In-band method and apparatus for reporting operational statistics relative to the ports of a fibre channel switch

• US 6,381,642 B1
• Filed: 10/21/1999
• Issued: 04/30/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 10/21/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Brocade Communications Systems, Inc. (Broadcom, Inc.), International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: Mcdata Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.), International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Holmes, Peter, Gallagher, Robert John, Yudenfriend, Harry Morris, OʼDonnell, Michael E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Myers, Paul R.
• Application Number:
  US09/422,574
• Time in Patent Office: 922 Days
• Field of Search: 710/316, 710/15-19, 709/224, 370/257
• US Class Current: 709/224
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/00 Arrangements for monitoring or testing data switching networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0817 by checking functioning
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0847 Transmission error
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/351 for local area network [LAN], e.g. Ethernet switches
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/357 Fibre channel switches

Abstract

An in-band method/apparatus whereby a host is enabled to secure predetermined operational information relative to predetermined ports of a fiber channel switch. A set command is generated at the host and sent in-band to the switch. The information content of the set command defines the ports for which operational-parameters are to be monitored. The information content of the set command also defines which operational parameters are to be monitored. In response to receiving the set command, the switch establishes statistical counters for monitoring port operational parameters in accordance with received operational parameter identifiers. An accept signal is then sent in-band to the host, and a time period of port monitoring begins. After a predefined time period has expired, the host sends a read command in-band to the switch. The switch now generates a monitor record in accordance with the count content of the statistical counters that were established in response to the set command. This monitor record contains one port field for each of the ports that were specified by the set command, and each of the port fields contains one or more count fields that contain port operational count data for the port operational parameters that were specified by the set command. The monitor record is then sent in-band to the host. Recycling of the timed process may be provided.

Claims

1. A method enabling a host computer to obtain predetermined operational statistics relative to specified operating parameters of a plurality of ports of a fibre channel switch, wherein said host computer is connected to at least one port of said fibre channel switch, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a management director at said fibre channel switch;

generating a set command at said host computer;

said set command defining one or more ports of said fibre channel switch for which operational statistics are to be obtained;

said set command also defining one or more port operating parameters that are to be obtained relative to said defined one or more ports of said fibre channel switch;

transmitting said set command in-band to said management director;

responding to said set command at said management director and establishing one or more one statistical counters in accordance for each of said defined one or more ports of said fibre channel switch in accordance with said one or more defined port operating parameters;

said one of more statistical counters thereafter operating to monitor said defined port operating parameters;

generating a read command at said host computer;

transmitting said read command in-band to said management director;

responding to said read command at said management director and generating a port information record in accordance with a count content of each of said defined one or more statistical counters;

said port information record containing a statistical counter record for each of said established one or more one of more statistical counters;

said statistical counter records recording port operating parameters in accordance with said defined port operating parameters; and

transmitting said port information record in-band to said host computer.

2. The method of claim 2 including the steps of:

responding to said set command at said management director and generating an accept signal;

transmitting said accept signal in-band to said host computer;

responding to said accept signal at said host computer and beginning the measurement of a predetermined time interval;

sensing an end of said predetermined time interval; and

generating said read command in response to sensing said end of said predetermined time interval.

3. The method of claim 2 including the steps of:

responding to said port information record and repeating said beginning of measurement of a predetermined time interval in response to said host computer receiving said port information record.

4. Apparatus enabling a host computer to monitor specified port operating parameters relating to specified ports of a fibre channel switch, comprising:

in-band circuit means interconnecting said host computer with a port of said switch;

a management director within said switch;

first signal generating means at said host computer for sending an in-band set command to said management director;

said set command specifying ports of said switch for which port operating parameters are to be counted;

said set command defining a number of statistical counters for each of said specified ports of said switch;

said set command specifying a port operating parameter that is to be monitored by each individual one of said statistical counters;

first control means at said switch for responding to said set command and operating to establish said specified number of statistical counters at said switch;

said established statistical counters thereafter operating to monitor said specified ports and said specified port operating parameters for each of said specified ports;

second signal generating means at said host computer for sending an in-band read command to said management director;

second control means at said switch for responding to said read command and operating to generate a port information record;

said port information record containing a statistical count for each of said statistical counters; and

transmitting means at said switch for sending said port information record in-band to said host computer.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 including:

means as said switch for responding to said set command and operating to send an accept signal in-band to said host computer;

means at said host computer for responding to said accept signal and for beginning the measurement of a predetermined time interval; and

third signal generating means at said host computer for responding to an end of said predetermined time interval, and for sending said read command in band to said switch.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 including:

means at said host computer responding to said port information record and repeating said measurement of said predetermined time interval, such that a port information record is sent in-band to said host computer relative to the end of each repeated measurement of said predetermined time interval.

7. A method enabling a host computer to obtain port-operating parameters relative to predetermined ports of a fibre channel switch, wherein said host computer is in-band connected to a port of said switch, the method comprising the steps of:

generating a set command at said host computer;

said set command specifically defining ports of said switch for which port operating parameters are to be obtained;

transmitting said set command in-band from said host computer to said switch;

responding to said set command at said switch and establishing monitoring means at said switch to monitor port operating parameters of said specifically defined ports of said switch;

generating a read command at said host computer;

transmitting said read command in-band from said host computer to said switch;

responding to said read command at said switch and generating a port information record having a data content relating to said monitoring means; and

transmitting said port information record in-band from said switch to said host computer.

8. The method of claim 7 including the steps of:

responding to said set command at said switch and generating an accept signal;

transmitting said accept signal in-band from said switch to said host computer;

responding to said accept signal at said host computer and starting the measurement of a time interval;

sensing an end of said time interval; and

generating said read command in response to sensing said end of said time interval.

9. The method of claim 8 including the step of:

repeating said measurement of a time interval and providing a port information record for each repetition of said measurement of a time interval.

10. A method of counting the number of pre-specified events that occur at the switch ports of a fibre channel switch within a given time interval, comprising the steps of:

providing a host that is connected to a switch port by way of an in-band connection;

generating a set command at said host to specify a plurality of switch ports for which event counts are to be obtained, and to specify events for which event counts are to be obtained for individual ones of said plurality of ports;

sending said set command to said fibre channel switch by way of said in-band connection;

responding to said set command at said fibre channel switch, establishing port counters at said individual ones of said plurality of ports, to thereby count occurrences of said specified events at said individual ones of said plurality of ports, and generating an accept signal;

sending said accept signal to said host by way of said in-band connection;

responding to said accept signal at said host and beginning measurement of said given time interval;

sensing an end of said given time interval at said host and generating a read command;

sending said read command to said fibre channel switch by way of said in-band connection;

responding to said read command at said fibre channel switch and generating a port report from a content of said plurality of port counters; and

sending said port report to said host by way of said in-band connection.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein said port report operates to report a number of occurrences of each of said specified events for said individual ones of said plurality of ports.

12. The method of claim 10 including the steps of:

testing said set command at said fibre channel switch to determine conformance to set command rules;

sending said accept signal to said host by way of said in-band connection when said set command conforms to said set command rules;

generating a reject signal at said fibre channel switch when said set command does not conform to said set command rules; and

sending said reject signal to said host by way of said in-band connection.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein said port report reports a number of occurrences of each of said specified events relative to said individual ones of said plurality of ports.

14. The method of claim 12 wherein said set command includes a beginning port number/ending port number range of switch ports for which event counts are to be obtained, and wherein said set command rules include acceptable switch port numbers for which event counts can be obtained.

15. An in-band transmission method of determining specified port operating parameters that may occur at a plurality of switch ports of a fibre channel switch within an operating interval, comprising the steps of:

providing a host that is connected to a switch port by way of an in-band connection;

generating a binary set command having a fixed byte length at said host;

said set command specifying ports for which port operating parameters are to be monitored;

said set command including a list of control words, each of which specifies a port operating parameter for which occurrences are to be monitored;

a last control word in said list indicating that a remainder of said fixed byte length set command can be ignored;

transmitting said fixed byte length set command to said switch by way of said in-band connection;

responding to said set command at said switch and establishing monitoring means at each of said specified ports to monitor occurrences of said specified port operating parameters at said specified ports;

determining an end of said operating interval at said host and sending a binary read command to said switch by way of said in-band connection;

said read command requesting that a binary port report having N-bytes be transferred in-band from said switch to said host;

responding to said read command at said switch and generating a binary port report from said monitoring means, a byte length of said port report being dependent upon said switch ports and said list of control words contained in said set command;

when said byte length of said port report is equal to N-bytes, transmitting said port report to said host by way of said in-band connection;

when said byte length of said port report is greater than N-bytes, truncating said port report and transmitting said truncated port report to said host by way of said in-band connection; and

when said byte length of said port report is less than N-bytes, padding said port report to have a byte length of N-bytes, and transmitting said padded port report to said host by way of said in-band connection.

16. The method of claim 15 including the steps of:

sending a binary accept signal to said host by way of said in-band connection upon said switch establishing said monitoring means; and

responding to said accept signal at said host and beginning measurement of said operating interval.

17. The method of claim 16 including the steps of:

testing said set command at said switch to determine conformance to set command rules;

sending said accept signal to said host by way of said in-band connection when said set command conforms to said set command rules; and

generating a reject signal at said switch when said set command does not conform to said set command rules, and sending said reject signal to said host by way of said in-band connection.

18. The method of claim 15 wherein said set command includes the port numbers of ports for which port operating parameters are to be monitored, and wherein said set command rules include acceptable port numbers for which port operating parameters can be obtained.

19. In a computer system having a host that is connected to at least one port of a fibre channel switch, having a plurality of computer devices connected to other ports said switch, and wherein data information is exchanged between said host and said computer devices utilizing an in-band communication path that includes said switch, a method of determining certain port operations that occur at certain ports of said switch, comprising the steps of:

generating a set command at said host, said set command requesting that occurrences of said certain port operations be monitored at said certain ports of said switch;

transmitting said set command from said host to said switch using said in-band communication path;

responding to said set command at said switch and establishing monitoring means to monitor occurrences of said certain port operations at said certain ports of said switch;

after an operational period, generating a read request at said host;

transmitting said read command from said host to said switch using said in-band communication path;

responding to said read command at said switch and generating a port report from an occurrence content of said monitoring means; and

transmitting said read report from said switch to said host using said in-band communication path.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein said port report correlates occurrences of said certain port operations to individual ones of said certain ports of said switch.

21. The method of claim 20 wherein said step of responding to said set command at said switch includes the steps of:

generating an accept command at said switch; and

transmitting said accept command from said switch to said host using said in-band communication path.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein said step of generating a read request at said host comprises the steps of:

responding to said accept command and beginning the measurement of a predetermined time period; and

generating said read request at said host after expiration of said predetermined time period.

23. The method of claim 22 including the steps of:

providing set command rules at said switch;

testing said set command at said switch using said set command rules;

generating said accept command at said switch when said testing of said set command determines that said set command conforms to said set command rules;

generating a reject command at said switch when said testing of said set command determines that said set command does not conform to said set command rules; and

transmitting said reject command from said switch to said host using said in band communication path when said testing of said set command determines that said set command does not conform to said set command rules.

24. A computer system having a fibre channel switch having a plurality of ports, a host that is connected to at least one port of said switch, a plurality of computer devices connected to other ports said switch, a plurality of port counters associated with each port of said switch, and an in-band communications path interconnecting said host and said computer devices by way of said switch, apparatus for determining specified port operations that occur at specified ports of said switch, comprising;

set command means at said host for generating a set command and for transmitting said set command to said switch;

said set command specifying ports that are to be monitored, port operations that are to be monitored at said specified ports, and port counters at each of said specified ports that individually correspond to each of said port operations that are specified for monitoring at each of said specified ports;

accept means at said switch for generating an accept signal and for transmitting said accept signal to said host;

read request means at said host responsive to said accept signal for thereafter generating a read request and for transmitting said read request to said switch; and

port report means at said switch responding to said read command and generating a port report from a content of said specified port counters and for transmitting said read report to said host;

said read report grouping each respective specified port with a content of specified port counters that correspond to each respective port.