Distributing functions in a distributed and embedded environment

• US 9,178,808 B2
• Filed: 12/06/2011
• Issued: 11/03/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/06/2011
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Cors, Josep, Engebretsen, David R., Hermsmeier, David L., Lange-Pearson, Adam C., Nelson, Ward R.
• Primary Examiner(s): PARK, JUNG H
• Application Number:
  US13/311,964
• Publication Number:
  US 20130142196A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,428 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/304 Route determination for signalling traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/44 Distributed routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/745 Address table lookup; Address filtering

Abstract

The different switch modules making up a distributed virtual switch may route configuration commands for hardware resources to different modules within the distributed switch using a distribution and routing layer. At least one of the switch modules maintains a routing table that defines which switch modules are responsible for which hardware resources. The switch module uses the routing tables to forward the commands on the distribution and routing layer to the responsible switch module which then ensures that the relevant hardware resources are configured.

Claims

1. A computer program product for routing commands in a distributed switch that includes a plurality of switch modules, the computer program product comprising:

a computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable program code embodied therewith, the computer-readable program code configured to;

receive a command on a first switch module of the plurality of switch modules, the command instructing the distributed switch to configure a data transfer speed setting for a first one of a plurality of hardware elements in the distributed switch;

determine a target switch module of the plurality of switch modules that is responsible for the first hardware element based on a routing table, wherein the routing table comprises a list assigning each of the plurality of hardware elements to a respective one of the plurality of switch modules;

route the command from the first switch module to the target switch module, wherein the plurality of switch modules is interconnected within the distributed switch by a fabric;

forwarding the command to a hardware interface layer on the target switch module, wherein logic in the hardware interface layer is configured to communicate with a register that stores the data transfer speed setting of the first hardware element; and

configure the first hardware element using the target switch module based on the received command, wherein the first hardware element is not physically located on the target switch module.

2. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein, each of the plurality of switch modules is a separate physical hardware component that includes one or more bridge elements configured to route data between the plurality of switch modules.

3. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the first hardware element is at least one of:

an Ethernet port, a PCIe connection, PCIe port, bridge element, and an uplink manager.

4. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of switch modules include a coherent copy of the routing table.

5. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the plurality of switch modules in the distributed switch enable communication between a plurality of computing systems and at least one of an Ethernet network and a PCIe slot.

6. The computer program product of claim 5, wherein each of the plurality of switch modules transfer data that is based on at least two different communication protocols.

7. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the list assigns multiple hardware elements to one of the switch modules.

8. A system, comprising:

a computer processor; and

a memory containing a program that, when executed on the computer processor, performs an operation for routing commands in a distributed switch that includes a plurality of switch modules, comprising;

receiving a command on a first switch module of the plurality of switch modules, the command instructing the distributed switch to configure a data transfer speed setting for a first one of a plurality of hardware elements in the distributed switch;

determining a target switch module of the plurality of switch modules that is responsible for the first hardware element based on a routing table, wherein the routing table comprises a list assigning each of the plurality of hardware elements to a respective one of the plurality of switch modules;

routing the command from the first switch module to the target switch module, wherein the plurality of switch modules is interconnected within the distributed switch by a fabric;

forwarding the command to a hardware interface layer on the target switch module, wherein logic in the hardware interface layer is configured to communicate with a register that stores the data transfer speed setting of the first hardware element; and

configuring the first hardware element using the target switch module based on the received command, wherein the first hardware element is not physically located on the target switch module.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein, each of the plurality of switch modules is a separate physical hardware component that includes one or more bridge elements configured to route data between the plurality of switch modules.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the first hardware element is at least one of:

an Ethernet port, a PCIe connection, PCIe port, bridge element, and an uplink manager.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein each of the plurality of switch modules include a coherent copy of the routing table.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the plurality of switch modules in the distributed switch enable communication between a plurality of computing systems and at least one of an Ethernet network and a PCIe slot.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein each of the plurality of switch modules transfer data that is based on at least two different communication protocols.

14. The system of claim 8, wherein the list assigns multiple hardware elements to one of the switch modules.

15. A system, comprising:

a computer processor; and

a memory containing a program that, when executed on the computer processor, performs an operation for routing commands in a distributed switch that includes a plurality of switch modules, comprising;

receiving a command on a first switch module of the plurality of switch modules, the command instructing the distributed switch to configure a data transfer speed setting for a first one of a plurality of hardware elements in the distributed switch;

determining a target switch module of the plurality of switch modules that is responsible for the first hardware element based on a routing table, wherein the routing table comprises a list assigning each of the plurality of hardware elements to a respective one of the plurality of switch modules, and wherein each of the plurality of switch modules include a coherent copy of the routing table;

routing the command from the first switch module to the target switch module, wherein the plurality of switch modules is interconnected within the distributed switch by a fabric;

forwarding the command to a hardware interface layer on the target switch module, wherein logic in the hardware interface layer is configured to communicate with a register that stores the data transfer speed setting of the first hardware element; and

configuring the first hardware element using the target switch module based on the received command, wherein the first hardware element is not physically located on the target switch module.