Switching module
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method for monitoring network data, the method comprising:
- providing a fiber channel switch module comprising;
a trace buffer memory disposed on the module; and
a fabric crossbar disposed on the module and coupled to the trace buffer memory,the fabric crossbar including a network level monitoring section having simultaneous access to traffic flowing among all nodes connected to the fiber channel switch;
monitoring, by the fiber channel switch module, network traffic;
detecting a trigger event in network traffic between a first node and a second node; and
capturing, in response to detection of the trigger event, data from network traffic between a third node and fourth node, the first, second, third, and fourth nodes all being different than each other.
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Abstract
A fiber channel switching module can include an integrated trace buffer memory, a crossbar switch and a control processor disposed on a single line replaceable module (LRM). The trace buffer memory may be adapted to capture selected data traffic transiting the switch fabric based on pre-selected triggers. The selected data can be read out of the trace buffer memory and used for selected diagnostics.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method for monitoring network data, the method comprising:
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providing a fiber channel switch module comprising; a trace buffer memory disposed on the module; and a fabric crossbar disposed on the module and coupled to the trace buffer memory, the fabric crossbar including a network level monitoring section having simultaneous access to traffic flowing among all nodes connected to the fiber channel switch; monitoring, by the fiber channel switch module, network traffic; detecting a trigger event in network traffic between a first node and a second node; and capturing, in response to detection of the trigger event, data from network traffic between a third node and fourth node, the first, second, third, and fourth nodes all being different than each other. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A method for continuous network-level monitoring of network data, the method comprising:
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providing a first fiber channel switch module including; a first trace buffer memory disposed on the first fiber channel switch module; a first fabric crossbar constituted by a programmable logic device configured as a fabric crossbar, disposed on the first fiber channel switch module and coupled to the first trace buffer memory; and a first processor disposed on the first fiber channel switch module and coupled to the first fabric crossbar, the first fabric crossbar including a first network-level monitoring section having simultaneous access to traffic flowing among all nodes connected to the first fiber channel switch module; providing a second fiber channel switch module including; a second trace buffer memory disposed on the second fiber channel switch module; a second fabric crossbar constituted by a programmable logic device configured as a fabric crossbar, disposed on the second fiber channel switch module and coupled to the second trace buffer memory; and a second processor disposed on the second fiber channel switch module and coupled to the second fabric crossbar, the second fabric crossbar including a second network level monitoring section having simultaneous access to traffic flowing among all nodes connected to the second fiber channel switch module; monitoring, by the first and/or second monitoring section, network traffic; detecting a trigger event in network traffic; capturing, in response to detection of the trigger event, data from network traffic; utilizing the second fiber channel switch module as a redundant replacement for the first fiber channel switch module, and, when a failure of the first fiber channel switch module is detected, operating the second fiber channel switch module as the main fiber channel switch module to provide continuous network-level monitoring of network traffic. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A system for network-level monitoring of data, the system comprising:
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a trace buffer memory on a fiber channel switch module, the trace buffer memory being coupled to a fabric crossbar; a trace buffer memory controller on the fiber channel switch module; the trace buffer memory controller having settable monitoring parameters including one or more triggers adapted to cause the trace buffer memory to capture selected data from network traffic data flowing through an optical backplane, the trace buffer memory controller being adapted to simultaneously monitor traffic flowing to and from each node connected to the fiber channel switch module; and the fiber channel switch module being adapted to monitor network traffic of a first node and detect a trigger event in the network traffic of the first node, and, in response to detection of the trigger event, capture data from network traffic of a second node, the second node being different than the first node. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification