System and method for automatically and dynamically changing an address associated with a device disposed in a fire channel environment
AssigneeCompaq Computer Corporation
InventorsJames F. McCarty, Richard D. Gunlock, Michael E. McGowen
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A computer system with a plurality of devices compatible with the Fibre Channel Protocol, which computer system is provided with the capability to dynamically alter the configuration of the plurality of devices without a system reset, or without additional software overhead. This capability is realized by providing unique mapping relationships between low-level Fibre Channel information structures related to the devices and upper-level link elements compatible with an Operating System associated with the computer system.
Claims13
A method for dynamically altering the loop address of a device on a Fibre Channel Arbitrated Loop (FC-AL) in a computer system, comprising the steps of:
- determining an information structure related to said device upon a loop reset;
- keeping track of said information structure as said device moves around said Fibre Channel Arbitrated Loop;
- associating said information structure with a unique logical link element, said unique logical link element being operable with an Operating System for said computer system, said associating step being performed by association means;
- and
- updating said association means responsive to a change in said information structure.
In a computer system operable with an Operating System (OS), the computer system having a Fibre Channel (FC) communication environment, which environment includes a plurality of FC devices, at least one of said FC devices being an initiator, a method for dynamically controlling the configuration of said plurality of FC devices, comprising the steps of:
- determining an FC-specific information structure related to each of said plurality of FC devices;
- associating said FC-specific information structure for each of said plurality of FC devices with a logical link element compatible with said Operating System, said associating step being effectuated by association means;
- and
- updating said association means responsive to a reconfiguration of said FC environment.
In a computer system operable with an Operating System (OS), the computer system having a Fibre Channel (FC) communication environment, which environment includes a plurality of FC devices, at least one of said FC devices being an initiator, a system for dynamically controlling channel communication comprising:
- means for determining FC-specific information related to each of said plurality of FC devices;
- means for associating said FC-specific information for each of said plurality of FC devices with a logical link compatible with said Operating System;
- and
- means for updating said associating means responsive to a reconfiguration of said FC environment.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.