Isolation switch for fibre channel fabrics in storage area networks
AssigneeBrocade Communications Systems, Inc.
InventorsSantosh Shanbhag, Richard L. Hammons, Balakumar N. Kaushik, Vincent W. Guan
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An isolation switch blade Fibre Channel switch presents F_ports to form a first Fibre Channel fabric and N_ports to a second Fibre Channel fabric to appear as node devices. The isolation switch blade may be used to connect a plurality of blade servers to a Fibre Channel fabric. Fabric events engendered by the insertion or removal of hot-pluggable devices are handled by the isolation switch blade and “event storms” on the Fibre Channel fabric are avoided. The isolation switch blade presents the blade servers to the FC fabric as a virtualized N_port.
Claims24
A computer system comprising:
- a blade chassis;
- at least one host blade located in said blade chassis, said at least one host blade including a network adapter, said network adapter having at least one node port;
- and
- a first data switching device located in said blade chassis, said first data switching device including:
- a plurality of blade ports, each blade port for connection to a host blade network adapter node port;
- at least one node port for connecting to a fabric;
- and
- a switch coupled to said plurality of blade ports and said at least one node port for interconnecting said ports.
A computer system comprising:
- a blade chassis;
- at least one host blade located in said blade chassis, said at least one host blade including a Fibre Channel adapter, said Fibre Channel adapter having at least one Fibre Channel N_port;
- and
- a first data switching device located in said blade chassis, said first data switching device including:
- a plurality of blade ports, each blade port for connection to a host blade Fibre Channel adapter Fibre Channel N_port;
- at least one N_port for connecting to a Fibre Channel fabric;
- and
- a switch coupled to said plurality of blade ports and said at least one N_port for interconnecting said ports.
A network comprising:
- a first Fibre Channel fabric;
- at least one storage device connected to said Fibre Channel fabric;
- a computer system including:
- a blade chassis;
- at least one host blade located in said blade chassis, said at least one host blade including a Fibre Channel adapter, said Fibre Channel adapter having at least one Fibre Channel port;
- and
- a first data switching device located in said blade chassis, said first data switching device including:
- a plurality of blade ports, each blade port for connection to a host blade Fibre Channel adapter Fibre Channel port;
- at least one N_port for connecting to a Fibre Channel fabric;
- and
- a switch coupled to said plurality of blade ports and said at least one N_port for interconnecting said ports.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.