Brocade Communications Systems, Inc.

Avago Technologies International Sales Pte. Limited

Christopher A Del Signore

Vineet M Abraham

Balakumar N Kaushik

Vincent W Guan

Pranab Patnaik

Sathish Kumar Gnanasekaran

Lintu Thomas

Aseem Rastogi

Satish K Gnanasekaran

An interfabric link between two separate Fibre Channel fabrics so that devices in one fabric can communicate with devices in another fabric without requiring the merger of the two fabrics. The interfabric switch performs a conversion or a translation of device addresses in each fabric so that they are accessible to the other fabric. This translation is preferably done using a private to public loop address translation. In a first embodiment the external ports of the interfabric switch are configured as E_ports. A series of internal ports in each interfabric switch are joined together forming a series of virtual or logical switches. The virtual switches are then interconnected using private loops. The use of the private loop is enabled by the presence of translation logic which converts fabric addresses to loop addresses and back so that loop and fabric devices can communicate. Because each port can do this translation and the private loop addressing does not include domain or area information, the change in addresses between the fabrics is simplified. In a second embodiment the external ports are configured as NL_ports and the connections between the virtual switches are E_ports. Thus the private to public and public to private translations are done at the external ports rather than the internal ports as in the prior embodiment. The virtual switches in the interfabric switch match domains with their external counterparts so that the virtual switches effectively form their own fabric, connected to the other fabrics by the private loops.

Method and apparatus for routing between fibre channel fabrics

An interfabric link between two separate Fiber Channel fabrics so that devices in one fabric can communicate with devices in another fabric without requiring the merger of the two fabrics. The interfabric switch performs a conversion or a translation of device addresses in each fabric so that they are accessible to the other fabric. This translation is preferably done using a private to public loop address translation. In a first embodiment the external ports of the interfabric switch are configured as E_ports. A series of internal ports in each interfabric switch are joined together forming a series of virtual or logical switches. The virtual switches are then interconnected using private loops. The use of the private loop is enabled by the presence of translation logic which converts fabric addresses to loop addresses and back so that loop and fabric devices can communicate. Because each port can do this translation and the private loop addressing does not include domain or area information, the change in addresses between the fabrics is simplified. In a second embodiment the external ports are configured as NL_ports and the connections between the virtual switches are E_ports. Thus the private to public and public to private translations are done at the external ports rather than the internal ports as in the prior embodiment. The virtual switches in the interfabric switch match domains with their external counterparts so that the virtual switches effectively form their own fabric, connected to the other fabrics by the private loops.

An interfabric link between two separate Fiber Channel fabrics so that devices in one fabric can communicate with devices in another fabric without requiring the merger of the two fabrics. The interfabric switch performs a conversion or a translation of device addresses in each fabric so that they are accessible to the other fabric. In a first embodiment the external ports of the interfabric switch are configured as E_ports. A series of internal ports in each interfabric switch are joined together forming a series of virtual or logical switches. In a second embodiment the external ports are configured as NL_ports and the connections between the virtual switches are E_ports. The virtual switches in the interfabric switch match domains with their external counterparts so that the virtual switches effectively form their own fabric.

In embodiments according to the present invention an encryption switch is used to authorize access to LUNs from client VMs present in the cloud provider network. The encryption switch includes responder side software for an authentication protocol and an agent in the client VM includes the requestor side of the authentication protocol. The certificate of the client is securely provided to the encryption switch, which associates the client VM with the LUN. The client private key is securely provided to the client VM, which retains it only non-persistently. The client VM requests LUN access and performs an authentication handshake with the encryption switch. If successful the client VM than has access to the LUN. As the original certificate is linked to the client, if the client is itself a VM, should the client be moved to a different host, the certificate moves with it and LUN accessibility is maintained.

Storage access authentication mechanism

An encryption switch which is used in a cloud environment to secure data on the LUNs used by the clients. A client provides a certificate to the cloud service. The encryption switch develops a cloud crypto domain (CCD) as a secure area, with the data at rest on the LUNs encrypted. The encryption switch develops a master key for client use in the CCD, which is provided to the client encrypted by the client's public key. Data encryption keys (DEKs) are created for each LUN and provided to the client. The DEKs are stored in a key vault by the client for use if needed. The cloud service provisions a client VM to be used with the encrypted LUN and develops a nexus between the LUN and the client VM for the encryption switch to use in data operations. The client communicates through the client VM to access the LUN.

Growing community of inventors

San Jose, CA, United States of America

Christopher A Del Signore