Apparatus, system, and method for device level enablement of a communications protocol

A system for device level enablement of a communications protocol, the system comprising:

• a plurality of host adapters, each host adapter configured to store a compatibility summary and to transmit the compatibility summary over a communications channel;
• one or more processors configured to coordinate data transfers to and from the plurality of host adapters;
• a protocol compatibility module comprising,
• an adapter compatibility module configured to determine an adapter compatibility status for the plurality of host adapters, a positive adapter compatibility status indicating that each host adapter in the plurality of host adapters is compatible with a fibre channel protocol;
• a processor compatibility module configured to determine a processor compatibility status for the one or more processors, a positive processor compatibility status indicating that each of the one or more processors is compatible with the fibre channel protocol;
• and
• a compatibility summary module configured to determine the compatibility summary for the plurality of host adapters and the one or more processors, the compatibility summary indicating a positive compatibility relative to the fibre channel protocol in response to a positive processor compatibility status indicating that each of the one or more processors is compatible with the fibre channel protocol and a positive adapter compatibility status indicating that each host adapter in the plurality of host adapters is compatible with the fibre channel protocol;
• wherein the adapter compatibility module, the processor compatibility module, and the compatibility summary module comprise one or more of circuitry and executable code stored on a computer readable storage medium.

A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer readable storage medium having computer usable program code executable to perform operations for device level enablement of a communications protocol, the operations of the computer program product comprising:

• determining an adapter compatibility status for a plurality of host adapters, a positive adapter compatibility status indicating that each host adapter in the plurality of host adapters is compatible with a fibre channel protocol;
• determining a processor compatibility status for one or more processors that coordinate data transfers to and from the plurality of host adapters, a positive processor compatibility status indicating that each of the one or more processors is compatible with the fibre channel protocol;
• and
• determining a compatibility summary for the plurality of host adapters and the one or more processors, the compatibility summary indicating a positive compatibility relative to the fibre channel protocol in response to a positive processor compatibility status indicating that each of the one or more processors is compatible with the fibre channel protocol and a positive adapter compatibility status indicating that each host adapter in the plurality of host adapters is compatible with the fibre channel protocol.

A method for device level enablement of a communications protocol, the method comprising:

• determining an adapter compatibility status for a plurality of host adapters, a positive adapter compatibility status indicating that each host adapter in the plurality of host adapters is compatible with a fibre channel protocol;
• determining a processor compatibility status for one or more processors that coordinate data transfers to and from the plurality of host adapters, a positive processor compatibility status indicating that each of the one or more processors is compatible with the fibre channel protocol;
• and
• determining a compatibility summary for the plurality of host adapters and the one or more processors, the compatibility summary indicating a positive compatibility relative to the fibre channel protocol in response to a positive processor compatibility status indicating that each of the one or more processors is compatible with the fibre channel protocol and a positive adapter compatibility status indicating that each host adapter in the plurality of host adapters is compatible with the fibre channel protocol;
• wherein determining an adapter compatibility status, determining a processor compatibility status, and determining a compatibility summary are performed using circuitry.

A system for device level enablement of a communications protocol, the system comprising:

• one or more data storage devices;
• a plurality of fibre channel host adapters, each host adapter configured to store a compatibility flag and to transmit the compatibility flag over a fibre communications channel during a fibre process login handshake procedure;
• one or more central electronic complexes, each central electronic complex comprising a plurality of processors configured to coordinate data transfers between the plurality of host adapters and the one or more data storage devices;
• a protocol compatibility module comprising,
• an adapter compatibility module configured to determine an adapter compatibility status for the plurality of host adapters, a positive adapter compatibility status indicating that each host adapter in the plurality of host adapters is compatible with a fibre channel extension protocol;
• a processor compatibility module configured to determine a processor compatibility status for each of the one or more central electronic complexes, a positive processor compatibility status indicating that each processor from a central electronic complex is compatible with the fibre channel extension protocol;
• and
• a compatibility summary module configured to determine the compatibility flag for the plurality of host adapters and the one or more central electronic complexes, the compatibility flag indicating a positive compatibility relative to the fibre channel extension protocol in response to a positive compatibility status indicating that each of the one or more processors is compatible with the fibre channel extension protocol and a positive adapter compatibility status indicating that each host adapter in the plurality of host adapters is compatible with the fibre channel extension protocol;
• wherein the adapter compatibility module, the processor compatibility module, and the compatibility summary module comprise one or more of circuitry and executable code stored on a computer readable storage medium.