Fabric system and method for assigning identifier for fabric apparatus therefor

• US 6,430,182 B1
• Filed: 10/15/1998
• Issued: 08/06/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 10/16/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Original Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Inventors: Oyama, Hiroaki
• Primary Examiner(s): Olms, Doulgas
• Assistant Examiner(s): VANDERPUYE, KENNETH N
• Application Number:
  US09/172,856
• Publication Number:
  US 20020054591A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,391 Days
• Field of Search: 370/396, 370/360, 370/370, 370/388, 370/361, 370/389, 370/400, 340/826, 379/271
• US Class Current: 370/388
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/02 Topology update or discovery
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/253 using establishment or release of connections between ports
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/30 Peripheral units, e.g. input or output ports
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/3009 Header conversion, routing tables or routing tags
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/3027 Output queuing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/351 for local area network [LAN], e.g. Ethernet switches
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/357 Fibre channel switches

Abstract

A fabric system connects a plurality of fabric groups into a plurality of stages between terminal nodes and performs exchange of variable length frame. The fabric has an assignment signal transmitting portion transmitting an assignment signal fixedly assigned an identifier per port connected to other fabrics, a configuration information transmitting portion transmitting a configuration information indicative of correspondence of identifiers of the fabrics connected to the ports, a retrieval information preparing portion preparing a retrieval information for determining a fabric of transfer destination of the received frame per port and a port number on the basis of the identifier of each fabric and the configuration information, and a transfer destination determining portion determining the transfer destination of the frame on the basis of the retrieval information.

Claims

1. A fabric system comprising a plurality of interconnected fabric groups, said fabric groups divided into a plurality of stages between terminal nodes, said fabric system being used for exchanging variable length frames, each fabric in said fabric groups further including:

assignment signal transmitting means for transmitting an assignment signal uniquely assigning a switch identifier per port connected to fabrics in the fabric group other than said each fabric;

identifier assigning means for receiving said assignment signal transmitted from fabrics in the fabric groups other than said each fabric and assigning a switch identifier for said each fabric and determining a fabric identifier, said assigning being performed according to a rule and on the basis of said assignment signal;

configuration information transmitting means for transmitting a configuration information indicative of correspondence of switch identifiers of fabrics other than said each fabric connected to ports in said each fabric;

retrieval information preparing means for preparing a retrieval information for determining a fabric corresponding to a transfer destination for a received frame per port and a port number, said retrieval information being prepared on the basis of a switch identifier corresponding to each fabric and said configuration information; and

transfer destination determining means for determining the transfer destination of said frame on the basis of said retrieval information.

2. A fabric system as set forth in claim 1, wherein transmission of an identifier assignment signal by said assignment signal transmitting means and reception of said assignment signal from said identifier assignment means and assignment of the identifier are repeated until said identifiers are assigned for all fabrics.

3. A fabric system as set forth in claim 1, wherein one of said fabrics connected to a terminal node is taken as a master fabric, said master fabric has an identifier as an initial value, upon assignment of said identifier, initially, a fixed identifier is assigned per port.

4. A fabric system as set forth in claim 1, which comprises

a first stage fabric group connected to one terminal node;

a third stage fabric group connected to the other terminal node; and

a second stage fabric group connecting said first stage and third stage fabric groups.

5. A fabric system as set forth in claim 1, which comprises

a first stage fabric group connected to one terminal node;

a third stage fabric group connected to the other terminal node; and

a second stage fabric group connecting said first stage and third stage fabric groups,

one of said first stage or third stage being taken as master fabric having an identifier as an initial value;

next, said assignment signal being transmitted from said second fabric group, and

finally, said assignment signal being transmitted from the fabric other than the maser fabric.

6. A fabric system as set forth in claim 1, said transfer destination determining means of said fabric comprises:

storage means for storing own identifier;

retrieval information storage means for storing said retrieval information;

comparing means for comparing the identifier of the received frame and the identifier of said storage means and

selecting means for selecting a port number included in said received frame as a port number of the transfer destination when the identifiers are matched as a result of comparison by said comparing means and said retrieval information is retrieved by the port number included in said received frame to select the port number of the transfer destination when the identifiers are not matched.

7. A fabric system as set forth in claim 1, wherein

one of fabrics connected to terminals nodes as a mastering fabric,

said mastering fabric

has an identifier as an initial value,

transmits said assignment signal assigning a fixed identifier-per port, at first, upon assigning said identifier;

collects identifiers of all fabrics after completion of assignment of identifiers, prepares a conversion table converting said identifiers into second identifiers having smaller data length to distribute for all fabrics;

said fabrics distributed for said conversion table

prepare retrieval information for determining fabrics of transfer destination of the received frame per port and port number on the basis of said conversion table and said configuration information.

8. An identifier assignment method for a fabric in a fabric system, said fabric system comprising a plurality of interconnected fabric groups, said fabric groups divided into a plurality of stages between terminal nodes, said fabric system being used for exchanging variable length frames, said method comprising:

in said fabric, transmitting an assignment signal assigning a fixed identifier per port connected to fabrics in the fabric system other than said fabric;

receiving said assignment signal transmitted from fabrics in the fabric groups other than said each fabric and assigning a switch identifier for said each fabric and determining a fabric identifier, said assigning being performed according to a rule and-on the basis of said assignment signal;

transmitting a configuration information indicative of correspondence of switch identifiers of fabrics other than said each fabric connected to ports in said each fabric; and

preparing a retrieval information for determining a fabric corresponding to a transfer destination for a received frame per port and a port number, said retrieval information being prepared on the basis of a switch identifier corresponding to each fabric and said configuration information.

9. An identifier assignment method in the fabric system as set forth in claim 8, wherein transmission of the identifier assignment signal, reception of said assignment signal and assignment of identifier are repeated until the identifiers are assigned for all fabrics.

10. An identifier assignment method in the fabric. system as set forth in claim 8, wherein

taking one of fabrics connected to the terminal node as a mastering fabric having an identifier as an initial value,

said mastering fabric transmits said assignment signal assigning fixed identifier per port at first, upon assigning said identifier.

11. An identifier assignment method in the fabric system as set forth in claim 8, wherein

a first stage fabric group connected to one terminal node;

a third stage fabric group connected to the other terminal node; and

a second stage fabric group connecting said first stage and third stage fabric groups,

one of said first stage or third stage being taken as master fabric having an identifier as an initial value;

next, said assignment signal being transmitted from said second fabric group, and

finally;

said assignment signal being transmitted from the fabric other than the master fabric.

12. An identifier assignment method in the fabric system as set forth in claim 8, wherein

each fabric

compares the identifier of the received frame and own identifier, and

selects a port number included in said received frame as a port number of the transfer destination when the identifiers are matched as a result of comparison by said comparing means and said retrieval information is retrieved by the port number included in said received frame to select the port number of the transfer destination when the identifiers are not matched.

13. An identifier assignment method of fabric system as set forth in claim 8, wherein

one of fabrics connected to terminals nodes as a mastering fabric having an identifier as an initial value,

said mastering fabric

transmits said assignment signal assigning a fixed identifier per port, at first, upon assigning said identifier;

collects identifiers of all fabrics after completion of assignment of identifiers, prepares a conversion table converting said identifiers into second identifiers having smaller data length to distribute for all fabrics;

said fabrics distributed for said conversion-table

prepare retrieval information for determining fabrics of transfer destination of the received frame per port and port number on the basis of said conversion table and said configuration information.

14. A computer readable memory storing a computer program performing a identifier assignment for a fabric in a fabric system, said fabric system comprising a plurality of interconnected fabric groups, said fabric groups divided into a plurality of stages between terminal nodes, said fabric system being used for exchanging variable length frames, said method comprising:

in said fabric, transmitting an assignment signal assigning a fixed identifier per port connected to fabrics in the fabric system other than said fabric;

receiving said assignment signal transmitted from fabrics in the fabric groups other than said each fabric and assigning a switch identifier for said each fabric and determining a fabric identifier, said assigning being performed according to a rule and on the basis of said assignment signal;

transmitting a configuration information indicative of correspondence of switch identifiers of fabrics other than said each fabric connected to ports in said each fabric; and

preparing a retrieval information for determining a fabric corresponding to a transfer destination for a received frame per port and a port number, said retrieval information being prepared on the basis of a switch identifier corresponding to each fabric and said configuration information.

15. A computer readable memory having a identifier assignment program in the fabric system as set forth in claim 14, wherein said program repeats

transmission of the identifier assignment signal, reception of said assignment signal and assignment of identifier are repeated until the identifiers are assigned for all fabrics.

16. A computer readable memory having a identifier assignment program in the fabric system as set forth in claim 14, wherein

taking one of fabrics connected to the terminal node as a mastering fabric having an identifier as an initial value,

said mastering fabric transmits said assignment signal assigning fixed identifier per port at first, upon assigning said identifier.

17. A computer readable memory having a identifier assignment program in the fabric system as set forth in claim 14, wherein

a first stage fabric group connected to one terminal node;

a third stage fabric group connected to the other terminal node; and

a second stage fabric group connecting said first stage and third stage fabric groups,

one of said first stage or third stage being taken as master fabric having an identifier as an initial value;

next, said assignment signal being transmitted from said second fabric group, and

finally, sad assignment signal being transmitted from the fabric other than the master fabric.

18. A computer readable memory having a identifier assignment program in the fabric system as set forth in claim 14, wherein

each fabric

compares the identifier of the received frame and own identifier, and

selects a port number included in said received frame as a port number of the transfer destination when the identifiers are matched as a result of comparison by said comparing means and said retrieval information is retrieved by the port number included in said received frame to select the port number of the transfer destination when the identifiers are not matched.

19. A computer readable memory, having a identifier assignment program in the fabric system as set forth in claim 14, wherein

one of fabrics connected to terminals nodes as a mastering fabric having an identifier as an initial value,

said mastering fabric

transmits said assignment signal assigning a fixed identifier per port, at first, upon assigning said identifier;

collects identifiers of all fabrics after completion of assignment of identifiers, prepares a conversion table converting said identifiers into second identifiers having smaller data length to distribute for all fabrics;

said fabrics distributed for said conversion table

prepare retrieval information for determining fabrics of transfer destination of the received frame per port and port number on the basis of said conversion table and said configuration information.