Virtual switch for use in fibre channel applications

• US 8,560,627 B2
• Filed: 05/23/2003
• Issued: 10/15/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/23/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Alcatel-Lucent SA (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Alcatel-Lucent SA (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Krieg, William R., Shafer, Jeffrey J.
• Primary Examiner(s): BIAGINI, CHRISTOPHER D
• Application Number:
  US10/444,817
• Publication Number:
  US 20040233921A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,798 Days
• Field of Search: 709/211
• US Class Current: 709/211
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/00 Network arrangements, protocols or services for addressing or naming
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/30 Managing network names, e.g. use of aliases or nicknames name-to-address mapping H04L61/45
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/301 Name conversion
• 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 67/63 Routing a service request depending on the request content or context
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

A virtual switch for use in fiber channel applications is described herein. In an exemplary implementation, a virtual switch is created. The virtual switch stores control-traffic-information associated with a device in a remote autonomous region of a fabric. The device has a domain ID associated with the autonomous region in which it is located. A virtual domain ID associated with the virtual switch is assigned to the device. Accordingly, the virtual domain ID is provided to other autonomous regions for sharing the device.

Claims

1. One or more computer-readable media comprising computer executable instructions that, when executed, direct a computer to:

store control-traffic-information associated with a device in a remote autonomous region of a fabric, the device having a domain ID associated with the autonomous region;

assign a virtual domain ID to the device; and

provide the virtual domain ID to another autonomous region of the fabric for sharing the device.

2. One or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 1, wherein the computer executable instructions further comprise instructions that, when executed, direct a computer to:

select a data path for communication between the device and another device in the fabric.

3. One or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 1, wherein the control-traffic information includes a world wide name identification number and a domain ID number.

4. One or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 1, wherein other devices in the other autonomous region use the virtual domain ID to communicate with the device.

5. One or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 1, wherein the computer is a border switch.

6. One or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 1, where the device is a storage device in a storage area network.

7. A system, comprising:

a memory comprising a set of computer-executable instructions; and

a processor coupled to the memory, the processor configured to execute the computer-executable instructions for;

storing control-traffic-information associated with a device in a remote autonomous region of a fabric, the device having a real domain ID associated with the autonomous region;

assigning a virtual domain ID to the device; and

providing the virtual domain ID to another autonomous region of the fabric for sharing the device.

8. The system as recited in claim 7, wherein the computer executable instructions further comprise instructions for:

selecting a data path for communication between the device and another device in the fabric.

9. The system as recited in claim 7, wherein the control-traffic information includes a worldwide name identification number and a domain ID number.

10. The system as recited in claim 7, wherein other devices in the other autonomous region use the virtual domain ID to send information to the device.

11. The system as recited in claim 7, wherein the system is a border switch.

12. The system as recited in claim 7, where the device is a storage device in a storage area network.

13. A method for configuring a fabric in a storage area network, comprising:

storing control-traffic-information associated with a device in a remote autonomous region of a fabric, the device having a real domain ID associated with the autonomous region;

assigning a virtual domain ID to the device; and

providing the virtual domain ID to another autonomous region of the fabric for sharing the device.

14. The method as recited in claim 13, further comprising:

selecting a data path for communication between the device and another device in the fabric.

15. The method as recited in claim 13, wherein the control-traffic information includes a worldwide name identification number and a domain ID number.

16. The method as recited in claim 13, wherein other devices in the other autonomous region use the virtual domain ID to send information to the device.

17. The method as recited in claim 13, wherein the system is a border switch.

18. The method as recited in claim 13, where the device is a storage device in a storage area network.