Systems and methods for multi-protocol translation

• US 9,584,632 B2
• Filed: 10/28/2013
• Issued: 02/28/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 08/28/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Palo Alto Networks Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Wipro Limited
• Inventors: Chakhaiyar, Madhukar Gunjan
• Primary Examiner(s): Srivastava, Vivek
• Assistant Examiner(s): Celani, Nicholas
• Application Number:
  US14/065,392
• Publication Number:
  US 20150067188A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,219 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/08 Protocols for interworking; Protocol conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/18 Multiprotocol handlers, e.g. single devices capable of handling multiple protocols

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.

Claims

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.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising separating a payload portion from a non-payload portion of the first frame.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

determining, based on the second virtual address obtained from the first frame, and the first mapping table, the second original address;

determining, based on the second original address determined from the first mapping table, and the first mapping table, that the destination device is associated with the second network protocol;

after determining that the destination device is associated with the second network protocol, acquiring second network protocol format specification data that define one or more parameters including at least one of;

frame format, address format, frame size, size of payload in a frame, bandwidth associated with the protocol, maximum speed of transmission associated with the second network protocol;

extracting the non-payload portion of the first frame; and

constructing the second frame including the non-payload portion based on at least one of the address format, the frame format, and frame size defined in the second network protocol format specification data.

4. The method of claim 3,

wherein the second frame is constructed based on the frame size specified in the second network protocol format specification data.

5. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

determining whether a speed mismatch exists between the first network protocol and the second network protocol based on the maximum speed of transmission defined in the second network protocol format specification data.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

adjusting a transmission speed of the second frame according to the maximum speed of transmission defined in the second network protocol format specification data after determining that the speed mismatch exists between the first network protocol and the second network protocol;

wherein the second frame is transmitted according to the transmission speed.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein adjusting the transmission speed of the second frame comprises buffering the second frame.

22. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

acquiring first network protocol format specification data based on an association between the first port and the first network protocol;

decoding the first frame based on the first network protocol format specification data; and

determining, based on the decoded first frame, the second virtual address as the destination address and the first original address as the source address.

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:

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.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the instructions further comprise instructions to:

separate a payload portion from a non-payload portion of the first frame.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the instructions further comprise instructions to:

determine, based on the second virtual address obtained from the first frame, and the first mapping table, the second original address;

determine, based on the second original address determined from the first mapping table, and the first mapping table, that the destination device is associated with the second network protocol;

after determining that the destination device is associated with the second network protocol, acquire second network protocol format specification data that define one or more parameters including at least one of;

frame format, address format, frame size, size of payload in a frame, bandwidth associated with the protocol, maximum speed of transmission associated with the second network protocol;

extract the non-payload portion of the first frame; and

construct the second frame including the non-payload portion based on at least one of the address format, the frame format, and frame size defined in the second network protocol format specification data.

11. The apparatus of claim 10,

wherein the second frame is constructed based on the frame size specified in the second network protocol format specification data.

12. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the instructions further comprise instructions to:

determine whether a speed mismatch exists between the first network protocol and the second network protocol based on the maximum speed of transmission defined in the second network protocol format specification data.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, the instructions further comprising instructions to:

adjust a transmission speed of the second frame according to the maximum speed of transmission defined in the second network protocol format specification data after determining that the speed mismatch exists between the first network protocol and the second network protocol;

wherein the second frame is transmitted according to the transmission speed.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein adjusting the transmission speed of the second frame comprises buffering the second frame.

23. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the instructions comprise instructions to:

acquire first network protocol format specification data based on an association between the first port and the first network protocol;

decode the first frame based on the first network protocol format specification data; and

determine, based on the decoded first frame, the second virtual address as the destination address and the first original address as the source address.

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:

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.

16. The medium of claim 15, the instructions further comprising instructions for:

separating a payload portion from a non-payload portion of the first frame.

17. The medium of claim 16, wherein the instructions further comprising instructions for:

determining, based on the second virtual address obtained from the first frame, and the first mapping table, the second original address;

determining, based on the second original address determined from the first mapping table, and the first mapping table, that the destination device is associated with the second network protocol;

after determining that the destination device is associated with the second network protocol, acquiring second network protocol format specification data that define one or more parameters including at least one of;

frame format, address format, frame size, size of payload in a frame, bandwidth associated with the protocol, maximum speed of transmission associated with the second network protocol;

extracting the non-payload portion of the first frame; and

constructing the second frame including the non-payload portion based on at least one of the address format, the frame format, and frame size defined in the second network protocol format specification data.

18. The medium of claim 17,

wherein the second frame is constructed based on the frame size specified in the second network protocol format specification data.

19. The medium of claim 17, the instructions further comprising instructions for:

determining whether a speed mismatch exists between the first network protocol and the second network protocol based on the maximum speed of transmission defined in the second network protocol format specification data.

20. The medium of claim 19, the instructions further comprising instructions for:

adjusting a transmission speed of the second frame according to the maximum speed of transmission defined in the second network protocol format specification data after determining that the speed mismatch exists between the first network protocol and the second network protocol;

wherein the second frame is transmitted according to the transmission speed.

21. The medium of claim 20, wherein adjusting the transmission speed of the second frame comprises buffering the second frame.

24. The medium of claim 17, the instructions further comprising instructions for:

acquiring first network protocol format specification data based on an association between the first port and the first network protocol;

decoding the first frame based on the first network protocol format specification data; and

determining, based on the decoded first frame, the second virtual address as the destination address and the first original address as the source address.