International Business Machines Corporation

Other

Mcdata Corporation

Joseph C Elliott

Daniel Francis Casper

Catherine C Huang

John R Flanagan

Louis William Ricci

Martin W Sachs

Kenneth R Lynch

Giles R Frazier

Brent Cameron Beardsley

Paul J Brown

Robert J Dugan

Allan Samuel Meritt

Jeffrey J Nelson

Kenneth J Fredericks

Karl H Hoppe

Gary R Flauaus

Harry M Yudenfriend

William Frank Micka

Peter Anthony Franaszek

Robert Edward Galbraith

Kenneth J Oakes

Leslie W Wyman

Casper A Scalzi

Eugene P Hefferon

Roger E Hough

Thomas Edward Cook

Marten J Halma

Michael E O'Donnell

Thomas J Dewkett

Glen A Brent

Bernhard Laubli

James Lincoln Iskiyan

David E Stucki

Frank W Brice

Joseph A Williams

Francis E Johnson

Leon Skarshinski

Suzanne M John

John H Sorg, Jr

Mark C Snedaker

John C Rathjen, Jr

Paul A Malinowski

James J Antognini

Kenneth R Veraska

A structural system and method of assembly comprising structural members with slots, and interior structural members. Specific structural members are sequentially interconnected in rigid alignment. A first structural member is positioned with two upward facing slots. Additional structural members are added by engaging downward facing slots of the additional structure members with upward facing slots of the prior structural member. The structural members further include engagement features in cooperating slots. A protruding features engages a recess to retain the engaged structural members. The features may be a partial sphere and a matching recess which may be disassembly, or a tapered protrusion having a squared-off rear edge which resists disassembly, or one of a variety of shapes.

Universal method of structural design and assembly

A method for assembly of structural systems comprising structural members with slots, and interior panels. Specific structural members are sequentially interconnected in rigid alignment. A first structural member is positioned with two upward facing slots. Additional structural members are added by engaging downward facing slots of the additional structure members with upward facing slots of the prior structural member. The structural members further include inward reaching spacers which the interior panels are attached to leaving a space between the panels for insulation, wiring, and/or plumbing. The structural members may further include angled slots allowing non-rectangular structures to be constructed.

Method for assembly of structural system

A data communication architecture including a plurality of devices having input/output (I/O) ports supporting communication at a first rate and a data processor having a number of I/O ports where each I/O port supports data communication at a second data rate. The second data rate is at least double the first data rate. A communication link coupled to one of the data processor I/O ports supports the second data rate. A bridge device is coupled to the communication link and to the I/O ports of the plurality of devices. The bridge device translates the communication link at the second data rate to a plurality of communication links at the first data rate, where the plurality of communication links at the first data rate are substantially independent of each other.

Interconnection architecture for managing multiple low bandwidth connections over a high bandwidth link

The present invention provides fiber channel networks the ability to logically disconnect without closing an exchange pair wherein the control unit signals the channel that the channel can elect to keep the exchange open by sending the channel a status command. A preferred status command to permit the channel to keep the exchange open includes an End Connection&equals;'0' with Channel End&equals;'1' and device end&equals;&lsquo;0&rsquo;.

Method, system and program product for logically disconnecting in fibre channel communication without closing the exchange

The present invention provides for a method of transferring information in a network computing system environment. The network environment includes a main storage coupled to a channel subsystem with a plurality of channels which is in processing communication with a control unit capable of coupling to a plurality of input/output devices. At first the packets of data are sent concurrently to and from the main storage. Next execution of certain channel functions are transferred to the control unit so that certain commands can be combined with the data packets in one sequence. Finally only one start data command and only one end command notification needs to be sent before and after a plurality of data packets is transferred respectively. In one embodiment another method is employed in the same network computing system environment having the steps of: fetching said command from said main storage; fetching associated data from said main storage; and transferring said fetched command along with said fetched associated data to said control unit.

Method and apparatus for transfer information using optical fiber connections

A method for implementing a link level service in a computer network having a first port device and a second port device. Node identification data is stored in the second port device. A physical-layer communications coupling is provided between the first port device and the second port device which may be a point-to-point, loop, or switched circuit connection. The first port device sends a request node identification (RNID) message addressed to the second port device. The second port device creates an accept message and copies stored node identification data into the accept message. The second port device sends the accept message to the first port device.

Self-description extended link service for networks

The present invention provides for a method of transferring information in a network computing system environment. The network environment includes a main storage coupled to a channel subsystem with a plurality of channels in processing communication with a control unit capable of coupling to a plurality of input/output devices. First packets of data are concurrently sent to and from the main storage. The operation of certain channel functions are also transferred to the control unit so that each command does not require a command response or an end notification response. Finally by certain commands are combined with the associated data of one or more of the data packets. In one embodiment of the present invention, an optical fabric is also in processing communication with said channels and control unit.

Method and apparatus for transfer of information using optical fiber connections

This invention relates to concept of transferring information in a program storage device and a computer program device readable by a digital processing apparatus and a program means on the program storage device and including instructions executable by the digital processing apparatus for performing method steps for transferring of information in a network computing system. The method steps include: sending packets of data consecutively to and from said main storage; transferring execution of certain channel functions to said control unit so that certain commands can be combined with said data packets in one sequence; and sending only one start data command and only one end command notification before and after a plurality of data packets is transferred respectively.

Transfer information using optical fiber connections

The present invention provides checking on information units sent and received as packets over fiber channel networks by providing check bits on the header information and separate check bits on the data.

Method to provide checking on data transferred through fibre channel adapter cards

Disclosed is a system for handling an input/output (I/O) operation. A controller, such as a storage controller, receives an I/O operation against an address for an I/O device, such as a volume in a storage system. The controller determines whether there is at least one active I/O operation executing against the I/O device. After determining that there is at least one active I/O operation, the controller determines whether the received I/O operation conflicts with active I/O operations executing against the I/O device. The controller then executes the received I/O operation against the I/O device concurrently with the active I/O operations after determining that the received I/O operation does not conflict with active I/O operations.

Input/output operation request handling in a multi-host system

The present invention provides for a method of transferring information in a network computing system environment. At first multiple packets of data are concurrently received data from an information transfer interface mechanism capable of coupling to a plurality of input-output devices. At the same time data is stored concurrently including multiple packets of data in a main storage element in processing communication to the interface mechanism.

Multiplexing of multiple data packets for multiple input/output operations between multiple input/output devices and a channel subsystem having multiple channels

The present invention provides for an apparatus for transferring information in a network computing system environment. The apparatus comprises of a main storage and an information transfer interface mechanism in processing communication with the main storage. The interface mechanism is capable of coupling to a plurality of input/output devices. The apparatus also comprises of means for transferring a packet of data between the interface mechanism and the main storage and means for concurrently transferring and processing a plurality of other packets of data between the interface mechanism and said main storage.

Apparatus for transferring execution of certain channel functions to a control unit and having means for combining certain commands and data packets in one sequence

The present invention provides for a computer program product for use with a computer system having a main storage device in processing communication with an information transfer interface mechanism capable of coupling to a plurality of input/output devices. The computer program device comprises of a data storage element included in the main storage device having a computer usable medium with computer readable program means for receiving and retrieving data and computer readable code means for concurrently receiving multiple packets of data from said interface mechanism. It also includes computer readable code means for concurrently storing multiple packets of data concurrently in said data storage element as well as computer readable code means for storage and retrieval of multiple packets of data concurrently between said interface mechanism and said data storage element.

Program for transferring execution of certain channel functions to a control unit and having means for combining certain commands and data packets in one sequence

A mechanism for controlling the powering-on and powering-off of control units in a data processing system having a plurality of channels, a plurality of control units, and a communications network of links for linking the channels to the control units. Each control unit includes a power-control table for recording power-control allegiance of the control unit to the channels. Where a control unit receives a power-on command from a channel, it records the identity of the channel in its power-control table. When a channel orders a control unit to power-off, the control unit checks to see if it owes power-control allegiance to the ordering channel. If it does, the control unit deletes the identity from its power-control table. The control unit will not power-off unless its power-control table is empty, indicating that it does not owe allegiance to any other channel.

Controlling power sequencing of a control unit in an input/output system

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North Creek, NY, United States of America

Joseph C Elliott