Method and apparatus for establishing metazones across dissimilar networks
AssigneeBrocade Communications Systems, Inc.
InventorHoward Green
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A system and method for creating and enforcing meta-zones that cross the interface between different network protocols are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method of enforcing meta-zones comprises: (a) receiving an Infiniband (IB) packet destined for a Fiber Channel (FC) target device; (b) comparing a partition key in the IB packet to a partition key associated with the FC target device; and (c) converting the IB packet to a FC frame only if the partition keys match. The method may further comprise receiving FC frames destined for an IB target device and converting the FC frame into an IB packet having a partition key associated with the source of the FC frame. Also disclosed are a gateway configured to create and enforce meta-zones, and computer networks having such a gateway.
Claims31
A method of enforcing a meta-zone, wherein the method comprises:
- receiving an Infiniband (IB) packet destined for a Fibre Channel (FC) target device;
- comparing a partition key in the IB packet to a partition key associated with the FC target device;
- and
- converting the IB packet to a FC frame only if the partition keys match.
A method of creating a meta-zone, wherein the method comprises:
- determining a list of IB target devices coupled to a gateway;
- determining a list of FC target devices coupled to a gateway;
- identifying groups of target devices, wherein at least one group includes an IB target device and a FC target device;
- propagating group-identifying information to an FC zoning service;
- and
- propagating group-identifying information to an IB subnet manager.
A computer network that comprises:
- a Fibre Channel (FC) network;
- an Infiniband (IB) network;
- and
- a gateway coupled between the FC network and the IB network, and configured to enforce a meta-zone configuration,
- wherein the meta-zone configuration includes at least one meta-zone having at least one FC target device and at least one IB target device as members.
A gateway that comprises:
- Infiniband (IB) ports;
- Fibre Channel (FC) ports;
- and
- a protocol conversion engine coupled between the IB and FC ports,
- wherein the protocol conversion engine is configured to associate an IB partition key with one or more FC target devices coupled to the FC ports, and
- wherein the protocol conversion engine is configured to convert FC frames from the one or more FC target devices into IB packets that include the IB partition key.
A gateway that comprises:
- Infiniband (IB) ports;
- Fibre Channel (FC) ports;
- and
- a protocol conversion engine coupled between the IB and FC ports,
- wherein the protocol conversion engine is configured to associate an IB partition key with one or more FC target devices coupled to the FC ports, and
- wherein the protocol conversion engine is configured to provide virtual IB targets that correspond to only those FC target devices in meta-zones that include IB target devices.
A gateway that comprises:
- Infiniband (IB) ports;
- Fibre Channel (FC) ports;
- and
- a protocol conversion engine coupled between the IB and FC ports,
- wherein the protocol conversion engine is configured to associate an IB partition key with one or more FC target devices coupled to the FC ports, and
- wherein the protocol conversion engine is configured to provide virtual FC targets that correspond to only those IB target devices in meta-zones that include FC target devices.
A computer network that comprises:
- a first network that operates according to a first protocol;
- a second network that operates according to a second protocol different from the first protocol;
- and
- a gateway coupled between the first and second networks, and configured to enforce a meta-zone configuration,
- wherein the meta-zone configuration includes at least one meta-zone having at least one first protocol target device and at least one second protocol target device as members,
- wherein the second protocol is Infiniband, and wherein the gateway is configured to emulate IB Communication Managers for first protocol target devices, and wherein the gateway is configured to reject connection requests to an first protocol target device if the connection request does not include a zone identifier that matches a zone identifier associated with the first protocol target device.
A gateway that comprises:
- first protocol ports;
- second protocol ports;
- and
- a protocol conversion engine coupled between the first protocol ports and second protocol ports,
- wherein the protocol conversion engine is configured to associate a zone identifier with one or more first protocol target devices coupled to the first protocol ports;
- wherein the protocol conversion engine is configured to provide virtual second protocol targets that correspond to only those first protocol target devices in meta-zones that include one or more second protocol target devices.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.