Systems and methods for multi-protocol translation
First Claim
1. A method for transmitting a frame of a data stream from a first network device associated with a first network protocol to a second network device associated with a second network protocol, the method being performed by a storage area network switch including a first port coupled with the first network device and a second port coupled with the second network device, the method comprising:
- associating the first port with the first network protocol;
assigning a first virtual address to the first port, the first virtual address being represented in an address format associated with the second network protocol;
assigning a second virtual address to the second port, the second virtual address being represented in an address format associated with the first network protocol;
establishing a first mapping table that maps the first port to a first original address of the first network device and the first virtual address, and that maps the second port to a second original address of the second network device and the second virtual address;
establishing, based on the first mapping table, a second mapping table that maps the first port and the second port to the second virtual address;
providing, based on the second mapping table, the second virtual address to the first network device;
receiving, from the first network device via the first port, a first frame, the first frame including the second virtual address as a destination address and the first original address as a source address;
obtaining the second virtual address and the first original address from the first frame;
determining, based on the second virtual address obtained from the first frame, and the first mapping table, that a destination device for the first frame is connected to the second port;
determining, based on the first original address obtained from the first frame, and the first mapping table, the first virtual address;
generating a second frame of the second network protocol to include the data included in the first frame, the second frame including the first virtual address as the source address; and
transmitting the second frame to the second network device via the second port;
wherein the first and second network protocols comprise at least one of;
Ethernet;
InfiniBand;
Serial Attached Small Computer System Interface;
Internet Small Computer System Interface; and
Fibre Channel protocols.
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Accused Products
Abstract
This disclosure relates generally to communication network protocols, and more particularly to systems and methods for multi-protocol translation. In one embodiment, a multi-protocol translation method is disclosed, comprising: receiving, at a storage area network switch, a frame formatted according to a first protocol; selecting, using the received frame, a second protocol from a plurality of protocols according to which to convert the received frame; obtaining a protocol format specification data of a second protocol; converting by the storage area network switch, the received frame to a converted frame according to the second protocol based on the protocol format specification data of the second protocol; and providing, by the storage area network switch, the converted frame.
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Citations
24 Claims
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1. A method for transmitting a frame of a data stream from a first network device associated with a first network protocol to a second network device associated with a second network protocol, the method being performed by a storage area network switch including a first port coupled with the first network device and a second port coupled with the second network device, the method comprising:
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associating the first port with the first network protocol; assigning a first virtual address to the first port, the first virtual address being represented in an address format associated with the second network protocol; assigning a second virtual address to the second port, the second virtual address being represented in an address format associated with the first network protocol; establishing a first mapping table that maps the first port to a first original address of the first network device and the first virtual address, and that maps the second port to a second original address of the second network device and the second virtual address; establishing, based on the first mapping table, a second mapping table that maps the first port and the second port to the second virtual address; providing, based on the second mapping table, the second virtual address to the first network device; receiving, from the first network device via the first port, a first frame, the first frame including the second virtual address as a destination address and the first original address as a source address; obtaining the second virtual address and the first original address from the first frame; determining, based on the second virtual address obtained from the first frame, and the first mapping table, that a destination device for the first frame is connected to the second port; determining, based on the first original address obtained from the first frame, and the first mapping table, the first virtual address; generating a second frame of the second network protocol to include the data included in the first frame, the second frame including the first virtual address as the source address; and transmitting the second frame to the second network device via the second port; wherein the first and second network protocols comprise at least one of;
Ethernet;
InfiniBand;
Serial Attached Small Computer System Interface;
Internet Small Computer System Interface; and
Fibre Channel protocols. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 22)
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8. An apparatus for transmitting a frame of a data stream from a first network device associated with a first network protocol to a second network device associated with a second network protocol, comprising:
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a first port coupled with the first network device; a second port coupled with the second network device; a processor; and a memory storing instructions that, when executed by the processor, wherein the instructions comprise instructions to; assign a first virtual address to the first port, the first virtual address being represented in an address format associated with the second network protocol; assign a second virtual address to the second port, the second virtual address being represented in an address format associated with the first network protocol; establish a first mapping table that maps the first port to a first original address of the first network device and the first virtual address, and that maps the second port to a second original address of the second network device and the second virtual address; establish, based on the first mapping table, a second mapping table that maps the first port and the second port to the second virtual address; provide, based on the second mapping table, the second virtual address to the first network device; receive, from the first network device via the first port, a first frame, the first frame including the second virtual address as a destination address and the first original address as a source address; obtain the second virtual address and the first original address from the first frame; determine, based on the second virtual address obtained from the first frame, and the first mapping table, that a destination device for the first frame is connected to the second port; determine, based on the first original address obtained from the first frame, and the first mapping table, the first virtual address; generate a second frame of the second network protocol to include the data included in the first frame, the second frame including the first virtual address as the source address; and transmit the second frame to the second network device via the second port; wherein the first and second network protocols comprise at least one of;
Ethernet;
InfiniBand;
Serial Attached Small Computer System Interface;
Internet Small Computer System Interface; and
Fibre Channel protocols. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 23)
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15. A non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon computer-executable instructions that, when executed by a storage area network switch including a first port coupled with the first network device and a second port coupled with the second network device, causes the storage area network switch to perform a method of transmitting a frame of a data stream from the first network device to the second network device, the method comprising:
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assigning a first virtual address to the first port, the first virtual address being represented in an address format associated with the second network protocol; assigning a second virtual address to the second port, the second virtual address being represented in an address format associated with the first network protocol; establishing a first mapping table that maps the first port to a first original address of the first network device and the first virtual address, and that maps the second port to a second original address of the second network device and the second virtual address; establishing, based on the first mapping table, a second mapping table that maps the first port and the second port to the second virtual address; providing, based on the second mapping table, the second virtual address to the first network device; receiving, from the first network device via the first port, a first frame, the first frame including the second virtual address as a destination address and the first original address as a source address; obtaining the second virtual address and the first original address from the first frame; determining, based on the second virtual address obtained from the first frame, and the first mapping table, that a destination device for the first frame is connected to the second port; determining, based on the first original address obtained from the first frame, and the first mapping table, the first virtual address; generating a second frame of the second network protocol to include the data included in the first frame, the second frame including the first virtual address as the source address; and transmitting the second frame to the second network device via the second port; wherein the first and second network protocols comprise at least one of;
Ethernet;
InfiniBand;
Serial Attached Small Computer System Interface;
Internet Small Computer System Interface; and
Fibre Channel protocols. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 24)
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Specification