Multiple domains in a multi-chassis system

• US 7,630,385 B2
• Filed: 08/04/2006
• Issued: 12/08/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/04/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Viavi Solutions, Inc. (Lumentum Holdings Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Viavi Solutions, Inc. (Lumentum Holdings Inc.)
• Inventors: Vu, Minh Q., Oyadomari, Randy I., Bullis, George A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sheikh; Ayaz R
• Assistant Examiner(s): HALIYUR, VENKATESH N
• Application Number:
  US11/462,669
• Publication Number:
  US 20080034120A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,222 Days
• Field of Search: 370218-285, 370386-466, 709220-250, 714/11, 714 25- 27, 714/46, 714/57
• US Class Current: 370/400
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/00 Arrangements for monitoring or testing data switching networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/106 using time related information in packets, e.g. by adding timestamps
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/18 Protocol analysers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1097 for distributed storage of data in networks, e.g. transport arrangements for network file system [NFS], storage area networks [SAN] or network attached storage [NAS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13003 Constructional details of switching devices

Abstract

Creation of port domains in a multi-chassis system. The multi-chassis system includes two or more chassis that each includes one or more blades. In one embodiment, a sync group of at least two chassis is created, typically by connecting the two or more chassis with an interconnection means such as a sync-cable. Then, two or more ports of the sync group are selected for inclusion in a port domain. The locations of the ports relative to each other is then determined. Finally, a port domain is generated based on the relative locations of the ports and port domain generation rules. If the ports are on separate chassis, then a global domain is generated if a predetermined number of global domains do not already exist and if the ports are on the same chassis, a local domain is generated regardless of the number of global domains.

Claims

1. In a system including two or more chassis in a multi-chassis system, wherein each chassis includes one or more blades and each blade includes one or more ports, a method for creating port domains of two or more of the ports, the method comprising:

an act of generating a sync group of at least two chassis;

an act of selecting two or more ports of the sync group for inclusion in a port domain;

an act of determining the locations of the two or more ports relative to each other; and

an act of generating the port domain dependent on the relative locations of the two or more ports and based on port domain generation rules, wherein;

the act of determining the relative locations of the two or more ports comprises an act of determining that the two or more ports are located on the same chassis of the at least two chassis, and

the act of generating the port domain comprises an act of generating a local port domain when the two or more ports are located on the same chassis regardless of the total number of port domains that already exist in the sync group.

2. The method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the act of determining the relative locations of the two or more ports comprises an act of determining that the two or more ports are located on different chassis in the at least two chassis.

3. The method in accordance with claim 2, wherein the act of generating the port domain comprises an act of generating an inter-chassis port domain when the two or more ports are located on different chassis provided that a predetermined number of inter-chassis port domains in the sync group do not already exist.

4. The method in accordance with claim 3, wherein the predetermined number of inter-chassis port domains in the sync group equals eight (8).

5. The method in accordance with claim 3, wherein an inter-chassis port domain is not generated if the predetermined number of inter-chassis port domains of the sync group already exist.

6. The method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the generated port domain allows for triggering and timestamping across the two or more chassis of the multi-chassis system.

7. In a system including two or more chassis in a multi-chassis system, wherein each chassis includes one or more blades and each blade includes one or more ports, a method for creating port domains of two or more of the ports, the method comprising:

an act of determining that a predetermined number of global port domains have been generated for the multi-chassis system;

after the act of determining, an act of receiving a request to generate an additional port domain above the predetermined number of global port domains that already have been generated;

in response to the request, an act of generating a local port domain comprising two or more ports located on the same chassis of the multi-chassis system, wherein the request is a first request, the additional port domain is a first additional port domain and the two or more ports are a first set of two or more ports;

an act of receiving a second request to generate a second additional port domain above the predetermined number of global port domains that already have been generated; and

in response to the second request, an act of generating a second local port domain comprising a second set of two or more ports located on the same chassis of the multi-chassis

system, wherein the number of local port domains that may be generated is independent of the predetermined number of global port domains.

8. The method in accordance with claim 7, wherein the predetermined number of global domains is eight (8).

9. A network analyzer comprising:

a first chassis;

a second chassis;

wherein the first and second chassis each include one or more blades and each blade includes one or more ports;

a connection means coupled to the first and second chassis for interconnecting the first and second chassis such that the first and second chassis are configured to form a sync group; and

a microprocessor accessible by the first and second chassis, wherein executing software causes the microprocessor to perform the following;

an act of selecting two or more ports of the sync group for inclusion in a port domain;

an act of determining the locations of the two or more ports relative to each other; and

an act of generating the port domain dependent on the relative locations of the two or more ports and based on port domain generation rules, wherein;

the act of determining the relative locations of the two or more ports comprises an act of determining that the two or more ports are located on the same chassis of the at least two chassis; and

the act of generating the port domain comprises an act of generating a local port domain when the two or more ports are located on the same chassis regardless of the total number of port domains that already exist in the sync group.

10. The network analyzer in accordance with claim 9, wherein the act of determining the relative locations of the two or more ports comprises an act of determining that the two or more ports are located on different chassis of the at least two chassis.

11. The network analyzer in accordance with claim 10, wherein the act of generating the port domain comprises an act of generating an inter-chassis port domain when the two or more ports are located on different chassis provided that a predetermined number of inter-chassis port domains in the sync group do not already exist.

12. The network analyzer in accordance with claim 11, wherein the predetermined number of inter-chassis port domains in the sync group equals eight (8).

13. The network analyzer in accordance with claim 11, wherein an inter-chassis port domain is not generated if the predetermined number of inter-chassis port domains in the sync group already exist.

14. The network analyzer in accordance with claim 9, wherein the generated port domain allows for triggering and time stamping across the two or more chassis of the multi-chassis system.