PORT PROFILE MANAGEMENT FOR VIRTUAL CLUSTER SWITCHING

• US 20110299413A1
• Filed: 03/07/2011
• Published: 12/08/2011
• 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
• Granted Patent: US 9,461,840 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/252
• 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 port profile which specifies a set of port configuration information; and

a control mechanism configured to;

detecting a source MAC address of an incoming frame;

determine that the MAC address is associated with the port profile; and

apply the port profile to a switch port on which the frame is received.

2. The switch of claim 1,

wherein the port profile is distributed throughout a virtual cluster switch comprising one or more physical switches which are allowed to be coupled in an arbitrary topology;

and

wherein the virtual cluster switch appears to be one single switch.

3. The switch of claim 1, wherein the port profile is associated with one or more MAC addresses.

4. The switch of claim 1, wherein the MAC address is assigned to a virtual machine.

5. The switch of claim 1, wherein the port profile includes one or more sets of the following configuration information:

Fibre Channel over Ethernet (FCoE) configuration;

virtual LAN (VLAN) configuration;

quality of service (QoS) configuration; and

security related configuration.

6. The switch of claim 1, further comprising a port which is allowed to couple to a computer system hosting a number of virtual machines.

7. The switch of claim 1, wherein the application of the port profile is carried out within a predetermined time period after the incoming frame is received.

8. A switching system, comprising:

a number of copies of a port profile distributed among a number of member switches;

a control mechanism residing on a respective switch and configured to apply the port profile upon detecting a source MAC address of a frame that matches the port profile.

9. The switching system of claim 8, wherein the member switches are allowed to be coupled in an arbitrary topology;

and

wherein the switch system appears to be one single switch.

10. The switching system of claim 8, wherein the port profile is associated with one or more MAC addresses.

11. The switching system of claim 8, wherein the MAC address is assigned to a virtual machine.

12. The switching system of claim 8, the port profile includes one or more sets of the following configuration information:

Fibre Channel over Ethernet (FCoE) configuration;

virtual LAN (VLAN) configuration;

quality of service (QoS) configuration; and

security related configuration.

13. The switching system of claim 8, wherein a respective member switch is allowed to couple to a computer system hosting a number of virtual machines.

14. The switching system of claim 8, wherein the application of the port profile is carried out within a predetermined time period after the incoming frame is received.

15. A method, comprising:

detecting a source MAC address of an incoming frame;

determining that the MAC address is associated with a port profile; and

applying the port profile to a switch port on which the frame is received.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the port profile is associated with one or more MAC addresses.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the MAC address is assigned to a virtual machine.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the port profile includes one or more sets of the following configuration information:

Fibre Channel over Ethernet (FCoE) configuration;

virtual LAN (VLAN) configuration;

quality of service (QoS) configuration; and

security related configuration.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein the application of the port profile is carried out within a predetermined time period after the incoming frame is received.

20. A switching means, comprising:

a port profile;

a control means for;

detecting a source MAC address of an incoming frame;

determining that the MAC address is associated with the port profile; and

applying the port profile to a switch port on which the frame is received.