Implementing N-way fast failover in virtualized Ethernet adapter
AssigneeInternational Business Machines Corporation
InventorsTimothy Jerry Schimke, Lee Anton Sendelbach
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method, apparatus and computer program product are provided for implementing N-way fast failover in a virtualized Ethernet adapter. Requests are posted to queue pairs (QPs) to send and receive Ethernet packets. Each QP stores a designated physical Ethernet port. At the time of a failover, the stored failed designated physical Ethernet port in a QP is changed to a new functional physical Ethernet port. An increased bandwidth is available prior to failover because all ports are used, eliminating the use of any backup, idle ports of prior fast failover arrangements.
Claims18
A method for implementing N-way fast failover in a virtualized Ethernet adapter comprising the steps of:
- providing at least one Host Ethernet Adapter (HEA),
- providing at least a pair of physical Ethernet ports with each said HEA;
- each of said physical Ethernet ports being coupled by a respective switch to a network;
- providing each said HEA supporting virtualization with InfiniBand constructs with each said HEA including separate Logical Ethernet adapters;
- said logical Ethernet adapters being segregated into two sets, each said set being assigned to a different port;
- coupling a plurality of queue pairs (QPs) to said at least one Host Ethernet Adapter (HEA);
- posting requests to the queue pairs (QPs) to send and receive Ethernet packets with each QP storing a designated physical Ethernet port, each QP functioning as a queue for each separate Logical Ethernet adapter, and the queue pairs (QPs) function as standard InfiniBand queue pairs except for ,generating Ethernet packets;
- responsive to a failover, changing a stored failed designated physical Ethernet port in a QP to a stored new functional physical Ethernet port;
- switching to a functional physical Ethernet port based upon the stored new functional physical Ethernet port in the QP;
- and
- transmitting and receiving Ethernet packets through the functional physical Ethernet ports.
A computer program product tangibly embodied in a machine readable medium for implementing N-way fast failover in a virtualized Ethernet adapter in a server computer, said sewer computer including at least one Host Ethernet Adapter (HEA), each said HEA including at least a pair of physical Ethernet ports;
- each of said physical Ethernet ports being coupled by a respective switch to a network;
- each said HEA supporting virtualization with InfiniBand constructs with each said HEA including separate Logical Ethernet adapters;
- said logical Ethernet adapters being segregated into two sets, each said set being assigned to a different port;
- and a plurality of queue pairs (QPs) coupled to said at least one Host Ethernet Adapter (HEA);
- said computer program product including instructions embodied in the machine readable medium and executed by a hypervisor to cause the hypervisor to perform the steps comprising:
- posting requests to the queue pairs (QPs) to send and receive Ethernet packets with each QP storing a designated physical Ethernet port, each QP functioning as a queue for each separate Logical Ethernet adapter, and the queue pairs (QPs) function as standard InfiniBand queue pairs except for generating Ethernet packets;
- responsive to a failover, changing a stored failed designated physical Ethernet port in a QP to a stored new functional physical Ethernet port;
- switching to a functional physical Ethernet port based upon the stored new functional physical Ethernet port in the QP;
- and
- transmitting and receiving Ethernet packets through the functional physical Ethernet ports.
Apparatus for implementing N-way fast failover in a virtualized Ethernet adapter in a server computer comprising:
- at least one Host Ethernet Adapter (HEA), at least a pair of physical Ethernet ports included with each said HEA;
- a respective switch coupling each of said physical Ethernet ports to a network;
- each said HEA supporting virtualization with InfiniBand constructs with each said HEA including separate logical Ethernet adapters;
- said logical Ethernet adapters being segregated into two sets, each said set being assigned to a different port;
- a plurality of queue pairs (QPs) coupled to said at least one Host Ethernet Adapter (HEA);
- said
- plurality of queue pairs (QPs) for posting requests to send and receive Ethernet packets, each of said QPs storing a designated physical Ethernet port, each QP functioning as a queue for each separate logical Ethernet adapter, and said queue pairs (QPs) function as standard InfiniBand queue pairs except for generating Ethernet packets;
- said Ethernet packets being transmitted and received through the functional physical Ethernet ports;
- and
- a hypervisor implementing failover, changing a stored failed designated physical Ethernet port in said QPs to a new functional physical Ethernet port, responsive to a failover.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.