Host input/output based load balancing on fibre channel N_port virtualizer switch uplinks

An apparatus comprising:

• an interface unit configured to enable network communications;
• a memory;
• and
• one or more processors coupled to the interface unit and the memory, and configured to:
• receive input/output traffic metrics of input/output traffic for respective hosts, which are in communication with a first N_Port ID Virtualization core switch via a first port channel and with a second N_Port ID Virtualization core switch via a second port channel, wherein the first N_Port ID Virtualization core switch and the second N_Port ID Virtualization core switch are in communication with a same target device, wherein the first N_Port ID Virtualization core switch and the second N_Port ID Virtualization core switch have a first bandwidth capability and generate the input/output traffic metrics, and the apparatus has a second bandwidth capability lower than the first bandwidth capability;
• determine, based on the input/output traffic metrics, that a traffic imbalance existing between average uplink traffic carried on the first port channel and average uplink traffic carried on the second port channel exceeds a predetermined threshold;
• and
• in response to determining that the predetermined threshold has been exceeded, re-assign, via fabric login operations, traffic from a given host carried on the first port channel to the second port channel,
• wherein the one or more processors are configured to re-assign the traffic based, at least in part, on an operational port speed of each of the first port channel and the second port channel, wherein an operational port speed of the first port channel is different from an operational port speed of the second port channel.

A non-transitory computer readable storage media encoded with instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to:

• receive input/output traffic metrics of input/output traffic for respective hosts, which are in communication with a first N_Port ID Virtualization core switch via a first port channel and with a second N_Port ID Virtualization core switch via a second port channel, wherein the first N_Port ID Virtualization core switch and the second N_Port ID Virtualization core switch are in communication with a same target device, wherein the first N_Port ID Virtualization core switch and the second N_Port ID Virtualization core switch have a first bandwidth capability and generate the input/output traffic metrics, and an apparatus on which the processor executes has a second bandwidth capability lower than the first bandwidth capability;
• determine, based on the input/output traffic metrics, that traffic carried on the first port channel exceeds traffic carried on the second port channel by a predetermined threshold;
• and
• in response to determining that the predetermined threshold has been exceeded, re-assign, via fabric login operations, traffic from a given host carried on the first port channel to the second port channel, wherein the instructions to re-assign are configured to take into account an operational port speed of each of the first port channel and the second port channel, wherein an operational port speed of the first port channel is different from an operational port speed of the second port channel.