Method and system for keeping a fibre channel arbitrated loop open during frame gaps
First Claim
1. A method for keeping an arbitrated loop open during a frame gap using a fibre channel switch element, comprising:
- activating a timer whose value determines a duration during which the arbitrated loop remains open;
transferring a frame;
determining if a last frame from a sequence of frames from a source port has been transmitted;
determining if a higher priority frame is available for transmission;
during the frame gap, modifying the timer value if no higher priority frame is available for transmission; and
keeping the arbitrated loop open during the frame gap until the timer reaches a certain value, wherein if a frame is received from the source port after the timer value is modified then the frame is transmitted and the timer value is reinitialized.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method and system for keeping an arbitrated loop open during a frame gap using a fiber channel switch element is provided. The switch element includes a port control module having a receive and transmit segment, wherein the transmit segment activates a timer whose value determines a duration during which the arbitrated loop remains open; determines if a last frame from a sequence of frames from a source port has been transmitted; modifies the timer value if a higher priority frame for transmission is unavailable; and keeps the arbitrated loop open until the timer reaches a certain value. If a higher priority frame is available for transmission before the timer value is modified then the higher priority frame is transmitted and the timer value is re-initialized.
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Citations
18 Claims
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1. A method for keeping an arbitrated loop open during a frame gap using a fibre channel switch element, comprising:
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activating a timer whose value determines a duration during which the arbitrated loop remains open; transferring a frame; determining if a last frame from a sequence of frames from a source port has been transmitted; determining if a higher priority frame is available for transmission; during the frame gap, modifying the timer value if no higher priority frame is available for transmission; and keeping the arbitrated loop open during the frame gap until the timer reaches a certain value, wherein if a frame is received from the source port after the timer value is modified then the frame is transmitted and the timer value is reinitialized. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A fibre channel switch element coupled to an arbitrated loop of a fibre channel network, comprising;
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a port control module having a receive and transmit segment; wherein the transmit segment is configured to activate a timer whose value determines a duration during which the arbitrated loop remains open, transfer a frame, determine if a last frame from a sequence of frames from a source port has been transmitted, determine if a higher priority frame is available for transmission, during a frame gap, modify the timer value if no higher priority frame is available for transmission, and keep the arbitrated loop open during the frame gap until the timer reaches a certain value, wherein if a frame is received from the source port after the timer value is modified then the frame is transmitted and the timer value is reinitialized. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. An arbitration module in a fibre channel switch element with a port control module having a receive segment and a transmit segment coupled to an arbitrated loop of a fibre channel network, comprising:
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a loop hold timer whose value determines a duration during which the arbitrated loop remains open; wherein the arbitration module is configured to determine if a last frame from a sequence of frames from a source port has been transmitted, determine if a higher priority frame is available for transmission, during a frame gap, modify the timer value if no higher priority frame is available for transmission and keep the arbitrated loop open during the frame gap until the timer reaches a certain value, wherein if a frame is received from the source port after the timer value is modified then the frame is transmitted and the timer value is reinitialized. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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Specification