# US 10,771,341 B2 · Intelligent state change notifications in computer networks > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,771,341 B2 - Document ID: US10771341B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/945,566 - Filed: 2018-04-04 - Published: 2019-10-10 - Granted: 2020-09-08 - Earliest claimed: 2018-04-04 - Assignees: Dell Products L.P. - Applicants: Dell Products L.P. - Inventors: Ashok Kumar Janardhana; Satya Boddu; Mahendaran Pagalpatti Vijayakumar - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10771341B2 ## CPC - H04L 41/0686: Additional information in the notification, e.g. enhancement of specific meta-data - H04L 41/0618: {based on the physical or logical position} - H04L 49/357: {Fibre channel switches} - H04L 49/25: Routing or path finding in a switch fabric - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) ## Abstract In a Fibre Channel network (102), Registered State Change Notifications (RSCNs) are limited by the nodes' roles—target or initiator. If a state change occurs at a target (110s), then the RSCNs are sent to all the nodes (110) in the same zone as the target. But if a state change occurs at an initiator, the RSCNs are sent only to targets, not initiators (110h), to reduce RSCN traffic. Other features are also provided. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for operating a first switch in a network comprising a first set of communication entities communicating over the first switch, each communication entity being associated with a network node using the communication entity in communicating over the first switch, each communication entity having a role in said communicating, the role being one of: pure target, pure initiator, or both target and initiator, the method comprising: obtaining, by the first switch, one or more status change indications each of which is for a respective first entity which is one of the communication entities, or for the respective first entity's node; in response to each said status change indication: determining the respective first entity's role, which is pure target, pure initiator, or both target and initiator; taking into account the respective first entity's role, determining whether to send a status change notification to each of one or more second entities each of which is one of the communication entities; wherein: for at least one status change indication and at least one second entity, it is determined, taking into account the respective first entity's role, that the status change notification is to be sent to the second entity, and the method comprises sending the status change notification to the second entity based on said determining, taking into account the respective first entity's role, that the status change notification is to be sent to the second entity; for at least one status change indication and at least one second entity, it is determined, taking into account the respective first entity's role, that the status change notification is not to be sent to the second entity, and the method comprises not sending the status change notification to the second entity based on said determining, taking into account the first entity's role, that the status change notification is not to be sent to the second entity. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein for at least one status change notification and at least one second entity, the second entity is associated with a different node than the respective first entity. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein for at least one status change notification and at least one second entity, determining whether to send the status change notification to the second entity is performed taking into account the second entity's role. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein for each status change notification and each second entity, if the respective first entity's role is pure initiator, then: if the second entity's role is pure initiator, then the second entity is not sent the status change notification; wherein for at least one status change notification, the respective first entity's role is pure initiator, and at least one second entity's role is pure initiator. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4 wherein for each status change notification, if the respective first entity's role is pure initiator, then the status change notification is not sent to any other communication entity having the pure initiator role. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein if the respective first entity's role is pure target or both target and initiator, then the status change notification is sent or not sent to other communication entities without regard to their roles; wherein for at least one status change notification, the respective first entity's role is pure target or both target and initiator. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein for at least one status change notification, the respective first entity is a node's port or adaptor. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein for at least one status change notification, the respective first entity is a computer storage area defined by a Logical Unit Number in a node's computer storage device. ### Claim 9 A first switch configured to operate in a network comprising a first set of communication entities communicating over the first switch, each communication entity being associated with a network node using the communication entity in communicating over the first switch, each communication entity having a role in said communicating, the role being one of: pure target, pure initiator, or both target and initiator, the first switch being configured to perform a method comprising: obtaining, by the first switch, a status change indication for a first entity which is one of the communication entities, or for the first entity's node; in response to the status change indication: determining the first entity's role; taking into account the first entity's role, determining whether to send a status change notification to a second entity which is one of the communication entities, and sending the status change notification to the second entity if it is determined that the status change notification is to be sent to the second entity, and not sending the status change notification to the second entity if it is determined that the status change notification is not to be sent to the second entity. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The switch of claim 9 wherein the second entity is associated with a different node than the first entity. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The switch of claim 9 wherein determining whether to send the status change notification to the second entity is performed taking into account the second entity's role. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The switch of claim 9 wherein in the method, if the first entity's role is pure initiator, then: if the second entity's role is pure initiator, then the second entity is not sent the status change notification. ### Claim 13 (depends on 9) The switch of claim 9 wherein in the method, if the first entity's role is pure initiator, then the status change notification is not sent to any other communication entity having the pure initiator role. ### Claim 14 (depends on 9) The switch of claim 9 wherein in the method, if the first entity's role is pure target or both target and initiator, then the status change notification is sent or not sent to other communication entities without regard to their roles. ### Claim 15 (depends on 9) The switch of claim 9 wherein in the method, the first entity is a node's port or adaptor. ### Claim 16 (depends on 9) The switch of claim 9 wherein in the method, the first entity is a computer storage area defined by a Logical Unit Number in a node's computer storage device. ### Claim 17 A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising computer instructions for execution by one or more computer processors of a first switch to configure the first switch to operate in a network comprising a first set of communication entities communicating over the first switch, each communication entity being associated with a network node using the communication entity in communicating over the first switch, each communication entity having a role in said communicating, the role being one of: pure target, pure initiator, or both target and initiator, the first switch being configured by the one or more computer instructions to perform a method comprising: obtaining, by the first switch, a status change indication for a first entity which is one of the communication entities, or for the first entity's node; in response to the status change indication: determining the first entity's role; taking into account the first entity's role, determining whether to send a status change notification to a second entity which is one of the communication entities, and sending the status change notification to the second entity if it is determined that the status change notification is to be sent to the second entity, and not sending the status change notification to the second entity if it is determined that the status change notification is not to be sent to the second entity. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The computer readable medium of claim 17 wherein the second entity is associated with a different node than the first entity. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The computer readable medium of claim 17 wherein determining whether to send the status change notification to the second entity is performed taking into account the second entity's role. ### Claim 20 (depends on 17) The computer readable medium of claim 17 wherein in the method, if the first entity's role is pure initiator, then: if the second entity's role is pure initiator, then the second entity is not sent the status change notification.