Distributed virtual bridge management

• US 8,489,763 B2
• Filed: 04/20/2010
• Issued: 07/16/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/20/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hewlett Packard Enterprise Development LP (Hewlett-Packard Enterprise Company)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Armstrong, William J., Basso, Claude, Cors, Josep, Engebretsen, David R., Lucke, Kyle A., Lynch, Jeffrey J., Walk, Bruce M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chan, Wing
• Assistant Examiner(s): Zong, Ruolei
• Application Number:
  US12/763,306
• Publication Number:
  US 20110258340A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,183 Days
• Field of Search: 709/238, 709/243, 709/244, 709/230, 709/232, 709/236, 709220-226, 709/229, 370/216, 370/217, 370/220, 370/242, 370/244, 370/380, 370/419
• US Class Current: 709/238
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/4625 Single bridge functionality, e.g. connection of two networks over a single bridge
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/586 of virtual routers

Abstract

Systems and methods to forward data frames are described. A particular method may include receiving a data frame at a switch of a plurality of networked switches coupled to a plurality of server computers. The data frame may be forwarded from a controlling bridge coupled to the plurality of networked switches. The data frame may be determined to include management data, and an operating parameter of the switch may be modified.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a plurality of racks, wherein each rack of the plurality of racks includes a plurality of chassis, wherein each chassis of the plurality of chassis includes a plurality of server computers;

a distributed virtual bridge coupled to the plurality of server computers, wherein the distributed virtual bridge is coupled to a plurality of adapters and the plurality of adapters is located within, coupled, or any combination thereof to the plurality of server computers, and wherein the distributed virtual bridge comprises;

a plurality of bridge elements coupled to the plurality of server computers, wherein each bridge element of the plurality of bridge elements is configured to forward data frames between the plurality of server computers of different racks of the Plurality of racks, different chassis of the plurality of chassis, or any combination thereof, and wherein each bridge element of the plurality of bridge elements includes a forwarding cache to store address data used to forward the data frames received by the bridge element; and

a plurality of controlling bridges coupled to one another and coupled to the plurality of bridge elements, wherein each controlling bridge of the controlling bridges is configured to generate and send management frames to the plurality of bridge elements, wherein the management frames include instructions used to program the plurality of bridge elements, and wherein each controlling bridge of the plurality of controlling bridges includes a global forwarding table to store address data received from the plurality of bridge elements, provide address data to the plurality of bridge elements, or any combination thereof accordingly.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least one of the management frames includes an ether type associated with a management protocol.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein at least one bridge element of the plurality of bridge elements is configured to identify the ether type.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the distributed virtual bridge comprises an integrated switch router configured to route the data frames.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the distributed virtual bridge further comprises a transport module coupled to a bridge element of the plurality of bridge elements and configured to provide a frame-based interface to the integrated switch router.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of bridge elements comprises an adapter bridge.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plurality of bridge elements are directly coupled to one another.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a controlling bridge of the plurality of controlling bridges is configured to concurrently program multiple bridge elements of the plurality of bridge elements.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plurality of bridge elements are associated with a virtual local area network.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plurality of controlling bridges is configured to divide a workload, perform synchronization, perform failover operations, or any combination thereof between the plurality of bridge elements.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plurality of controlling bridges is coupled to a plurality of adapter bridges.

12. A method of programming a bridge element, the method comprising:

for a plurality of racks, wherein each rack of the plurality of racks includes a plurality of chassis, wherein each chassis of the plurality of chassis includes a plurality of server computers, receiving a data frame at a switch bridge element of a plurality of bridge elements of a distributed virtual bridge, wherein the data frame is forwarded from a controlling bridge of a plurality of controlling bridges of the distributed virtual bridge, wherein the distributed virtual bridge is coupled to the plurality of server computers, wherein the distributed virtual bridge is coupled to a plurality of adapters and the plurality of adapters is located within, coupled, or any combination thereof to the plurality of server computers and wherein the distributed virtual bridge comprises;

the plurality of bridge elements coupled to the plurality of server computers, wherein each bridge element of the plurality of bridge elements is configured to forward data frames between the plurality of server computers of different racks of the plurality of racks, different chassis of the plurality of chassis, or any combination thereof, and wherein each of the plurality of bridge elements include a forwarding cache to store address data used to forward the data frames received by the bridge element, and

the plurality of controlling bridges coupled to one another and coupled to the plurality of bridge elements, wherein each controlling bridge of the plurality of controlling bridges is configured to generate and send management frames to the plurality of bridge elements, wherein the management frames include instructions used to program the plurality of bridge elements, and wherein each controlling bridge of the plurality of controlling bridges includes a global forwarding table to store address data received from the plurality of bridge elements, provide address data to the plurality of bridge elements, or any combination thereof accordingly;

determining that the data frame includes management data; and

modifying an operating parameter of the bridge element based upon the management data.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein determining the data frame includes management data includes identifying a predetermined protocol of the data frame.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the predetermined protocol includes an ether type.

15. The method of claim 12, further comprising identifying a non-management related protocol of another data frame, and based upon the non-management related protocol, forwarding the other data frame according to a normal routing scheme.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the bridge element includes a virtual ethernet bridge.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein the bridge element includes an adapter bridge.

18. The method of claim 12, wherein the plurality of controlling bridges is coupled to a plurality of adapter bridges.

19. A method of programming a bridge element, the method comprising:

for a plurality of racks, wherein each rack of the plurality of racks includes a plurality of chassis, wherein each chassis of the plurality of chassis includes a plurality of server computers, generating a management frame at a controlling bridge of a plurality of controlling bridges of a distributed virtual bridge, wherein the management frame is configured to modify an operating parameter of a bridge element of a plurality of bridge elements of a distributed bridge coupled to the controlling bridge and includes a protocol identifying the management frame to the bridge element, wherein the distributed virtual bridge is coupled to the plurality of server computers, wherein the distributed virtual bridge is coupled to a plurality of adapters and the plurality of adapters is located within, coupled, or any combination thereof to the plurality of server computers, and wherein the distributed virtual bridge comprises;

the plurality of bridge elements coupled to the plurality of server computers, wherein each bridge element plurality of bridge elements is configured to forward data frames between the plurality of server computers of different racks of the plurality of racks, different chassis of the plurality of chassis, or any combination thereof, and wherein each of the plurality of bridge elements include a forwarding cache to store address data used to forward the data frames received by the bridge element, and

the plurality of controlling bridges coupled to one another and coupled to the plurality of bridge elements, wherein each controlling bridge of the plurality of controlling bridges is configured to generate and send management frames to the plurality of bridge elements, wherein the management frames include instructions used to program the plurality of bridge elements, and wherein each controlling bridge of the plurality of controlling bridges includes a global forwarding table to store address data received from the plurality of bridge elements, provide address data to the plurality of bridge elements, or any combination thereof accordingly; and

forwarding the management frame to the bridge element.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the controlling bridge is configured to concurrently program the plurality of bridge elements.

21. The method of claim 19, further comprising assigning a media access control address to the bridge element.

22. The method of claim 19, further comprising associating a virtual local area network with the plurality of bridge elements.

23. The method of claim 19, wherein the plurality of controlling bridges is coupled to a plurality of adapter bridges.

24. A program product, comprising:

program code resident at a bridge element of a plurality of bridge elements of a distributed virtual bridge and configured to, for a plurality of racks, wherein each rack of the plurality of racks includes a plurality of chassis, wherein each chassis of the plurality of chassis includes a plurality of server computers, determine that a data frame includes management data and to modify an operating parameter of the bridge element, wherein the distributed virtual bridge is coupled to the plurality of server computers, wherein the distributed virtual bridge is coupled to a plurality of adapters and the plurality of adapters is located within, coupled, or any combination thereof to the plurality of server computers, and wherein the distributed virtual bridge comprises;

the plurality of bridge elements coupled to the plurality of server computers, wherein each bridge element of the plurality of bridge elements is configured to forward data frames between the plurality of server computers of different racks of the plurality of racks, different chassis of the plurality of chassis, or any combination thereof, and wherein each of the plurality of bridge elements include a forwarding cache to store address data used to forward the data frames received by the bridge element, and

a plurality of controlling bridges coupled to one another and coupled to the plurality of bridge elements, wherein each controlling bridge of the plurality of controlling bridges is configured to generate and send management frames to the plurality of bridge elements, wherein the management frames include instructions used to program the plurality of bridge elements, and wherein each controlling bridge of the plurality of controlling bridges includes a global forwarding table to store address data received from the plurality of bridge elements, provide address data to the plurality of bridge elements, or any combination thereof accordingly; and

a computer readable non-transitory medium bearing the program code.

25. The program product of claim 24, wherein the plurality of controlling bridges is coupled to a plurality of adapter bridges.