Port profile management for virtual cluster switching

• US 9,461,840 B2
• Filed: 03/07/2011
• Issued: 10/04/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/02/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Brocade Communications Systems, Inc. (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Chatwani, Dilip, Vobbilisetty, Suresh, Koganti, Phanidhar
• Primary Examiner(s): Jaroenchonwanit, Bunjob
• Application Number:
  US13/042,259
• Publication Number:
  US 20110299413A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,038 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/4625 Single bridge functionality, e.g. connection of two networks over a single bridge
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/4633 Interconnection of networks using encapsulation techniques, e.g. tunneling
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/4641 Virtual LANs, VLANs, e.g. virtual private networks [VPN] LAN interconnection over a bridge based backbone H04L12/462; encapsulation techniques H04L12/4633; routing of packets H04L45/00; packet switches H04L49/00; virtual private networks for security H04L63/0272
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0816 the condition being an adaptation, e.g. in response to network events
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/25 Routing or path finding in a switch fabric
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/30 Peripheral units, e.g. input or output ports
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/357 Fibre channel switches
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/65 Re-configuration of fast packet switches
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/70 Virtual switches

Abstract

One embodiment of the present invention provides a switch system. The switch includes a port profile which specifies a set of port configuration information. During operation, a control mechanism within the switch detects a source MAC address of an incoming frame and determines that the MAC address is associated with the port profile. The control mechanism then applies the port profile to a switch port on which the frame is received.

Claims

1. A switch, comprising:

a storage device storing;

a port profile data structure specifying a set of port configuration corresponding to a plurality of media access control (MAC) addresses; and

a second data structure mapping a respective MAC address of the plurality of MAC addresses and a corresponding virtual local area network (VLAN) identifier to a same policy group identifier; and

a control module configured to;

determine that;

a frame'"'"'s source MAC address is associated with the port profile data structure; and

the frames source MAC address is in the plurality of MAC addresses mapped to the policy group identifier; and

in response to the determination, apply the port profile data structure to an ingress switch port of the frame, wherein applying the port profile data structure sets the port configuration specified in the port profile to the ingress switch port.

2. The switch of claim 1, further comprising a fabric switch management module configured to operate the switch as a member switch of a fabric switch, wherein the fabric switch comprises one or more physical switches;

wherein the storage device stores the port profile data structure in response to the switch being a member switch of the fabric switch.

3. The switch of claim 1, wherein the control module is further configured to, in response to the determination, apply the port profile data structure to an egress switch port of the frame, wherein applying the port profile data structure sets the port configuration specified in the port profile to the egress switch port.

4. The switch of claim 1, wherein the frame'"'"'s source MAC address is a MAC address of a virtual machine.

5. The switch of claim 1, wherein the set of port configuration in the port profile data structure includes one or more of:

quality of service (QoS) configuration;

Fibre Channel over Ethernet (FCoE) configuration;

virtual LAN (VLAN) configuration; and

security related configuration.

6. The switch of claim 1, wherein one or more of the port configuration applied to the ingress switch port is specific to the frame'"'"'s source MAC address.

7. The switch of claim 1, wherein the port profile data structure is applied to the ingress switch port within a predetermined time period after the frame is received.

8. A switching system, comprising:

one or more member switches;

a storage device residing on a respective member switch of the switching system and configured to store;

a port profile data structure specifying a set of port configuration corresponding to a plurality of media access control (MAC) addresses;

a second data structure mapping a respective MAC address of the plurality of MAC addresses and a corresponding virtual local area network (VLAN) identifier to a same policy group identifier; and

a control module residing on a respective member switch of the switching system and configured to;

determine that;

a frame'"'"'s source MAC address is associated with the port profile data structure; and

the frame'"'"'s source MAC address is in the plurality of MAC addresses mapped to the policy group identifier; and

in response to the determination, apply the port profile data structure to an ingress switch port of the frame, wherein applying the port profile data structure sets the port configuration specified in the port profile to the ingress switch port.

9. The switching system of claim 8, wherein the switching system is a fabric switch;

wherein the storage device in a respective member switch stores the port profile data structure in response to the member switch being a member of the fabric switch.

10. The switching system of claim 8, wherein the control module is further configured to, in response to the determination, apply the port profile data structure to an egress switch port of the frame, wherein applying the port profile data structure sets the port configuration specified in the port profile to the egress switch port.

11. The switching system of claim 8, wherein the frame'"'"'s source MAC address is a MAC address of a virtual machine.

12. The switching system of claim 8, wherein the set of port configuration in the port profile data structure includes one or more of:

quality of service (QoS) configuration;

Fibre Channel over Ethernet (FCoE) configuration;

virtual LAN (VLAN) configuration; and

security related configuration.

13. The switching system of claim 8, wherein one or more of the port configuration applied to the ingress switch port is specific to the frame'"'"'s source MAC address.

14. The switching system of claim 8, wherein the port profile data structure is applied to the ingress switch port within a predetermined time period after the frame is received.

15. A method, comprising:

storing in a storage device a port profile data structure specifying a set of port configuration corresponding to a plurality of media access control (MAC) addresses;

storing in the storage device a second data structure mapping a respective MAC address of the plurality of MAC addresses and a corresponding virtual local area network (VLAN) identifier to a same policy group identifier;

determining that a frame'"'"'s source media access control (MAC) address is associated with the port profile data structure;

determining that the frame'"'"'s source MAC address is in the plurality of MAC addresses mapped to the policy group identifier; and

in response to the determination, applying the port profile data structure to an ingress switch port of the frame, wherein applying the port profile data structure sets the port configuration specified in the port profile to the ingress switch port.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising, in response to the determination, applying the port profile data structure to an egress switch port of the frame, wherein applying the port profile data structure sets the port configuration specified in the port profile to the egress switch port.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the frame'"'"'s source MAC address is a MAC address of a virtual machine.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the set of port configuration in the port profile data structure includes one or more of:

quality of service (QoS) configuration;

Fibre Channel over Ethernet (FCoE) configuration;

virtual LAN (VLAN) configuration;

security related configuration.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein the port profile data structure is applied to the ingress switch port within a predetermined time period after the frame is received.

20. A switching means, comprising:

a storage device means for storing;

a port profile data structure means specifying a set of port configuration corresponding to a plurality of media access control (MAC) addresses; and

a second data structure means mapping a respective MAC address of the plurality of MAC addresses and a corresponding virtual local area network (VLAN) identifier to a same policy group identifier; and

a control means for;

determining that;

a frame'"'"'s source MAC address is associated with the port profile data structure; and

the frame'"'"'s source MAC address is in the plurality of MAC addresses mapped to the policy group identifier; and

in response to the determination, applying the port profile data structure to an ingress switch port means of the frame, wherein applying the port profile data structure sets the port configuration specified in the port profile to the ingress switch port means.