System and method for indicating the status of a communications link and traffic activity on non-protocol aware modules

• US 6,826,631 B2
• Filed: 07/31/2002
• Issued: 11/30/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Webb, Randall K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Perveen, Rehana
• Application Number:
  US10/207,869
• Publication Number:
  US 20040024934A1
• Time in Patent Office: 853 Days
• Field of Search: 709/223, 370/254, 340/641, 710/5, 710/6, 710/15, 710/16
• US Class Current: 710/6
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0817 by checking functioning

Abstract

A system, device, method and computer program to control and set LEDs associated with ports that are non-protocol aware is accomplished. This system, device, method and computer program does not interfere with the normal operation of protocol aware ports. Utilizing this system, device, method and computer program, savings in time and effort for installation and debug of a network system is realized.

Claims

1. A method of controlling a light emitting diode (LED) indicator associated with a communications port on a device, comprising:

identifying all communications ports on a device as either protocol aware or non-protocol aware communications ports;

receiving information to be transmitted over a non-protocol aware communications port;

scheduling transmission of LED commands to an LED indicator associated with the non-protocol aware communications port over a management link;

determining if a management link connected to the non-protocol aware port is busy; and

transmitting the LED commands to control operation of the LED indicator, when the management link is not busy, and information over the non-protocol aware communications port.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein transmitting the LED commands, further comprises:

transmitting a command to turn on the LED indicator, when the associated non-protocol aware communications port is linked to another communications port;

transmitting a command to turn off the LED indicator, when the associated non-protocol aware communications port is not linked to another communications port; and

transmitting a command to cause the LED indicator to blink at a predetermined rate, when the associated non-protocol aware communications port is transmitting and/or receiving information to/from another communications port.

3. The method as claimed in claim 2, further comprising:

transmitting information across a protocol aware communications port without transmitting the LED commands.

4. The method recited in claim 3, wherein the protocol aware communications port comprises an InfiniBand capable communication port.

5. A computer program embodied on a computer readable medium and executable by a computer, comprising:

a port identification code segment to access and identify all ports on a device as either protocol aware or non-protocol aware ports;

a port monitoring code segment to monitor information transmitted to either a protocol aware port or a non-protocol aware port; and

a message scheduler code segment to transmit a LED command to an LED associated with a non-protocol aware port, when the port has been identified as a non-protocol aware port;

wherein, the message scheduler code segment determines if a management link connected to the non-protocol aware communications port is busy, and wherein the LED commands are transmitted to a management entity to control operation of the LED indicator, when the management link is not busy.

6. The computer program as claimed in claim 5 wherein the non-protocol aware port comprises a port that recognizes no data link protocol.

7. The computer program as claimed in claim 6, wherein the message scheduler code segment is activated by the port monitoring code segment to transmit a first LED command to turn on the LED indicator when the associated non-protocol aware port is linked to another port;

a second LED command to turn off the LED indicator when the associated non-protocol aware port is not linked to another communications port; and

a third LED command to cause the LED indicator to blink at a predetermined rate when the associated non-protocol aware port is transmitting and/or receiving information to/from another port.

8. The computer program as claimed in claim 7, wherein the protocol aware port comprises an InfiniBand capable communication port.

9. A computer readable medium comprising instructions that, when executed by a computer system, perform the method comprising:

identifying all communications ports on a device as either protocol aware or non-protocol aware ports;

receiving information to be transmitted over a non-protocol aware port;

scheduling transmission of LED commands to an LED indicator associated with the non-protocol aware port over a management link;

determining if a management link connected to the non-protocol aware port is busy; and

transmitting the LED commands to control operation of the LED indicator, when the management link is not busy.

10. The computer readable medium as claimed in claim 9, wherein transmitting the LED commands, further comprises:

transmitting a command to turn on the LED indicator, when the associated non-protocol aware port is linked to another port;

transmitting a command to turn off the LED indicator, when the associated non-protocol aware port is not linked to another port; and

transmitting a command to cause the LED indicator to blink at a predetermined rate, when the associated non-protocol aware port is transmitting and/or receiving information to/from another port.

11. The computer readable medium as claimed in claim 10, wherein the protocol aware port comprises an InfiniBand capable communication port.

12. A system for controlling an LED indicator associated with a communications port, comprising:

a port identification module to access and identify all communications ports in a system as either protocol aware or non-protocol aware ports;

a port monitoring module to monitor link and activity status on either a protocol aware port or a non-protocol aware port; and

a message scheduler module to transmit an LED command to a module management entity (MME) to control operation of an LED indicator associated with a non-protocol aware port, when the port has been identified as a non-protocol aware port;

wherein, the message scheduler module determines if a management link connected to the non-protocol aware communications port is busy, and wherein the LED commands are transmitted to a management entity to control operation of the LED indicator, when the management link is not busy.

13. The system as claimed in claim 12, wherein the non-protocol aware port comprises a port that recognizes no data link protocol.

14. The system as claimed in claim 12, wherein the message scheduler module is activated by the port monitoring module to transmit a first LED command to turn on the LED indicator when the associated non-protocol aware port is linked to another communications port;

a second LED command to turn off the LED indicator when the associated non-protocol aware port is not linked to another port; and

a third LED command to cause the LED indicator to blink at a predetermined rate when the associated non-protocol aware port is transmitting and/or receiving information to/from another port.

15. The system as claimed in claim 14, wherein the protocol aware port comprises an InfiniBand capable communication port.

16. A switch for relaying data between links, comprising:

a plurality of port modules each including at least an LED indicator and a port provided to establish connection with another device, via one or more links; and

a switch logic connected to the port modules to control operation of the switch, including to determine if the port included in the corresponding port module is a protocol aware or non-protocol aware port, and to control the LED indicator via the corresponding port module when the port is a non-protocol aware port.

wherein, the switch logic determines if a management link connected to the non-protocol aware communications port is busy, and wherein the LED commands are transmitted to a management entity to control operation of the LED indicator, when the management link is not busy.

17. The switch as claimed in claim 16, wherein the switch logic comprises:

a port identification module to access and identify all ports as either protocol aware or non-protocol aware ports;

a port monitoring module to monitor information provided by the switch regarding to the link status of either a protocol aware or a non-protocol aware port; and

a message scheduler module to transmit LED commands to a module management entity (MME) to control operation of the LED indicator associated with a non-protocol aware port, when the port has been identified as a non-protocol aware port.

18. The switch as claimed in claim 17, wherein the non-protocol aware port comprises a port that recognizes no data link protocol.

19. The switch as claimed in claim 17, wherein the message scheduler module is activated by the port monitoring module to transmit a first LED command to turn on the LED indicator when the associated non-protocol aware port is linked to another device, via one or more links;

a second LED command to turn off the LED indicator when the associated non-protocol aware port is not linked to another device, via one or more links; and

a third LED command to cause the LED indicator to blink at a predetermined rate when the associated non-protocol aware port is transmitting and/or receiving data to/from another device.

20. The switch as claimed in claim 17, wherein the protocol aware port comprises an InfiniBand capable communication port.

21. The switch as claimed in claim 17, wherein the switch logic comprises a field programmable gate array (FPGA) arranged to send all appropriate LED commands to the corresponding non-protocol aware port.