Efficient distribution of peer zone database in Fibre Channel fabric
AssigneeCisco Technology, Inc.
InventorsKarthik Subramani, Venu Gopal Tummala, Kishan Kumar Kotari Uppunda
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Abstract
Provided are techniques for the efficient distribution of peer zone databases in a FC Fabric. In an example, a switch instantiates a peer zone definition defining a peer zone in which two or more initiator host devices are each permitted to communicate with one or more target storage devices via the switched FC fabric and the two or more initiator host devices are prevented from communicating with each other. The switch stores the peer zone definition in a peer zone database at the FC switch, and distributes the peer zone definition to other FC switches of the switched FC fabric without performing a Fabric lock operation.
Claims20
A method comprising:
- at a Fibre Channel (FC) switch forming part of a switched FC fabric:
- instantiating a peer zone definition defining a peer zone in which two or more initiator host devices are peer members of the peer zone that are each permitted to communicate with one or more target storage devices via the switched FC fabric and in which the two or more initiator host devices are prevented from communicating with each other;
- storing the peer zone definition in a peer zone database at the FC switch;
- updating an access control list based on the peer zone definition;
- preventing an initiator host device that is not one of the two or more initiator host devices from accessing the two or more initiator host devices;
- and
- using a unique domain identification associated with the peer zone definition, distributing the peer zone definition to other FC switches of the switched FC fabric without performing a Fabric lock operation.
An apparatus comprising:
- one or more processors;
- one or more network ports;
- and
- a memory coupled to the one or more processors;
- wherein the one or more processors are configured to:
- instantiate a peer zone definition defining a peer zone in which two or more initiator host devices are peer members of the peer zone that are each permitted to communicate with one or more target storage devices via a switched Fibre Channel (FC) fabric and in which the two or more initiator host devices are prevented from communicating with each other;
- store the peer zone definition in a peer zone database in the memory;
- update an access control list based on the peer zone definition;
- prevent an initiator host device that is not one of the two or more initiator host devices from accessing the two or more initiator host devices;
- and
- using a unique domain identification associated with the peer zone definition, distribute the peer zone definition to other FC switches of the switched FC fabric without performing a Fabric lock operation.
One or more non-transitory computer readable storage media encoded with instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to:
- instantiate a peer zone definition defining a peer zone in which two or more initiator host devices are peer members of the peer zone that are each permitted to communicate with one or more target storage devices via a switched Fibre Channel (FC) fabric and in which the two or more initiator host devices are prevented from communicating with each other;
- store the peer zone definition in a peer zone database at a FC switch;
- update an access control list based on the peer zone definition;
- prevent an initiator host device that is not one of the two or more initiator host devices from accessing the two or more initiator host devices;
- and
- using a unique domain identification associated with the peer zone definition, distribute the peer zone definition to other FC switches of the switched FC fabric without performing a Fabric lock operation.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.