System and method of providing network node services
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method of processing messages in network, comprising:
- receiving a message via a network;
accessing mapping information stored in a memory, the mapping information comprising control data for processing the message;
determining if the message is to be processed by a first device coupled to memory and the network, based at least in part on the control data;
if so, processing the message with the first device;
otherwise, forwarding the message to a second device for processing.
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Abstract
A network node for processing messages transmitted via a network, the node including: a first circuit providing a processor-based node path; a second circuit, coupled to the first circuit, providing a switch-based node path; and a memory storing mapping information accessible by the first and second circuits, wherein the processing of messages received by the network node is allocated between the first and second circuit based on the mapping information.
179 Citations
60 Claims
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1. A method of processing messages in network, comprising:
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receiving a message via a network;
accessing mapping information stored in a memory, the mapping information comprising control data for processing the message;
determining if the message is to be processed by a first device coupled to memory and the network, based at least in part on the control data;
if so, processing the message with the first device;
otherwise, forwarding the message to a second device for processing. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A method of providing service tasks for devices communicating via a network, the method comprising:
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receiving a message at a first device via the network;
reading overhead data contained in the message indicative of a requested service task;
accessing mapping information from a memory, the mapping information comprising service task information that identifies the requested service task as one of a plurality of service task types;
performing the requested service task with a first device, coupled to the memory, if the requested service task corresponds to a first service task type; and
performing the requested service task with a second device, coupled to the memory, if the requested service task corresponds to a second service task type. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. A method of handling network messages, comprising:
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receiving a message via network;
reading routing data contained in the message, wherein the routing data comprises the identity of a network entity designated to receive the message;
accessing mapping information stored in a memory, the mapping information comprising information correlating a plurality of virtual network entities with a plurality of physical network entities and further control data for processing the message;
determining if the message is to be routed by a first device or a second device, based at least in part on the control data;
determining whether the designated network entity is a virtual network entity or a physical network entity based on the mapping information;
if the designated network entity is a first physical network entity, routing the message to the first physical network entity; and
if the designated network entity is a virtual network entity, identifying at least one second physical network entity corresponding to the virtual network entity and, thereafter, routing the message to the at least one second physical entity. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32, 33)
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34. A method of processing a message, comprising:
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receiving the message by a switch port;
parsing the message to extract a routing data, the routing data comprising a network address of an initiating device, a network address of a virtual target port and a logical unit number of a virtual peripheral;
accessing mapping information stored in a memory to determine if the message can be processed by the switch port;
if it is determined that the switch port cannot process the message, then reformatting the routing data to provide an address for an intermediate host port as an intermediate destination address;
forwarding the message to the intermediate host port;
reformatting the routing data a second time to indicate an address corresponding to the virtual target port as the final destination address; and
forwarding the message to a processor for processing. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36, 37)
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38. A network node for processing messages transmitted via a network, comprising:
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a first circuit providing a processor-based node path;
a second circuit, coupled to the first circuit, providing a switch-based node path; and
a memory storing mapping information accessible by the first and second circuits, wherein the processing of messages received by the network node is allocated between the first and second circuit based on the mapping information. - View Dependent Claims (39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45)
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46. A network node for processing messages transmitted in a network, comprising:
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a plurality of switch ports, each coupled to the network for receiving and sending messages via the network;
at least one intermediate host port, coupled to the plurality of switch ports;
at least one processor, coupled to the at least one intermediate host port and to the plurality of switch ports; and
a memory, coupled to the plurality of switch ports and the at least one processor, the memory containing mapping information for controlling how messages are handled by at least one of the plurality of switch ports and the at least one processor. - View Dependent Claims (47, 48, 49, 50)
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51. A system for processing messages in network, comprising:
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means for receiving a message via a network;
means for accessing mapping information stored in a memory, the mapping information comprising control data for processing the message;
means for determining if the message is to be processed by a first processing means, coupled to memory and the network, based at least in part on the control data;
first processing means for processing the message if it is determined the message is to be processed by the first processing means; and
means for forwarding the message to a second processing means for processing. - View Dependent Claims (52, 53)
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54. A system for providing service tasks for devices communicating via a network, the system comprising:
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means for receiving a message at a first device via the network;
means for reading overhead data contained in the message indicative of a requested service task;
means for accessing mapping information from a memory, the mapping information comprising service task information that identifies the requested service task as one of a plurality of service task types;
first means for performing the requested service task if the requested service task corresponds to a first service task type; and
second means for performing the requested service task if the requested service task corresponds to a second service task type. - View Dependent Claims (55, 56, 57, 58)
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59. A system for handling network messages, comprising:
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means for receiving a message via network;
means for reading routing data contained in the message, wherein the routing data comprises the identity of a network entity designated to receive the message;
means for accessing mapping information stored in a memory, the mapping information comprising information correlating a plurality of virtual network entities with a plurality of physical network entities and further control data for processing the message;
means for determining if the message is to be routed by a first device or a second device, based at least in part on the control data;
means for determining whether the designated network entity is a virtual network entity or a physical network entity based on the mapping information;
means for routing the message to a first physical network entity if the designated network entity is the first physical network entity;
if the designated network entity is a virtual network entity, means for identifying at least one second physical network entity corresponding to the virtual network entity; and
means for routing the message to the at least one second physical entity.
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60. A system for processing a message, comprising:
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means for receiving the message by a switch port;
means for parsing the message to extract a routing data, the routing data comprising a network address of an initiating device, a network address of a virtual target port and a logical unit number of a virtual peripheral;
means for accessing mapping information stored in a memory to determine if the message can be processed by the switch port;
first means for reformatting the routing data to provide an address for an intermediate host port as an intermediate destination address if it is determined that the switch port cannot process the message;
means for forwarding the message to the intermediate host port;
second means for reformatting the routing data a second time to indicate an address corresponding to the virtual target port as the final destination address; and
means for forwarding the message to a processor for processing.
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Specification