provides frames to the network port for transmission when the media interface is configured to loopback the incoming optical signal.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the processor configures the media interface to not loopback incoming optical signals, and

wherein the processor receives a diagnostic frame indicating diagnostic mode and optical loopback and in response returns a diagnostic accept frame indicating diagnostic mode and optical loopback and configures the media interface to loopback incoming optical signals.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the processor configures the media interface to not loopback incoming optical signals,

wherein the processor provides a diagnostic frame indicating diagnostic mode and optical loopback, receives a diagnostic accept frame indicating diagnostic mode and optical loopback and configures the media interface to loopback incoming optical signals, and

wherein said diagnostic frame and diagnostic accept frame exchange occurs prior to the processor providing the frames to the network port.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the media interface includes the capability to loopback incoming electrical signals, wherein the processor is adapted to configure the media interface to loopback incoming electrical signals, and wherein the processor provides electrical signals to the media interface when the media interface is configured to loopback incoming electrical signals.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the device is a switch.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the device is a host bus adaptor.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the network port and media interface conform to Fibre Channel standards.

8. A network comprising:

a first device including a first processor and a network port coupled to the first processor, the network port including a first media interface module;

a second device including a second processor and a network port coupled to the second processor, the network port including a second media interface; and

a link connected to the first device media interface and the second device media interface;

wherein each media interface includes the capabilities to loopback incoming optical signals;

wherein each processor is adapted to configure the respective media interface to loopback the incoming optical signals; and

wherein the first processor inputs frames onto the link when both media interfaces are configured to loopback the incoming optical signal.

9. The network of claim 8, wherein each media interface includes the capability to loopback incoming electrical signals, wherein each processor is adapted to configure the respective media interface to loopback incoming electrical signals, and wherein each processor provides electrical signals to the respective media interface when the media interface is configured to loopback incoming electrical signals.

10. The network of claim 8, wherein the second processor inputs frames onto the link when both media interfaces are configured to loopback the incoming optical signals.

11. The network of claim 10, wherein each processor configures the respective media interface to not loopback incoming optical signals;

wherein the second processor provides a diagnostic frame indicating diagnostic mode and optical loopback to the link after the media interfaces are configured to not loopback incoming optical signals;

wherein the first processor receives the diagnostic frame and in response returns a diagnostic accept frame indicating diagnostic mode and optical loopback and configures the first media interface to loopback incoming optical signals,

wherein the second processor receives the diagnostic accept frame and in response configures the second media interface to loopback incoming optical signals, and

wherein said diagnostic frame and diagnostic accept frame exchange occurs prior to the second processor inputting the frames onto the link.

12. The network of claim 8, wherein each processor configures the media interface to not loopback incoming optical signals;

wherein the first processor provides a diagnostic frame indicating diagnostic mode and optical loopback to the link after the media interfaces are configured to not loopback incoming optical signals;

wherein the second processor receives the diagnostic frame and in response returns a diagnostic accept frame indicating diagnostic mode and optical loopback and configures the second media interface to loopback incoming optical signals,

wherein the first processor receives the diagnostic accept frame and in response configures the first media interface to loopback incoming optical signals, and

wherein said diagnostic frame and diagnostic accept frame exchange occurs prior to the first processor inputting the frames onto the link.

13. The network of claim 8, wherein each processor set its respective network port to a diagnostic mode prior to the first processor injecting the frames onto the link.

14. The network of claim 8, wherein the first and second devices are switches.

15. The network of claim 8, wherein the first device is a host bus adaptor and the second device is a switch.

16. The network of claim 8, wherein the network port and media interfaces conform to Fibre Channel standards.

17. A method comprising:

configuring a first device media interface and second device media interface module to not loopback incoming optical signals;

providing by the first device media interface module a diagnostic frame indicating diagnostic mode and optical loopback to a link, the link connecting the first device media interface module to the second device media interface module, wherein the diagnostic frame is provided after the media interfaces are configured to not loopback incoming optical signals;

receiving by the second device media interface the diagnostic frame and in response returning a diagnostic accept frame indicating diagnostic mode and optical loopback and configuring the second device media interface to loopback incoming optical signals; and

receiving by the first device media interface the diagnostic accept frame and in response configuring the first media interface to loopback incoming optical signals; and

inputting frames onto the link when both media interfaces are configured to loopback the incoming optical signals;

wherein said diagnostic frame and diagnostic accept frame exchange occurs prior inputting the frames onto the link.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising configuring the one or more of the first and second device media interfaces to loopback incoming electrical signals, and providing electrical signals to the configured media interface when the media interface is configured to loopback incoming electrical signals.

19. A method comprising:

configuring a media interface not to loopback incoming optical signals;

providing a diagnostic frame indicating diagnostic mode and optical loopback to a network port, the network port including the media interface;

wherein the diagnostic frame is provided after the media interface is configured to not loopback incoming optical signals;

transmitting the diagnostic frame;

receiving a diagnostic accept frame indicating diagnostic mode and optical loopback and in response configuring the media interface to loopback incoming optical signals; and

receiving frames at the network port after the media interface is configured to loopback incoming optical signals.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein said diagnostic frame and diagnostic accept frame exchange occurs prior to receiving the frames at the network port.

21. A method comprising:

configuring a media interface not to loopback incoming optical signals;

receiving a diagnostic frame indicating diagnostic mode and optical loopback by a network port, the network port including the media interface, and the diagnostic frame being received after the media interface is configured to not loopback incoming optical signals;

returning, in response to the diagnostic frame, a diagnostic accept frame indicating diagnostic mode and optical loopback and configuring the media interface to loopback incoming optical signals;

providing frames to the network port for transmission after the media interface is configured to loopback incoming optical signals; and

transmitting the frames.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein said diagnostic frame and diagnostic accept frame exchange occurs prior to providing frames to the network port for transmission.

23. The method of claim 21, further comprising configuring the media interface to loopback incoming electrical signals and providing electrical signals to the configured media interface when the media interface is configured to loopback incoming electrical signals.