Fibre channel zoning by device name in hardware
First Claim
1. A Fibre Channel device for use in a Fibre Channel fabric, the fabric coupling a plurality of external devices, the fabric configured into at least two zones, where the external devices are allowed to exchange data packets only with external devices in the same zone, the Fibre Channel device enforcing the zones in hardware, the Fibre Channel device comprising:
- a receiving port for coupling to the fabric and receiving data packets;
a transmitting port for coupling to the fabric and transmitting data packets; and
device logic connecting said receiving port and said transmitting port, wherein said device logic includes;
zoning data storage for storing configuration data indicative of the zone configuration of the fabric, including addresses of the external devices allowed to exchange data packets;
a comparison circuit connected to said zoning data storage for comparing the source address of a received data packet with said stored configuration data and providing an output;
a comparison circuit connected to said zoning data storage for comparing the destination address of a received data packet with said stored configuration data and providing an output; and
an action circuit connected to said source and destination address comparison circuits and utilizing said source address and destination address comparison circuit outputs to determine an action to be performed on the received data packet.
7 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention provides a system and a method for filtering a plurality of frames sent between devices coupled to a fabric by Fibre Channel connections. Frames are reviewed against a set of individual frame filters. Each frame filter is associated with an action, and actions selected by filter matches are prioritized. Groups of devices are “zoned” together and frame filtering ensures that restrictions placed upon communications between devices within the same zone are enforced. Zone group filtering is also used to prevent devices not within the same zone from communicating. Zoning may also be used to create LUN-level zones, protocol zones, and access control zones. In addition, individual frame filters may be created that reference selected portions of frame header or frame payload fields.
49 Citations
63 Claims
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1. A Fibre Channel device for use in a Fibre Channel fabric, the fabric coupling a plurality of external devices, the fabric configured into at least two zones, where the external devices are allowed to exchange data packets only with external devices in the same zone, the Fibre Channel device enforcing the zones in hardware, the Fibre Channel device comprising:
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a receiving port for coupling to the fabric and receiving data packets; a transmitting port for coupling to the fabric and transmitting data packets; and device logic connecting said receiving port and said transmitting port, wherein said device logic includes; zoning data storage for storing configuration data indicative of the zone configuration of the fabric, including addresses of the external devices allowed to exchange data packets; a comparison circuit connected to said zoning data storage for comparing the source address of a received data packet with said stored configuration data and providing an output; a comparison circuit connected to said zoning data storage for comparing the destination address of a received data packet with said stored configuration data and providing an output; and an action circuit connected to said source and destination address comparison circuits and utilizing said source address and destination address comparison circuit outputs to determine an action to be performed on the received data packet. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A Fibre Channel switch for use in a Fibre Channel fabric, the fabric coupling a plurality of external devices, the fabric configured into at least two zones, where the external devices are allowed to exchange data packets only with external devices in the same zone, the Fibre Channel switch enforcing the zones in hardware, the Fibre Channel switch comprising:
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a microprocessor; local memory connected to said microprocessor; and a Fibre Channel device connected to and controlled by said microprocessor, wherein said Fibre Channel device includes; a receiving port for coupling to the fabric and receiving data packets; a transmitting port for coupling to the fabric and transmitting data packets; and device logic connecting said receiving port and said transmitting port, wherein said device logic includes; zoning data storage for storing configuration data indicative of the zone configuration of the fabric, including addresses of the external devices allowed to exchange data packets; a comparison circuit connected to said zoning data storage for comparing the source address of a received data packet with said stored configuration data and providing an output; a comparison circuit connected to said zoning data storage for comparing the destination address of a received data packet with said stored configuration data and providing an output; and an action circuit connected to said source and destination address comparison circuits and utilizing said source address and destination address comparison circuit outputs to determine an action to be performed on the received data packet. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A Fibre Channel fabric comprising:
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a plurality of external devices; a first Fibre Channel switch coupled to a first portion of said plurality of external devices; and a second Fibre Channel switch coupled to a second portion of said plurality of external devices and coupled to said first Fibre Channel switch, wherein the fabric is configured into at least two zones, where said external devices are allowed to exchange data packets only with external devices in the same zone and wherein said first and second Fibre Channel switches enforce the zones in hardware, each of said first and second Fibre Channel switches including; a microprocessor; local memory connected to said microprocessor; and a Fibre Channel device connected to and controlled by said microprocessor, wherein said Fibre Channel device includes; a receiving port for coupling to the fabric and receiving data packets; a transmitting port for coupling to the fabric and transmitting data packets; and device logic connecting said receiving port and said transmitting port, wherein said device logic includes; zoning data storage for storing configuration data indicative of the zone configuration of the fabric, including addresses of the external devices allowed to exchange data packets; a comparison circuit connected to said zoning data storage for comparing the source address of a received data packet with said stored configuration data and providing an output; a comparison circuit connected to said zoning data storage for comparing the destination address of a received data packet with said stored configuration data and providing an output; and an action circuit connected to said source and destination address comparison circuits and utilizing said source address and destination address comparison circuit outputs to determine an action to be performed on the received data packet. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A Fibre Channel device for use in a Fibre Channel fabric, the fabric coupling a plurality of external devices, the fabric configured into at least two zones, where the external devices are allowed to exchange data packets only with external devices in the same zone, the Fibre Channel device enforcing the zones in hardware, the Fibre Channel device comprising:
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a receiving port for coupling to the fabric and receiving data packets; a transmitting port for coupling to the fabric and transmitting data packets; and device logic connecting said receiving port and said transmitting port, wherein said device logic includes; zoning data storage for storing configuration data indicative of the zone configuration of the fabric, including addresses of the external devices allowed to exchange data packets; a comparison circuit connected to said zoning data storage for comparing the source address of a received data packet with said stored configuration data and providing an output; and an action circuit connected to said source address comparison circuit and utilizing said source address comparison circuit output to determine an action to be performed on the received data packet. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. A Fibre Channel switch for use in a Fibre Channel fabric, the fabric coupling a plurality of external devices, the fabric configured into at least two zones, where the external devices are allowed to exchange data packets only with external devices in the same zone, the Fibre Channel switch enforcing the zones in hardware, the Fibre Channel switch comprising:
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a microprocessor; local memory connected to said microprocessor; and a Fibre Channel device connected to and controlled by said microprocessor, wherein said Fibre Channel device includes; a receiving port for coupling to the fabric and receiving data packets; a transmitting port for coupling to the fabric and transmitting data packets; and device logic connecting said receiving port and said transmitting port, wherein said device logic includes; zoning data storage for storing configuration data indicative of the zone configuration of the fabric, including addresses of the external devices allowed to exchange data packets; a comparison circuit connected to said zoning data storage for comparing the source address of a received data packet with said stored configuration data and providing an output; and an action circuit connected to said source address comparison circuit and utilizing said source address comparison circuit output to determine an action to be performed on the received data packet. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35)
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36. A Fibre Channel fabric comprising:
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a plurality of external devices; a first Fibre Channel switch coupled to a first portion of said plurality of external devices; and a second Fibre Channel switch coupled to a second portion of said plurality of external devices and coupled to said first Fibre Channel switch, wherein the fabric is configured into at least two zones, where said external devices are allowed to exchange data packets only with external devices in the same zone and wherein said first and second Fibre Channel switches enforce the zones in hardware, each of said first and second Fibre Channel switches including; a microprocessor; local memory connected to said microprocessor; and a Fibre Channel device connected to and controlled by said microprocessor, wherein said Fibre Channel device includes; a receiving port for coupling to the fabric and receiving data packets; a transmitting port for coupling to the fabric and transmitting data packets; and device logic connecting said receiving port and said transmitting port, wherein said device logic includes; zoning data storage for storing configuration data indicative of the zone configuration of the fabric, including addresses of the external devices allowed to exchange data packets; a comparison circuit connected to said zoning data storage for comparing the source address of a received data packet with said stored configuration data and providing an output; and an action circuit connected to said source address comparison circuit and utilizing said source address comparison circuit output to determine an action to be performed on the received data packet. - View Dependent Claims (37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42)
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43. A Fibre Channel device for use in a Fibre Channel fabric, the fabric coupling a plurality of external devices, the fabric configured into at least two zones, where the external devices are allowed to exchange data packets only with external devices in the same zone, the Fibre Channel device enforcing the zones in hardware, the Fibre Channel device comprising:
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a receiving port for coupling to the fabric and receiving data packets; a transmitting port for coupling to the fabric and transmitting data packets; and device logic connecting said receiving port and said transmitting port, wherein said device logic includes; zoning data storage for storing configuration data indicative of the zone configuration of the fabric, including addresses of the external devices allowed to exchange data packets; a comparison circuit connected to said zoning data storage for comparing the destination address of a received data packet with said stored configuration data and providing an output; and an action circuit connected to said destination address comparison circuit and utilizing said destination address comparison circuit output to determine an action to be performed on the received data packet. - View Dependent Claims (44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49)
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50. A Fibre Channel switch for use in a Fibre Channel fabric, the fabric coupling a plurality of external devices, the fabric configured into at least two zones, where the external devices are allowed to exchange data packets only with external devices in the same zone, the Fibre Channel switch enforcing the zones in hardware, the Fibre Channel switch comprising:
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a microprocessor; local memory connected to said microprocessor; and a Fibre Channel device connected to and controlled by said microprocessor, wherein said Fibre Channel device includes; a receiving port for coupling to the fabric and receiving data packets; a transmitting port for coupling to the fabric and transmitting data packets; and device logic connecting said receiving port and said transmitting port, wherein said device logic includes; zoning data storage for storing configuration data indicative of the zone configuration of the fabric, including addresses of the external devices allowed to exchange data packets; a comparison circuit connected to said zoning data storage for comparing the destination address of a received data packet with said stored configuration data and providing an output; and an action circuit connected to said destination address comparison circuit and utilizing said destination address comparison circuit output to determine an action to be performed on the received data packet. - View Dependent Claims (51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56)
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57. A Fibre Channel fabric comprising:
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a plurality of external devices; a first Fibre Channel switch coupled to a first portion of said plurality of external devices; and a second Fibre Channel switch coupled to a second portion of said plurality of external devices and coupled to said first Fibre Channel switch, wherein the fabric is configured into at least two zones, where said external devices are allowed to exchange data packets only with external devices in the same zone and wherein said first and second Fibre Channel switches enforce the zones in hardware, each of said first and second Fibre Channel switches including; a microprocessor; local memory connected to said microprocessor; and a Fibre Channel device connected to and controlled by said microprocessor, wherein said Fibre Channel device includes; a receiving port for coupling to the fabric and receiving data packets; a transmitting port for coupling to the fabric and transmitting data packets; and device logic connecting said receiving port and said transmitting port, wherein said device logic includes; zoning data storage for storing configuration data indicative of the zone configuration of the fabric, including addresses of the external devices allowed to exchange data packets; a comparison circuit connected to said zoning data storage for comparing the destination address of a received data packet with said stored configuration data and providing an output; and an action circuit connected to said destination address comparison circuit and utilizing said destination address comparison circuit output to determine an action to be performed on the received data packet. - View Dependent Claims (58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63)
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Specification