US 8,107,398 B2 · Methods, devices and systems with improved zone merge operation by caching prior merge operation results

Abstract

Methods, devices and systems for improved zone merge operations are disclosed. Two connected switches are arbitrated as an initiator and a receiver. The merge operation is initiated only by the initiator on an initiator/receiver inter-switch link. The initiator may initiate a merge request and the receiver may perform the computation of the difference between the old and the new zone. Either the whole configuration or only the differences are communicated between the switches. The merges may be done on a connected switch basis, not on a connected port basis. Only the principle ports in the principle inter-switch-link perform the merge operation. All the remaining ports, i.e. the non-principle ports, adopt the merge result of the principle ports. The zone information may also be cached on each switch such that merge calculations need not be performed again when a merge operation with the same configuration occurs in the future.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A method for performing merge operations in a network having at least two switches, the method comprising:

connecting a first switch with a first configuration and a first checksum to a second switch with a second configuration and a second checksum;
performing a merge operation resulting in a third configuration and a third checksum;
storing the first configuration on both the first and second switches;
storing the second configuration on both the first and second switches;
storing the third configuration on both the first and second switches;
calculating a first difference which is the difference between the first configuration and the third configuration;
and
completing the merge operation,
wherein storing the first configuration on both the first and second switches is done in the form of storing the first difference, the first checksum and the third configuration.

6 more elements

A first network device operable to connect to a second network device, the first network device comprising:

a first network interface to be connected to the second network device, a first control module coupled to the first network interface;
a first memory module coupled to the first control module;
and
a first identifier of the first device, a first configuration and a first checksum stored in the first memory module,
wherein the first control module is operable:
to connect to a second network device with a second configuration and a second checksum;
to perform a merge operation resulting in a third configuration and a third checksum;
to store the first configuration in the first memory module;
to store the second configuration in the first memory module;
to store the third configuration in the first memory module;
to calculate a first difference which is the difference between the first configuration and the third configuration;
to store the first configuration in the first memory module in the form of the first difference, the first checksum and the third configuration;
and
to complete the merge operation.

11 more elements

A first network switch operable to connect to a second network switch, the first network switch comprising:

a first port to be connected to the second network switch, a first control module coupled to the first port;
a first memory module coupled to the first control module;
and
a first identifier of the first network switch, a first configuration and a first checksum stored in the first memory module,
wherein the first control module is operable:
to connect to a second network switch with a second configuration and a second checksum;
to perform a merge operation resulting in a third configuration and a third checksum;
to store the first configuration in the first memory module;
to store the second configuration in the first memory module;
to store the third configuration in the first memory module;
to calculate a first difference which is the difference between the first configuration and the third configuration;
to store the first configuration in the first memory module in the form of the first difference, the first checksum and the third configuration;
and
to complete the merge operation.

11 more elements

A network comprising:

a plurality of connected switches,
wherein at least one first switch comprises:
at least one port, a control module coupled to the at least one port;
a memory module coupled to the control module;
and
an identifier of the network switch, a first configuration and a first checksum stored in the memory module,
wherein the first control module is operable:
to connect to a second network switch with a second configuration and a second checksum;
to perform a merge operation resulting in a third configuration and a third checksum;
to store the first configuration in the first memory module;
to store the second configuration in the first memory module;
to store the third configuration in the first memory module;
to calculate a first difference which is the difference between the first configuration and the third configuration;
to store the first configuration in the first memory module in the form of the first difference, the first checksum and the third configuration;
and
to complete the merge operation.

13 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Methods, devices and systems with improved zone merge operation by caching prior merge operation results

Life of this patent

Methods, devices and systems with improved zone merge operation by caching prior merge operation results

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20