# US 2014/0195676 A1 · Network Adapter Based Zoning Enforcement > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0195676 A1 - Document ID: US20140195676A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/206,262 - Filed: 2014-03-12 - Published: 2014-07-10 - Earliest claimed: 2007-12-19 - Assignees: Emulex Corporation - Applicants: Emulex Corporation - Inventors: Kenneth Hiroshi Hirata; Robert Harvey Nixon - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140195676A1 ## CPC - H04L 63/0209: {Architectural arrangements, e.g. perimeter networks or demilitarized zones} - H04L 45/74: Address processing for routing - H04L 47/70: Admission control; Resource allocation - H04L 63/0236: {Filtering by address, protocol, port number or service, e.g. IP-address or URL} - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) ## Abstract Embodiments of the present invention are directed to enforcing zoning at a network adapter of an end point device. Thus, a network adapter can monitor the communications that are sent and/or received by the adapter and discard communications that are prohibited based on the zoning rules applicable to the adapter. In some embodiments, zoning configuration information can be defined and stored at a central entity and sent to the various network adapters. Alternatively, or in addition, each network adapter can also check outgoing communications to ensure that they include a proper source address. More specifically, outgoing communications may be checked to ensure that their source address is the address (or one of the addresses) that are associated with the network adapter. This can be used to detect and/or prevent malfunctions and/or intentional tampering or hacking. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method comprising: receiving a first set of addresses, each address in the first set of addresses corresponding to a network device in a first zone to which a first virtual device has access, wherein the end point device comprises the first virtual device; receiving a second set of addresses, each address in the second set of addresses corresponding to a network device in a second zone to which a second virtual device has access, wherein the end point device comprises the second virtual device; enforcing network zoning at the first virtual device by monitoring communications of the first virtual device and discarding communications of the first virtual device that do not include an address from the first set of addresses; and enforcing network zoning at the second virtual device by monitoring communications of the second virtual device and discarding communications that do not include an address from the second set of addresses. ### Claim at position 2 2-33. (canceled) ### Claim 34 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the first set of addresses and the second set of addresses are generated by a zoning database module that is connected to the end point device through the network. ### Claim 35 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein a network adapter comprises one or more elements of the first virtual device and the second virtual device. ### Claim 36 (depends on 35) The method of claim 35, wherein the network adapter is a host bus adapter. ### Claim 37 (depends on 35) The method of claim 35, wherein the network adapter is an FCoE adapter. ### Claim 38 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the network is a Fibre Channel network. ### Claim 39 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the network is an FCoE network. ### Claim 40 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the first zone and the second zone are independent. ### Claim 41 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein enforcing network zoning at the first virtual device comprises monitoring outgoing communications of the first virtual device and discarding outgoing communications of the first virtual device that do not include a destination address from the first set of addresses. ### Claim 42 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein enforcing network zoning at the first virtual device comprises monitoring incoming communications of the first virtual device and discarding incoming communications of the first virtual device that do not include a source address from the first set of addresses. ### Claim 43 A network adapter card comprising: a memory operable to store a first set of addresses and a second set of addresses, each address in the first set of addresses corresponding to a network device in a first zone to which a first virtual device has access, each address in the second set of addresses corresponding to a network device in a second zone to which a second virtual device has access, wherein the end point device comprises the first virtual device and the second virtual device; and one or more processors operable to enforce network zoning, wherein the enforcement of network zoning comprises: discarding communications of the first virtual device that do not include an address from the first set of addresses; and discarding communications of the second virtual device that do not include an address from the second set of addresses. ### Claim 44 (depends on 43) The network adapter card of claim 43, wherein the first set of addresses and the second set of addresses are generated by a zoning database module that is connected to the end point device through the network. ### Claim 45 (depends on 43) The network adapter card of claim 43, wherein the network adapter card comprises one or more elements of the first virtual device and the second virtual device. ### Claim 46 (depends on 43) The network adapter card of claim 43, wherein the network adapter card is a host bus adapter. ### Claim 47 (depends on 43) The network adapter card of claim 43, wherein the network adapter card is an FCoE adapter. ### Claim 48 (depends on 43) The network adapter card of claim 43, wherein the network is a Fibre Channel network. ### Claim 49 (depends on 43) The network adapter card of claim 43, wherein the network is an FCoE network. ### Claim 50 (depends on 43) The network adapter card of claim 43, wherein the first zone and the second zone are independent. ### Claim 51 (depends on 43) The network adapter card of claim 43, wherein the enforcement of network zoning at the first virtual device comprises monitoring outgoing communications of the first virtual device and discarding outgoing communications of the first virtual device that do not include a destination address from the first set of addresses. ### Claim 52 (depends on 43) The network adapter card of claim 43, wherein enforcing network zoning at the first virtual device comprises monitoring incoming communications of the first virtual device and discarding incoming communications of the first virtual device that do not include a source address from the first set of addresses.