Qlogic Corporation

John M Fike

William J Wen

Patricia E Hareski

Melanie Fike

Steven Robalino

Terence H Kimball

Sudhakar V Allada

A method and system for detecting orphaned CLS primitives in a fibre channel network having a fibre channel switch element coupled to an arbitrated loop is provided. The method includes, sending an OPN primitive to a switch element pore's own AL_PA to open a connection with itself; and determining if a CLS primitive is received within a loop a latency period. If a CLS primitive is received within the latency period then the CLS primitive is classified as an orphan and the orphaned CLS primitive is removed by the switch element by enabling a firmware based removal feature. The switch element includes a port that arbitrates for the arbitrated loop ownership and sends an OPN primitive to its own AL_PA.

Method and apparatus for detecting and removing orphaned primitives in a fibre channel network

A fibre channel switch element that can generate a character or frame based test pattern is provided. The switch element includes a buffer that can be coupled to a transmission protocol engine for sending and receiving data to and from a fibre channel network, wherein the buffer is programmed to generate character or fibre channel frames for testing plural links coupled to the fibre channel switch element while operating in a character or frame mode. The buffer can be coupled to a receive or transmit path and generates characters or frames based on a programmed count to induce real-time errors. The real-time errors include a missing start of frame ('SOF') and a missing end of frame ('EOF').

Method and apparatus for test pattern generation

A fibre channel switch element with an acceleration device that connects plural fibre channel devices in an arbitrated loop and monitors frames sent during a loop initialization process is provided. The acceleration device creates an AL_PA table selected by each fibre channel device, wherein the AL_PA table is used for port selection; and during an arbitration process sends a benign primitive to non-arbitrating devices. The acceleration device includes, a global arbitration module, a state machine module, and a matrix for connecting plural fibre channel devices.

Method and system for fibre channel arbitrated loop acceleration

A method and system for detecting orphaned CLS primitives in a fibre channel network having a fibre channel switch element coupled to an arbitrated loop is provided. The method includes, sending an OPN primitive to a switch element port's own AL_PA to open a connection with itself; and determining if a CLS primitive is received within a loop a latency period. If a CLS primitive is received within the latency period then the CLS primitive is classified as an orphan and the orphaned CLS primitive is removed by the switch element by enabling a firmware based removal feature. The switch element includes a port that arbitrates for the arbitrated loop ownership and sends an OPN primitive to its own AL_PA.

A virtual universal serial port interface ('USI') and a virtual storage device interface ('VSI') interfacing with a host system and a remote console over a network link is provided. The USI includes a control register that receives control information from a processor and a legacy control register; and a status register that receives information from a legacy control register and based on that information, the processor formats information stored in a buffer destined for transmission over a serial port. The VSI includes, a first register that receives control information from a third register that stores control information sent by a processor used to update a fourth register that notifies the host system.

Method and system for providing a virtual universal serial port interface and a virtual storage interface

A method for performing a fibre channel arbitrated loop integrity test using a fibre channel switch element is provided. The method includes, sending a fibre channel frame through the arbitrated loop; receiving the fibre channel frame after it has traversed through the arbitrated loop; performing a data compare between the fibre channel frame that was sent and the fibre channel frame that is received; detecting internal errors, if any, in the traversed fibre channel loop; and isolating a module that may have generated the error. The switch element includes, a cascade port that is used to couple one fibre channel switch element to another in a loop; and a port that sends a fibre channel frame through the loop and detects internal errors based on the comparison and a isolates a module that may have generated the internal error.

Method and apparatus for testing loop pathway integrity in a fibre channel arbitrated loop

A method and fibre channel switch element is provided for isolating a defective device that is coupled to a fibre channel arbitrated loop. The method includes, isolating a port if a loop initialization primitive ('LIP') is detected from a device coupled to the arbitrated loop; configuring the device and acquiring an AL_PA; determining if the device is sending LIPs; and isolating the device if the device continues to send LIPs. The switch element includes, a port having an isolation state machine that allows the switch element to isolate a device whose behavior may result in disruption of other devices in the network. The state machine may also configure a device after detecting disruptive parameters from the device and perform diagnostic operations on the device.

Method and system for minimizing disruption in common-access networks

An analog to digital converter ('ADC') is provided that can be used in a system with an internal or external CPU or in an ASIC. The ADC includes a band gap reference (BGR) circuit whose output is internally coupled to an analog input of the ADC; and a positive analog supply voltage (AVDD) and a positive analog reference voltage (REFP) operationally coupled to a same voltage supply; wherein a BGR value is used by a CPU as a calibration constant for determining an AVDD value, a REFP value, and a Bit Weight value.

Growing community of inventors

Austin, TX, United States of America

John M Fike