High performance path allocation system and method with fairness insurance mechanism for a fiber optic switch
First Claim
1. A path allocation system for high performance data transfer through a fiber optic switch which selectively interconnects fiber optic channels, comprising:
- a plurality of ports for connection to said channels;
a memory means associated with said ports, said memory means for storing an incoming new data frame from a source port;
a distribution network configured to interconnect said ports;
a sentry in communication with said memory means, said sentry configured to determine when said new data frame has been received by said memory means;
a scheduler which maintains a destination queue corresponding with each of said ports, said scheduler configured to receive path data pertaining to said new data frame from said sentry after said sentry determines receipt of said new data frame, said path data including a source port indicator which identifies a source port and which identifies a memory address identifying a location of said frame in said memory means, and a destination port indicator which identifies a destination port, and said scheduler configured to place said path data within a destination queue corresponding with said destination port and to retrieve said path data from said destination queue;
an arbitrator configured to control said distribution network and in communication with said scheduler and said ports, said arbitrator configured to determine when said ports are busy servicing other frame transfer requests and when said ports are available for accommodating frame transfer requests, and said arbitrator configured to deny and grant said transfer requests based upon availability; and
a source fairness insurance means associated with said source port, said source fairness insurance means for defining an order for future access to said source port as a source for data, said order including at least one destination port corresponding to a denied transfer request.
7 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A fiber optic switch interconnects fiber optic channels so that a fiber optic network can be implemented. Channel modules provide ports (p1-pi) for connection of the fiber optic channels. Each channel module has a receive memory for temporarily storing incoming data frames from the fiber optic channels associated therewith. A switch module having a data distribution network interconnects each of the channel modules and permits ultimate connection of a source channel to a destination channel. A path allocation system, which controls the switch module, allocates the data paths between the channels. The path allocation system has a scheduler which maintains a destination queue (Qp1 -Qpi) for each of the channels, a sentry which determines when a new data frame is ready to be routed, and an arbitrator which arbitrates port availability and which grants transfer requests proposed by the scheduler. Significantly, the arbitrator is equipped with fairness insurance mechanisms for insuring that transfer requests are always timely and efficiently serviced.
124 Citations
26 Claims
-
1. A path allocation system for high performance data transfer through a fiber optic switch which selectively interconnects fiber optic channels, comprising:
-
a plurality of ports for connection to said channels; a memory means associated with said ports, said memory means for storing an incoming new data frame from a source port; a distribution network configured to interconnect said ports; a sentry in communication with said memory means, said sentry configured to determine when said new data frame has been received by said memory means; a scheduler which maintains a destination queue corresponding with each of said ports, said scheduler configured to receive path data pertaining to said new data frame from said sentry after said sentry determines receipt of said new data frame, said path data including a source port indicator which identifies a source port and which identifies a memory address identifying a location of said frame in said memory means, and a destination port indicator which identifies a destination port, and said scheduler configured to place said path data within a destination queue corresponding with said destination port and to retrieve said path data from said destination queue; an arbitrator configured to control said distribution network and in communication with said scheduler and said ports, said arbitrator configured to determine when said ports are busy servicing other frame transfer requests and when said ports are available for accommodating frame transfer requests, and said arbitrator configured to deny and grant said transfer requests based upon availability; and a source fairness insurance means associated with said source port, said source fairness insurance means for defining an order for future access to said source port as a source for data, said order including at least one destination port corresponding to a denied transfer request. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
-
-
15. A path allocation system for high performance data transfer through a fiber optic switch which selectively interconnects fiber optic channels, comprising:
-
a plurality of ports for connection to said channels; a memory means associated with said ports, said memory means for storing an incoming new data frame from a source port; a distribution network configured to interconnect said ports; a sentry in communication with said memory means, said sentry configured to determine when said new data frame has been received by said memory means; a scheduler which maintains a destination queue corresponding with each of said ports, said scheduler configured to receive path data pertaining to said new data frame from said sentry after said sentry determines receipt of said new data frame, said path data including a source port indicator which identifies a source port and which identifies a memory address identifying a location of said frame in said memory means, and a destination port indicator which identifies a destination port, and said scheduler configured to place said path data within a destination queue corresponding with said destination port and to retrieve said path data from said destination queue; an arbitrator configured to control said distribution network and in communication with said scheduler and said ports, said arbitrator configured to determine when said ports are busy servicing other frame transfer requests and when said ports are available for accommodating frame transfer requests, and said arbitrator configured to deny and grant said transfer requests based upon availability; and a destination fairness insurance means associated with said destination port, said destination fairness insurance means for storing an order for future access to said destination port as a destination for data, said order including at least one source port indicator corresponding to a denied transfer request. - View Dependent Claims (16)
-
-
17. A method for insuring efficient and reliable transfer of data through a fiber optic switch for selectively interconnecting fiber optic channels which are connected to the switch via respective ports, comprising the steps of:
-
receiving data at said switch from a source port, said data to be switched to a destination port; determining when said destination port is available to receive said data and when said destination port is busy receiving other data; when said source and destination ports are available, transferring said data from said source port to said destination port; when either of said source and destination ports is busy, denying transfer of said data from said source port to said destination port; defining an order for future access to said source port as a source for data, said order including a designation of at least one destination port corresponding to at least one denied transfer request; defining another order for future access to said source port as a destination for data, said another order including a designation of at least one destination port corresponding to at least one other denied transfer request; and after said source port terminates said busy condition, permitting a denied transfer request by acquiring a destination port designation based upon said order. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
-
-
25. A method for insuring efficient and reliable transfer of data through a fiber optic switch for selectively interconnecting fiber optic channels which are connected to the switch via respective ports, comprising the steps of:
-
receiving data at said switch from a source port, said data to be switched to a destination port; determining when said destination port is available to receive said data and when said destination port is busy receiving other data; determining when said source port is available to transmit said data and when said source port is busy transmitting other data; when said source and destination ports are available, transferring said data from said source port to said destination port; when either of said source and destination ports is busy, denying transfer of said data from said source port to said destination port; defining an order for future access to said destination port as a destination for data, said order including a designation of at least one source port corresponding to at least one denied transfer request; and permitting a denied transfer request by acquiring a stored source port designation based upon said order.
-
-
26. A method for insuring efficient and reliable transfer of data through a fiber optic switch for selectively interconnecting fiber optic channels which are connected to the switch via respective ports, comprising the steps of:
-
receiving data at said switch from a source port, said data to be switched to a destination port; determining when said destination port is available to receive said data and when said destination port is busy receiving other data; when said source and destination ports are available, transferring said data from said source port to said destination port; when either of said source and destination ports is busy, denying transfer of said data from said source port to said destination port; defining an order for future access to said source port as a source for data, said order including a designation of at least one destination port corresponding to at least one denied transfer request; and after said source port terminates said busy condition, permitting a denied transfer request by acquiring a destination port designation based upon said order; and defining another order for future access to said destination port as a destination for data, said another order including a designation of at least one source port corresponding to at least one other denied transfer request.
-
Specification