International Business Machines Corporation

Aruna V Ramanan

Alison B White

LeRoy R Lundin

John Dorfner

Robert Francis Bartfai

Mark G Atkins

Kevin J Reilly

Bret G Bidwell

Karen F Rash, Legal Representative

David G Folsom

Mark Gurevich

Nathan A Besaw

Casandra H Qiu

Casimer M DeCusatis

Bulent Abali

Edward Joseph Seminaro

Daniel Guy Young

Nicholas P Rash

Jay Robert Herring

Carl Alfred Bender

Embodiments relate to setting up direct mapped routers located across independently managed compute and storage networks for enabling multiple modes of communication over the cross-coupled links between the networks. An aspect includes identifying a characteristic of a local entity based on a unique location identifier assigned to the local entity and learning a characteristic of a remote entity based on a location identifier received over a cross-coupled link between the local entity and the remote entity. A port on a local entity router is then correlated with the received location identifier of the remote entity. A route is then built in the direct mapped router table at a location pointed to by the location identifier of the remote entity. An optimistic failover route is established from a storage entity to a compute entity when a cross-coupled link between the storage entity and the compute entity is broken.

Set up of direct mapped routers located across independently managed compute and storage networks

Embodiments relate to providing communication over cross-coupled links between independently managed compute and storage networks. An aspect includes coupling an independently managed local subsystem with an independently managed remote subsystem over cross-coupled links, whereby each subsystem includes compute entities and storage entities. Unique identifiers are assigned to all the compute entities and the storage entities in the local network and the remote network. A determination is then made as to whether each entity is in the local subsystem or the remote subsystem. Accordingly, a global broadcast tree is built to bridge the compute entities in the local subsystem to the storage entities in both the local and remote subsystem. Responsive to an error in a layer of the local subsystem external to a cross-coupled link, the cross-coupled link in the local subsystem is disabled. Accordingly, the remote subsystem may detect that the link has failed.

Enabling communication over cross-coupled links between independently managed compute and storage networks

A method of validating a configuration of a computer clusters includes transmitting a first neighbor identification to a first flexible service processor (FSP) arranged in the first computer cluster and a second neighbor identification to a second FSP arranged in the second computer cluster, connecting a first end of a cable to a first transceiver arranged in the first cluster and connecting a second end of the cable to a second transceiver arranged in the second cluster. The first neighbor identification is passed from the first transceiver to the second computer cluster and the second neighbor identification is passed from the second transceiver toward the first computer cluster. The first neighbor identification is compared with a desired first neighbor identification to establish a first comparison result, and the second neighbor identification is compared with a desired second neighbor identification to establish a second comparison result and a notice is generated.

Configuration validation system for computer clusters

In a communications network having a plurality of nodes adapted to communicate with each other, and more than one path available between most source-destination node-pairs, a network interface is associated with each node. Each network interface has a plurality of route tables for defining a plurality of routes for transferring each packet from a source node to a destination node. Each network interface further includes a path status table of path status indicators, e.g., bits, for indicating whether each route in the route tables is usable or is unusable as being associated with a fault. The network manager monitors the network to identify faults and provides the path status indicators to the respective network interfaces. Failed routes in the network are avoided based on the path status indicators. When a failed route is restored, such that the route is usable again, the path status table indicates that the usable state is restored. A balance of route usage in the network is maintained, without modifying routes or establishing different routes, enabling reliable and high-performance message transfer.

Reliable message transfer over an unreliable network

A method of validating multi-cluster computer interconnects includes calculating a cable interconnect table associated with the multi-cluster computer, and distributing the cable interconnect table to a first transceiver in the first computer cluster and a second transceiver in the second computer cluster. The method also includes connecting a first end of a cable to the first transceiver and a second end of the cable to the second transceiver, transmitting a first neighbor identification from the first cluster to the second cluster, and a second neighbor identification from the second cluster to the first cluster, comparing the first neighbor identification with a desired first neighbor identification from the cable interconnect table to establish a first comparison result and the second neighbor identification with a desired second identification from the cable interconnect table to establish a second comparison result, and generating an alert based on the first and second comparison results.

Validation of computer interconnects

Endpoint identifiers are dynamically assigned to network interfaces, in response to a change in physical connection. When a physical connection associated with a network interface is changed, such as a cable coupling the network interface to an endpoint is moved from one location to another location, a new endpoint identifier is assigned to the network interface. The new endpoint identifier is based on the location of the new endpoint.

Dynamically assigning endpoint identifiers to network interfaces of communications networks

An exemplary method of identifying configuration topology, existing switches, and miswires in a given network is provided. Given a number of switches, which may be less than the maximum possible for the actual configuration and some ports of which may be miswired, generate a hypothesis for the supported topology of which the existing configuration is a subset. A best fit of the existing switches to the supported number switches of the maximal topology is performed, using formulae for the connections of the maximal supported topology. If supported switches are found missing in the assumed topology, the switch count is increased accordingly, and started over with a new hypothesis. When satisfied with identification, all switch ports are revisited and the connection formulae is used to identify all miswires.

Identification of the configuration topology, existing switches, and miswires in a switched network

A method of topology discovery and identification of switches enables a user to determine the topology of a N-stage switch network. The method includes ascertaining an intended topology of the N-stage switch network, creating a list of switch boards present in the N-stage switch network, and determining a switch board connection pattern. The method further includes classifying each of the switch boards as an outer switch board, or an inner switch board, and creating a list for each type of switch board, classifying each of the switch boards on the OB list as stage 1, stage 2, or unknown, classifying each of the switch boards on the IB list as stage 3 to stage N, grouping the stage 2 and stage 1 switch boards into sectors, and numbering each type of switch board, thereby obtaining a determined topology, and validating the determined topology by comparing it to the intended topology.

Topology discovery and identification of switches in an N-stage interconnection network

Topology discovery and identification of switches enables a user to determine the topology of a three-stage switch network. The method includes ascertaining an intended topology of the three-stage switch network, creating a list of switch boards that are present in the three-stage switch network, and determining a switch board connection pattern by obtaining information indicating how each switch board is connected to neighboring switch boards. The method further includes classifying each of the switch boards on the list of switch boards as a node switch board, an intermediate switch board, or a jump switch board, and creating a list for each type of switch board. The method further includes grouping the intermediate and node switch boards into sectors, and numbering each type of switch board, thereby obtaining a determined topology, and validating the determined topology by comparing it to the intended topology.

Topology discovery and identification of switches in a three-stage interconnection network

Deadlocks are avoided in performing failovers in communications environments that include partnered interfaces. An ordered set of steps are performed to failover from one interface of a partnered interface to another interface of the partnered interface such that deadlocks are avoided.

Avoiding deadlocks in performing failovers in communications environments

A fanning route generation technique is provided for multi-path networks having a shared communications fabric. The technique includes selecting a source node&#x2014;destination node (S-D) group having common starting and ending sets of links from the network of interconnected nodes. Within this group, selecting the shortest routes between the S-D nodes of the group so that: selected routes substantially uniformly fan out from the source node to a center of the network and fan in from the center of the network to the destination node, thereby achieving local balance; and global balance of routes passing through links that are at a same level of the network is achieved.

Fanning route generation technique for multi-path networks

An exemplary method of identifying configuration topology, existing switches, and miswires in a given network is provided. Given a number of switches, which may be less than the maximum possible for the actual configuration and some ports of which may be miswired, generate a hypothesis for the supported topology of which the existing configuration is a subset. Perform a best fit of the existing switches to the supported number switches of the maximal topology, using formulae for the connections of the maximal supported topology. If supported switches are found missing in the assumed topology, increase the switch count accordingly, and start over with a new hypothesis. When satisfied with identification, revisit all switch ports and use the connection formulae to identify all miswires.

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Poughkeepsie, NY, United States of America

Aruna V Ramanan