Zone management in a multi-module fibre channel switch
AssigneeQLOGIC, Corporation
InventorSteven Manning Betker
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method for changing zoning in a fiber channel fabric is provided. The method includes receiving zone date from a management module, wherein the zone data is received by a fiber channel switch; waiting for active Zone Set; and sending a merge request to neighboring switches. The method also includes, sending Zone Merge Data Start message to the management module; sending new zone data to management module; and comparing the new zone data with current zone data. The method also includes creating acceptance message for new zoning, wherein the management module creates the acceptance message.
Claims21
A method for handling a fibre channel Zone Merge Request from an external switch to a multi-module switch of a network system with a plurality of switch modules, comprising:
- sending received zone data from one of the plurality of switch modules of the multi-module switch that receives the Zone Merge request to a management module;
- wherein the plurality of switch modules have at least one external port and one internal port;
- and the external port is used to communicate with devices external to the multi-module switch including the external switch and the internal port is used to communicate with one or more of the plurality of switch modules;
- and one of the plurality of switch modules operates as a primary blade so that the multi-module switch appears as a single switch to other devices in the network system;
- and
- comparing received zone data with current zone data, wherein such comparison is performed by the management module.
A method for loading zoning data from a management module to a plurality of switch modules of a multi-module switch, after a zone merge request is received from a neighboring switch, the method comprising the steps of:
- sending a Zone Merge Data Start message from the management module to the switch modules;
- sending new zone data from the management module to the plurality of switch modules;
- and
- initiating a zone merge with a neighboring switch after the switch modules have received the zone data from the management module;
- wherein the zone merge is initiated by one of the plurality of switch modules;
- and the plurality of switch modules have at least one external port and one internal port;
- and the external port is used to communicate with devices external to the multi-module switch including the external fibre channel switch and the internal port is used to communicate with one or more of the plurality of switch modules;
- and one of the plurality of switch modules operates as a primary blade so that the multi-module switch appears as a single switch to other devices in the network system.
A method for processing a zone merge request sent by an external fibre channel switch to one of the plurality of switch modules of a multi-module switch, the method comprising the steps of:
- sending a Zone Merge Data Start message from the switch module that receives the zone merge request to a management module;
- sending new zone data to the management module;
- and
- comparing the new zone data with current zone data;
- wherein the plurality of switch modules have at least one external port and one internal port;
- and the external port is used to communicate with devices external to the multi-module switch including the neighboring switch and the internal port is used to communicate with one or more of the plurality of switch modules;
- and one of the plurality of switch modules operates as a primary blade so that the multi-module switch appears as a single switch to other devices in the network system.
A method for handling zone changes based on commands sent from an external switch and received by a switch module from among a plurality of switch modules in a multi-module switch in a fibre channel fabric, the method comprising the steps of:
- the switch module receiving an accept change authorization (ACA) message from the external switch;
- the switch module determining whether a zone management operation is already in process;
- and
- the switch module forwarding the ACA message to a management module, wherein the plurality of switch modules have at least one external port and one internal port;
- and the external port is used to communicate with devices external to the multi-module switch and the internal port is used to communicate with one or more of the plurality of switch modules;
- and one of the plurality of switch modules operates as a primary blade so that the multi-module switch appears as a single switch to other devices in a network system.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.