Storage Area Network port based data transfer acceleration
AssigneeCisco Technology, Inc.
InventorVaragur Chandrasekaran
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Abstract
According to the present invention, methods and apparatus are provided for improving data transfers between hosts and targets connected through fibre channel switches. A host connected intelligent port and a target connected intelligent port associated with fibre channel edge switches are configured to snoop frames from the host and target and establish flows for acceleration. The host connected intelligent port and the target connect intelligent port preemptively respond to host and target transmissions to reduce data transfer latency.
Claims21
A storage area network device, comprising:
- a host intelligent port operable to snoop a command frame from a host;
- a processor operable to identify a flow between the host and a target based on the snooped command frame and determine that the target is associated with a target intelligent port that supports acceleration;
- wherein the storage area network device is operable to enable acceleration between the host and the target by preemptively responding to the host with a transfer ready when the host sends a data transfer request.
A method for accelerating storage area network data transfers, the method comprising:
- snooping a command frame from a host at a host intelligent port associated with a storage area network edge switch;
- identifying a flow between the host and a target based on the snooped command frame;
- determining that the target is associated with a target intelligent port that supports acceleration;
- enabling acceleration between the host and the target by preemptively responding to the host with a transfer ready when the host sends a data transfer request.
A system for accelerating storage area network data transfers, the system comprising:
- means for snooping a command frame from a host at a host intelligent port associated with a storage area network edge switch;
- means for identifying a flow between the host and a target based on the snooped command frame;
- means for determining that the target is associated with a target intelligent port that supports acceleration;
- means for enabling acceleration between the host and the target by preemptively responding to the host with a transfer ready when the host sends a data transfer request.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.