Method and system for network communication

• US 8,351,442 B1
• Filed: 07/17/2009
• Issued: 01/08/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/18/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Marvell Asia Pte Limited (Marvell Technology Group Limited)
• Original Assignee: QLogic Corporation (Marvell Technology Group Limited)
• Inventors: McGlaughlin, Edward C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sheikh, Ayaz
• Assistant Examiner(s): HALIYUR, VENKATESH N
• Application Number:
  US12/505,430
• Time in Patent Office: 1,271 Days
• Field of Search: 370/401, 370/389, 370/395.53, 370/229, 709208-228, 398/45, 710/316
• US Class Current: 370/401
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/128 for dedicated transfers to a network for protocol converters G06F13/387

Abstract

Method and device for processing network and storage related traffic is provided. The device includes a network port for interfacing with a network switch; a plurality of ports that receive a converged storage and network protocol related initialization request. Based on selectable criteria, a controller selects a port from among the plurality of ports to respond to the converged storage and network protocol related initialization request. The device also includes a translation module operationally coupled to the port for translating information between a converged network and storage protocol and a storage protocol; and a flexible port that is configured by a port controller to communicate with a storage system using the storage protocol or configured to operate as a network port communicating with a network device.

Claims

1. An integrated device for processing network and storage related traffic, comprising:

a network port for interfacing with a network switch;

a plurality of ports that receive a converged storage and network protocol related initialization request;

wherein based on a selectable criteria, a controller selects a port from among the plurality of ports to respond to the converged storage and network protocol related initialization request;

a translation module operationally coupled to the port for translating information between a converged storage and network protocol and a storage protocol;

a flexible port that is configurable to operate either as a network port, a storage port, or both;

wherein a port controller configures a flexible port operating mode; and

a route controller for selecting a path between the port and the flexible port;

wherein the route controller maintains connection information for the flexible port and selects a route to transmit information based on the connection information.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the network port is an Ethernet port interfacing with an Ethernet switch.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the converged storage and network protocol is Fibre Channel over Ethernet protocol (FCoE), the storage protocol is Fibre Channel protocol and the network protocol is Ethernet protocol.

4. The device of claim 3, wherein the translation module translates between the FCOE and Fibre Channel protocols.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the controller selects the port based on an active number of connections that each of the plurality of ports is servicing at any given time.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the controller selects the port based on an identity of a node sending the initialization request.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the port controller selects a network connect path between the network port and the flexible port without using the translation module.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the port controller selects a path using the translation module.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein the flexible port when operating as a storage port, communicates with a Fibre Channel storage system.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein the flexible port when operating as a storage port is configured to operate in a Fibre Channel switch mode.

11. The device of claim 1, wherein the flexible port when operating as a storage port is configured to operate in a transparent mode.

12. An integrated device for processing network and storage related traffic, comprising:

an Ethernet port for interfacing with an Ethernet switch;

a plurality of Fibre Channel Forwarding (FCF) ports that receive a Fibre Channel Over Ethernet (FCoE) initialization request from a server node;

wherein based on a selectable criteria, a controller selects a FCF port from among the plurality of FCF ports to respond to the FcoE initialization request;

a translation module operationally coupled to the port for translating information between FCoE and Fibre Channel protocols;

a flexible port that is configurable to operate as either a Fibre Channel port in a Fibre Channel switch mode or a transparent mode for communicating with a Fibre Channel storage system;

or to operate as a network port communicating with a network device, or both;

wherein a port controller configures a flexible port operating mode; and

a route controller for selecting a path between the port and the flexible port;

wherein the route controller maintains connection information for the flexible port and selects a route to transmit information based on the connection information.

13. The device of claim 12, wherein the controller selects the FCF port based on an active number of connections that each of the plurality of FCF ports is servicing at any given time.

14. The device of claim 12, wherein the controller selects the FCF port based on an identity of the server node sending the initialization request.

15. The device of claim 12, wherein the port controller selects an Ethernet path between the Ethernet port and the flexible port without using the translation module.

16. The device of claim 12, wherein the port controller selects a path using the translation module.

17. A system, comprising:

a server node for sending network and storage related information;

a network switch communicating with the server node and an integrated device, the integrated device configured to process both network and storage related information;

wherein the integrated device comprises;

a network port for interfacing with a network switch;

a plurality of ports that receive a converged storage and network protocol related initialization request;

wherein based on a selectable criteria, a controller selects a port from among the plurality of ports to respond to the converged storage and network protocol related initialization request;

a translation module operationally coupled to the port for translating information between a converged storage and network protocol and a storage protocol; and

a flexible port that is configurable to operate either as a network port, a storage port, or both;

wherein a port controller configures a flexible port operating mode; and

a route controller for selecting a path between the port and the flexible port;

wherein the route controller maintains connection information for the flexible port and selects a route to transmit information based on the connection information.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the network port is an Ethernet port interfacing with an Ethernet switch.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the converged storage and network protocol is Fibre Channel over Ethernet protocol (FCoE), the storage protocol is Fibre Channel protocol and the network protocol is Ethernet protocol.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the translation module translates between the FCOE and Fibre Channel protocols.

21. The system of claim 17, wherein the controller selects the port based on an active number of connections that each of the plurality of ports is servicing at any given time.

22. The system of claim 17, wherein the controller selects the port based on an identity of a server node sending the initialization request.

23. The system of claim 17, wherein the port controller selects a network connect path between the network port and the flexible port without using the translation module.

24. The system of claim 17, wherein the port controller selects a path using the translation module.

25. The system of claim 17, wherein the flexible port when operating as a storage port, communicates with a Fibre Channel storage system.

26. The system of claim 17, wherein the flexible port when operating as a storage port is configured to operate in a Fibre Channel switch mode.

27. The system of claim 17, wherein the flexible port when operating as a storage port is configured to operate in a transparent mode.