On-line switch diagnostics
First Claim
1. In a computer network system that includes a multiplicity of nodes interconnected by a network of switches, each switch having multiple ports, a method for testing one of the switches, comprising:
- assigning a respective one of the nodes to each of a plurality of the ports of the switch being tested;
configuring the network so that the switch being tested is substantially isolated from data flow from and to the nodes in the network that are not assigned to the ports of the switch;
conveying data at a controlled rate between two or more of the assigned nodes through the respective ports; and
observing behavior of the switch in response to the data being conveyed.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
In a computer network system that includes a multiplicity of nodes interconnected by a network of switches, each switch having multiple ports, a method for testing one of the switches includes assigning a respective one of the nodes to each of a plurality of the ports of the switch being tested. The network is configured so that the switch being tested is substantially isolated from data flow from and to the nodes in the network that are not assigned to the ports of the switch. Data are conveyed at a controlled rate between two or more of the assigned nodes through the respective ports, and behavior of the switch is observed in response to the data being conveyed.
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Citations
40 Claims
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1. In a computer network system that includes a multiplicity of nodes interconnected by a network of switches, each switch having multiple ports, a method for testing one of the switches, comprising:
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assigning a respective one of the nodes to each of a plurality of the ports of the switch being tested;
configuring the network so that the switch being tested is substantially isolated from data flow from and to the nodes in the network that are not assigned to the ports of the switch;
conveying data at a controlled rate between two or more of the assigned nodes through the respective ports; and
observing behavior of the switch in response to the data being conveyed. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. In a computer network system that includes a multiplicity of nodes interconnected by a network of switches, wherein the nodes are linked to the network by respective data link adapters, each of which is arranged to route data packets from a corresponding one of the nodes through the network to a given destination node over a plurality of different routes in alternation, a method for testing of the system, comprising:
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selecting at least one of the data link adapters;
programming the selected data link adapter so that substantially all of the data packets sent from the corresponding node to the given destination node are routed in repetition over a single route;
conveying data from the corresponding node to the destination node over the single route; and
observing operation of the system responsive to the conveyed data so as to identify a fault in the system. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13)
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14. In a computer network system that includes a multiplicity of nodes interconnected by a network of switches, wherein the nodes are linked to the network by respective data link adapters, each of which routes data from the respective node through the network in accordance with a normal routing table stored in a memory, a method for testing of the system, comprising:
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selecting at least one of the data link adapters;
downloading to the selected data link adapter a respective test routing table, which differs substantially from the normal routing table thereof;
conveying data from the selected data link adapter through the network in accordance with the test routing table; and
observing operation of the system responsive to the conveyed data so as to identify a fault therein.
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15. A manageable computer network system, comprising:
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a network of switches, each switch having multiple ports; and
a multiplicity of nodes interconnected by the switches, wherein the nodes include a management node, which carries out a diagnostic test of a selected one of the switches by assigning a respective one of the nodes to each of a plurality of the ports of the selected switch, and by configuring the network so that the selected switch is substantially isolated from data flow from and to the remaining nodes in the network that are not assigned to the ports of the switch, and which issues a command to one or more of the nodes assigned to the ports to perform the test by conveying data at a controlled rate to another one or more of the assigned nodes through the respective ports, and receives information from the nodes in response to the test in order to detect a fault of the selected switch. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A manageable computer network system, comprising:
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a multiplicity of nodes;
a network of switches, each switch having multiple ports; and
a multiplicity of data link adapters, each linking a respective one of the nodes to one of the ports of one of the switches, each of which adapters is arranged to route data packets from the respective node through the network to a given destination node over a plurality of different routes in alternation, wherein in a test mode of the system, at least one of the data link adapters is selected and programmed so that substantially all of the data packets sent from the corresponding node to the given destination node are routed in repetition over a single route, so that operation of the system can be observed while data are conveyed over the single route in order to identify a fault in the system. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27)
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- 28. A computer software product for testing a selected one of a plurality of switches, each switch having multiple ports, in a computer network system including a multiplicity of processor nodes coupled to the switches, one of which nodes is designated a primary node, the product comprising computer-readable code, which is read by the primary node, causing the primary node to assign a respective one of the nodes to each of a plurality of the ports of the selected switch, to configure the network so that the switch being tested is substantially isolated from data flow from and to the remaining nodes in the network that are not assigned to the ports of the switch, to cause data to be conveyed at a controlled rate between two or more of the assigned nodes through the respective ports of the switch, and to observe behavior of the switch while the data are being conveyed.
- 38. A computer software product for performing diagnostic testing in a computer network system that includes a multiplicity of nodes interconnected by a network of switches, wherein the nodes are linked to the network by respective data link adapters, each of which is arranged to route data packets from a corresponding one of the nodes through the network to a given destination node over a plurality of different routes in alternation, the product including computer-readable code, which is read by a selected node among the multiplicity of nodes and causes the node to program a selected data link adapter so that substantially all of the data packets sent from the corresponding node to the given destination node are routed in repetition over a single route, whereby when data are transmitted from the corresponding node to the destination node over the single route, operation of the system responsive to the conveyed data is observed so as to identify a fault in the system.
Specification