Brocade Communications Systems, Inc.

Brocade Communication Systems LLC

Ezio Valdevit

Vineet M Abraham

Suresh Vobbilisetty

Anoop Ghanwani

John Lewis Hufferd

Paul Ramsay

Robert Norman Snively

Glenn Wenig

Boris Zemlyak

Wendy Y Dorn

Sandra Snively, Legal Representative

A network comprises a plurality of interconnected switches that implement a topology database synchronization technique in which each switch determines whether its topology database has already been transmitted to a neighboring switch when a new link is formed to the neighboring switch. When a new electrical connection is detected, the local switch determines whether any of its other ports have already been connected to the same neighboring switch. If no other port on the local switch has been connected to the neighboring switch, the local switch transmits its topology database to the neighboring switch. If the local switch determines that it has already been connected to the neighboring switch via another one of its ports, the local switch does not yet again copy of the database to the neighboring switch. Also, link state record updates are propagated via only one inter-switch link to a neighboring switch, not all possible links.

Topology database synchronization

Systems and methods for gathering troubleshooting information through one or more networks are disclosed. In one embodiment, the method comprises a switch port configured to receive a frame that has information added by another switch. As the frame traverses the network, control logic in the switch adds additional information into the frame from the current switch.

Network path tracing method

A method of initializing a Fiber Channel over Ethernet (FCoE) link between a Fiber Channel over Ethernet node (ENode) and Fiber Channel Forwarders (FCFs) in a network by discovering the presence of FCFs available to the ENode and other FCFs, assigning second MAC addresses to the ENode corresponding to each available FCF, and converting from a management and initialization process using the first MAC address to normal Fiber Channel operation using the second MAC addresses. The implementations described herein may additionally distinguish management and initialization processes from normal Fiber Channel operation using separate Ethertypes.

Address assignment in Fibre Channel over Ethernet environments

A network comprises a plurality of interconnected switches. At least one pair of switches is interconnected by a trunk formed from a plurality of individual links. A cost value is assigned to the trunk that is equal to the cost of one of the trunk's individual links. As such, a trunk is considered the same as an individual link when shortest path calculations are made. When multiple paths are computed as having the same lowest cost, the system balances load traffic between such lowest cost paths in a way that takes advantage of the higher bandwidth capabilities of trunks.

Load balancing in a network comprising communication paths having different bandwidths

Storage area network (SAN) switches having greater storage capacity to allow greater data logging and storage of larger, more complicated tables for zoning and other table-based applications. A hard disk drive can be included in the switch, with data logging performed to the hard disk drive and with the hard disk drive serving as a second level of virtualization to provide storage of large tables. In a variation, the data logging of the switch, and any other devices on the SAN, can be directed to an area or areas of one or more storage units attached to the SAN.

Data logging by storage area network devices to a reserved storage area on the network

A method and system is provided for in-order delivery of frames in Fiber Channel communication networks during topology change. When a topology change has rendered an old path between two switches or end devices infeasible, a new path is determined to replace the old path. To ensure in-order delivery of frames, the new path is activated only after the lapse of a hold-down period. The hold-down period may be calculated as the maximum time required for frames within the old path immediately prior to the topology change to reach the destination switch or device. The calculation may utilize information available from the Fiber Channel shortest path first (FSPF) protocol.

In-order delivery of frames during topology change

A system for remotely managing a device over a network comprises a data sampling engine, for receiving new data from the device, the new data corresponding to a component module of the device; a model object, coupled to the data sampling engine, for comparing the new data from the device with old data; and a view object, coupled to the model object, for updating the graphical representation of the device corresponding to the component module of the device. In a preferred embodiment, the device is a fiber channel switch. A method for managing a network device comprises the steps of: receiving new device data from the data sampling engine, the new device data corresponding to information regarding a particular module of the device; comparing the new device data with a set of old device data, the old device data corresponding to information which was received prior to receiving the new device data and which regards the particular module of the device; and transmitting a notification signal to the view object.

Growing community of inventors

Redwood City, CA, United States of America

Ezio Valdevit