Fibre channel switching appliance
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A networking device for use in computer networks comprising:
- two switch modules;
each switch module having a plurality of ports operable to couple together a plurality of computing components;
two power supplies operably coupled to each switch module;
a user-operable selector operably coupled to the switch modules; and
the selector operable to configure the plurality of ports into one of at least two port-zoning configurations in response to operation of the selector by a user and to indicate a plurality of cabling connections to be made between the plurality of ports and the plurality of computing components.
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Abstract
A system, method and apparatus for network computing are disclosed. According to teachings of the present disclosure, a switching appliance having redundant Fibre Channel switches and redundant power supplies is provided. Also included on the switching appliance is a user selection mechanism allowing a user to port-zone each of the switches by selecting one of a plurality of pre-programmed port-zoning configurations. The switching appliance may be further configured to indicate cabling connections to be made between the ports of the switching appliance and a plurality of computing components.
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Citations
28 Claims
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1. A networking device for use in computer networks comprising:
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two switch modules;
each switch module having a plurality of ports operable to couple together a plurality of computing components;
two power supplies operably coupled to each switch module;
a user-operable selector operably coupled to the switch modules; and
the selector operable to configure the plurality of ports into one of at least two port-zoning configurations in response to operation of the selector by a user and to indicate a plurality of cabling connections to be made between the plurality of ports and the plurality of computing components. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method for communicatively coupling a plurality of computing components comprising:
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providing at least two switch modules, each switch module having a plurality of ports operable to communicatively couple the plurality of computing components;
providing a user-operable selector operably coupled to the switch modules;
maintaining a program of instructions operable to configure the plurality of ports into one of at least two port-zoning configurations in response to operation of the selector and to indicate a plurality of cabling connections to be made between the plurality of ports and the plurality of computing components; and
selecting one of the at least two port-zoning configurations according to the program of instructions. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14)
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15. A computing system comprising:
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a plurality of computing components;
a switching appliance operably coupled to the plurality of computing components;
the switching appliance having a plurality of switch modules, a power source operably coupled to the switch modules, a plurality of ports operably coupled to the switch modules and the plurality of computing components, at least one processor, at least one memory and a program of instructions executable by the processor and storable in the memory;
the switching appliance further including a user-operable selector operably coupled to the switch modules;
the program of instructions operable to configure the plurality of ports according to a user selected port-zoning configuration selected from a plurality of pre-programmed port-zoning configurations based on input from the user-operable selector; and
the program of instructions operable to indicate a plurality of cabling connections to be made between the plurality of ports and the plurality of computing components. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. A switching appliance comprising:
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a plurality of Fibre Channel switch modules;
each Fibre Channel switch module having a plurality of ports;
a plurality of power supplies operably coupled to the plurality of Fibre Channel switch modules;
each power supply operable to power the plurality of Fibre Channel switch modules;
at least one processor and at least one memory operably coupled to the Fibre Channel switch modules and the power supplies;
a program of instructions storable in the memory and executable in the processor;
the program of instructions operable to configure the ports of each Fibre Channel switch module into a plurality of port-zoning configurations;
the program of instructions operable to indicate a plurality of cabling connections to be made between the plurality of ports and a plurality of associated computing components a user-operable selector operably coupled to the Fibre Channel switch modules and the processor; and
the user-operable selector operable to select one of the plurality of port-zoning configurations and to initiate the program of instructions such that the ports on each Fibre Channel switch module are configured according to the selected port-zoning configuration. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26)
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27. A computer network comprising:
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a plurality of computing components;
a switching appliance communicatively coupled with the plurality of computing components;
the switching appliance having two hot-pluggable switch modules, each switch module having a plurality of ports, two hot-pluggable power supplies operably coupled to the two switch modules, a user selection mechanism operably coupled to the switch modules, the user selection mechanism operable to select one of a plurality of port-zoning configurations, a port-zoning configuration confirmation mechanism operably coupled to the user selection mechanism, the port-zoning configuration confirmation mechanism operable to initiate a program of instructions in response to confirmation of the selected port-zoning configuration, and the program of instructions operable to configure the ports of the switch modules according to the selected port-zoning configuration. - View Dependent Claims (28)
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Specification