Label switching in fibre channel networks
First Claim
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1. A method, comprising:
- receiving a fibre channel frame at a first gateway connecting a first fibre channel network to an Internet Protocol (IP) network;
identifying an incoming label associated with the fibre channel frame, the incoming label determined using fibre channel routing mechanisms;
swapping the incoming label associated with the fibre channel frame with an outgoing label, the outgoing label determined by referencing an entry in a label information base associated with the first gateway;
inserting additional labels into the fibre channel frame to establish a tunnel between the first gateway and a second gateway, the additional labels determined using Internet Protocol (IP) routing mechanisms and used to forward the fibre channel frame in the IP network to the second gateway, the second gateway connecting the IP network to a second fibre channel network;
inserting a control word into the fibre channel frame, the control word used to reorder frames received out of order at the second gateway.
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Abstract
Methods and apparatus are provided for label switched routing in fiber channel networks. Techniques are provided for implementing label switching based on particular characteristics of fiber channel networks. By using label switching, mechanisms such as traffic engineering, security, and tunneling through networks that do not support fiber channel frames can be implemented.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method, comprising:
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receiving a fibre channel frame at a first gateway connecting a first fibre channel network to an Internet Protocol (IP) network; identifying an incoming label associated with the fibre channel frame, the incoming label determined using fibre channel routing mechanisms; swapping the incoming label associated with the fibre channel frame with an outgoing label, the outgoing label determined by referencing an entry in a label information base associated with the first gateway; inserting additional labels into the fibre channel frame to establish a tunnel between the first gateway and a second gateway, the additional labels determined using Internet Protocol (IP) routing mechanisms and used to forward the fibre channel frame in the IP network to the second gateway, the second gateway connecting the IP network to a second fibre channel network; inserting a control word into the fibre channel frame, the control word used to reorder frames received out of order at the second gateway. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A system, comprising:
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an interface configured to receive a fibre channel frame at a first gateway connecting a first fibre channel network to an Internet Protocol (IP) network; a processor configured to identify an incoming label associated with the fibre channel frame, the incoming label determined using fibre channel routing mechanisms and swap the incoming label associated with the fibre channel frame with an outgoing label, the outgoing label determined by referencing an entry in a label information base associated with the first gateway; wherein additional labels are inserted into the fibre channel frame to establish a tunnel between the first gateway and a second gateway, the additional labels determined using Internet Protocol (IP) routing mechanisms and used to forward the fibre channel frame in the IP network to the second gateway, the second gateway connecting the IP network to a second fibre channel network; inserting a control word into the fibre channel frame, the control word used to reorder frames received out of order at the second gateway. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium having computer code embodied therein, the non-transitory computer readable storage medium, comprising:
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computer code for receiving a fibre channel frame at a first gateway connecting a first fibre channel network to an Internet Protocol (IP) network; computer code for identifying an incoming label associated with the fibre channel frame, the incoming label determined using fibre channel routing mechanisms; computer code for swapping the incoming label associated with the fibre channel frame with an outgoing label, the outgoing label determined by referencing an entry in a label information base associated with the first gateway; computer code for inserting additional labels into the fibre channel frame to establish a tunnel between the first gateway and a second gateway, the second gateway connecting the IP network to a second fibre channel network, and the additional labels determined using Internet Protocol (IP) routing mechanisms and used to forward the fibre channel frame in the IP network to the second gateway; inserting a control word into the fibre channel frame, the control word used to reorder frames received out of order at the second gateway. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification