Method and apparatus for using fibre channel extended link service commands in a point-to-point configuration

• US 6,609,165 B1
• Filed: 09/27/1999
• Issued: 08/19/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Frazier, Giles R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gaffin, Jeffrey
• Assistant Examiner(s): Perveen, Rehana
• Application Number:
  US09/407,046
• Time in Patent Office: 1,422 Days
• Field of Search: 710/5, 710/33, 710/36, 710/45
• US Class Current: 710/36
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/437 Ring fault isolation or reconfiguration for SDH/SONET ring networks H04J3/085
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/357 Fibre channel switches

Abstract

The present invention provides fibre channel networks the ability to use extended link service commands, previously confined to networks including a fabric controller, in a direct attach, point-to-point configuration.

Claims

1. An apparatus in a Fibre Channel linked system for sending Extended Link Service commands over a link having no Fabric Controller, said apparatus comprising:

a) a first N_Port attached to a first end of said fibre link having no Fabric Controller;

b) a second N_Port attached to a second end of said fibre link; and

c) a transmitter transmitting a state-change-registration Extended Link Service command over said fibre link to said second N_Port, said command registering said first N_Port with said second N_Port to receive notification of state changes from said second N_Port.

2. The apparatus in a Fibre Channel linked system for sending Extended Link Service commands over a link having no Fabric Controller of claim 1 further comprising a receiver receiving a State Change Notification at said first N_Port.

3. The apparatus in a Fibre Channel linked system for sending Extended Link Service commands over a link having no Fabric Controller of claim 1 wherein the state-change-registration Extended Link Service command comprises a Destination Identifier that addresses the second N_Port.

4. The apparatus in a Fibre Channel linked system for sending Extended Link Service commands over a link having no Fabric Controller of claim 1 wherein the second N_Port returns an “

Accept”

in response to the Extended Link Service command.

5. An apparatus in a Fibre Channel linked system for sending Extended Link Service commands over a link having no Fabric Controller, said apparatus comprising:

a) a first N_Port attached to a first end of said fibre link having no Fabric Controller;

b) a second N_Port attached to a second end of said fibre link;

c) a receiver to receiving at said second N_Port a state-change-registration Extended Link Service command over said fibre link from said first N_Port, said command registering said first N_Port with said second N_Port to receive notification of state changes from said second N_Port; and

d) a transmitter to send registered-state-change-notification Extended Link Service commands from said second N_Port to said first N_Port.

6. The apparatus in a Fibre Channel linked system for sending Extended Link Service commands over a link having no Fabric Controller of claim 5 wherein the state-change-registration Extended Link Service command comprises a Destination Identifier that addresses the second N_Port.

7. The apparatus in a Fibre Channel linked system for sending Extended Link Service commands over a link having no Fabric Controller of claim 5 wherein the second N_Port returns an “

Accept”

in response to an Extended Link Service command.

8. A method in a Fibre Channel linked system for sending Extended Link Service commands over a link having no Fabric Controller, the method comprising the steps of:

a) attaching a first N_Port to a second N_Port by way of a fibre link having no Fabric Controller; and

b) transmitting a state-change-registration Extended Link Service command from said first N_Port over said fibre link to said second N_Port, said command registering said first N_Port with said second N_Port to receive notification of state changes from said second N_Port.

9. The method in a Fibre Channel linked system for sending Extended Link Service commands over a link having no Fabric Controller of claim 8 wherein the Extended Link Service command specifies the second N_port destination.

10. The method in a Fibre Channel linked system for sending Extended Link Service commands over a link having no Fabric Controller of claim 8 further comprising the step of receiving a Registered State Change Notification at said first N_Port.

11. The method in a Fibre Channel linked system for sending Extended Link Service commands over a link having no Fabric Controller of claim 8 wherein the second N_Port returns an “

Accept”

in response to an Extended Link Service command.

12. A method in a Fibre Channel linked system for sending Extended Link Service commands over a link having no Fabric Controller, the method comprising the steps of:

a) attaching a first N_Port to a second N_Port by way of a fibre link having no Fabric Controller;

b) receiving an state-change-registration Extended Link Service command from said fibre link at said second N_Port, said command registering said first N_Port with said second N_Port to receive notification of state changes from said second N_Port; and

c) transmitting registered-state-change-notification Extended Link Service commands from said second _Port to said first N)_Port.

13. The method in a Fibre Channel linked system for sending Extended Link Service commands over a link having no Fabric Controller of claim 12 wherein the state-change-registration Extended Link Service command specifies the second N_port destination.

14. The method in a Fibre Channel linked system for sending Extended Link Service commands over a link having no Fabric Controller of claim 12 wherein the second N_Port returns an “

Accept”

in response to an Extended Link Service command.

15. A computer program product in a Fibre Channel linked system for sending Extended Link Service commands over a link having no Fabric Controller said computer program product comprising a computer readable medium having computer readable program code therein, said computer program product comprising:

a) computer readable program code for attaching a first N_Port to a second N_Port by way of a fibre link having no Fabric Controller; and

b) computer readable program code for transmitting a state-change-registration Extended Link Service command from said first N_Port over said fibre link to said second N_Port, said command registering said first N_Port with said second N_Port to receive notification of state changes from said second N_Port.

16. The computer program product in a Fibre Channel linked system for sending Extended Link Service commands over a link having no Fabric Controller of claim 15 further comprising computer readable program code for receiving a Registered State Change Notification at said first N_Port.

17. The computer program product in a Fibre Channel linked system for sending Extended Link Service commands over a link having no Fabric Controller of claim 15 further comprising computer readable program code for returning an “

Accept”

from the second N_Port in response to an Extended Link Service command.

18. A computer program product in a Fibre Channel linked system for sending Extended Link Service commands over a link having no Fabric Controller, said computer program product comprising a computer readable medium having computer readable program code therein, said computer program product comprising:

a) computer readable program code for attaching a first N_Port to a second N_Port by way of a fibre link having no Fabric Controller;

b) computer readable program code for receiving an state-change-registration Extended Link Service command from said fibre link at said second N_Port, said command registering said first N_Port with said second N_Port to receive notification of state changes from said second N_Port; and

c) computer readable program code for transmitting registered-state-change-notification Extended Link Service commands from said second N_Port to said first N)_Port.

19. The computer program product in a Fibre Channel linked system for sending Extended Link Service commands over a link having no Fabric Controller of claim 18 wherein the Extended Link Service command specifies the second N_port destination.

20. The computer program product in a Fibre Channel linked system for sending Extended Link Service commands over a link having no Fabric Controller of claim 18 further comprising computer readable program code for returning an “

Accept”

from the second N_Port in response to an Extended Link Service command.