Compaq Computer Corporation, Inc.

Hewlett Packard Enterprise Development LP

Hewlett-packard Development Company, L.p.

Ciphermax, Incorporated

Michael L Witkowski

William J Walker

Dale J Mayer

Gary B Kotzur

Patricia E Hareski

Harish B Kamath

Mohammad A Khan

John W Butler

Robert Teisberg

Guodong Zhang

Gregory T Chandler

Vijay Vishwanath Hegde

Paul Vu

Kirk D Roller

David J Koenen

Richard Gunlock

Hawkins Yao

Deepak Khungar

Ram Ganesan Iyer

Roger Richter

An interconnect module (ICM) having at least two internal data paths is provided. The ICM determines if a connected network interface card (NIC) supports a division of work between the NIC and the ICM. NICs may be standard NICs, advanced NICs (ANICs), or smart NICs (SNICs). The ICM may perform a different amount of processing for network packets received from different devices based on the division of work previously identified. Some NICs may preprocess network packets with respect to switching and routing processing to allow the ICM to bypass that functionality for those packets. Packets received from devices not providing a division of work receive full processing including switching and routing processing. Devices may be grouped to either a switching and routing group or a virtual bypass group such that data received from devices associated with the virtual bypass group may bypass selected processing typically performed by the ICM.

Interconnect module for smart I/O

A smart network interface card (SNIC) is provided. The SNIC may connect to an interconnect module (ICM) having at least two internal data paths. The SNIC and ICM determine a division of work between them. In general, NICs may be standard NICs, advanced NICs (ANICs), or smart NICs (SNICs). The ICM may perform a different amount of processing for network packets received from different devices based on the division of work previously identified. Some SNICs may preprocess network packets with respect to switching and routing processing to allow the ICM to bypass that functionality. Packets received from devices providing a division of work (e.g., SNICs) may receive reduced processing for functions offloaded to the SNIC. SNICs may utilize either a switching and routing group or a virtual bypass group such that data may bypass selected processing typically performed by the ICM.

Smart network interface card for smart I/O

Example approaches for processing task deployment in adapter devices and accelerators, are described. In an example, a service request is received by an adapter device. The service request is indicative of a service associated with a virtual multi-layer network switch. An accelerator may be integrated to the adapter device or coupled to the adapter device. A set of processing tasks associated with the service is identified based on the service request. A processing task instance corresponding to at least one of the set of processing tasks is deployed in one of the adapter device and the accelerator, based on predefined configuration information. The predefined configuration information includes policies for executing each of the set processing tasks in one of the adapter device and the accelerator.

Processing task deployment in adapter devices and accelerators

In one example in accordance with the present disclosure, a system for auto-negotiation over extended backplane includes an enclosure and a switch external to the enclosure. The enclosure has a NIC (network interface controller) for a server in the enclosure and a DEM (downlink extension module). The DEM has a single DEM PHY connected to the NIC via a backplane and also connected to the switch via an external connection. The DEM PHY facilitates auto-negotiation between the switch and the NIC.

Auto-negotiation over extended backplane

Example techniques of network infrastructure management are described. In an example, a network statistics request is received by a network device from a computing device. The network statistics request indicates at least one of a node and a data path, in a layer of a network stack in a network infrastructure, for which a network statistics attribute is to be determined. The network statistics attribute is representative of information associated with one of data packets transceived by the node and data packets transferred over the data path. The network statistics attribute is determined based on the value of a counter associated with the network statistics attribute of one of the node and the data path. The determined network statistics attribute is provided to the computing device.

Network infrastructure management

An example system in accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure includes a logical switch and a controller to dynamically instantiate the logical switch including a control plane isolated from other logical switches of the network switch system. The logical switch includes a protocol stack independent of and isolated from other logical switches of the network switch system.

Network switch systems including logical switches

Some examples disclosed herein relate to traffic management via network switch QoS parameters analysis. In one example, a set of actual QoS parameters maybe analyzed using a set of configured QoS parameters of each network switch. A set of modified QoS parameters for each network switch maybe determined based on the analysis of the set of actual QoS parameters. The set of modified QoS parameters maybe recommended to configure each network switch for improved traffic management.

Network traffic management via network switch QoS parameters analysis

A technique includes network booting a physical machine coupled to a network by a link aggregation group. The technique includes selectively disabling ports of the physical machine associated with the link aggregation group in connection with the network booting until a driver of an operating system to group the ports together is installed on the physical machine.

Network booting a machine coupled to the network by a link aggregation group

A network communication device including port control circuitry for controlling packet flow between the ports of the device, where the port control circuitry includes a port manager that directs packets between the ports and port bonding circuitry that bonds two or more of the ports into a bonded port set. For each packet to be sent via the bonded port set, the port bonding circuitry selects one of the bonded ports for transmitting the packet. More than one bonded port set may be defined in a given communication device, and each bonded port set may include from two ports up to all the ports of the device, as long as each port is included in only one bonded port set. One or more port bonding registers are provided to identify which of the plurality of ports are bonded in each bonded port set. In one embodiment, the bonded ports are selected on a packet by packet basis so as to achieve a relatively even distribution of packets sent by each bonded port. In an alternative embodiment bonded ports are assigned to packet source identifiers so as to achieve a relatively even distribution of source identifiers among the bonded ports. If bonded ports are assigned to particular source identifiers, then the traffic is preferably monitored and the assignments are periodically adjusted to achieve even distribution of packet flow on the bonded link. The bonded ports may have different bandwidths, in which case traffic is distributed on a proportionate basis.

Network communication device including bonded ports for increased bandwidth

A method of linking at least two network switches is disclosed, wherein each network switch switches data traffic of a plurality of devices, through a plurality of couplings. The method comprises the steps of generating a data stream including an identifier to be sent from a first to a second network switch, generating a number identifying one of the couplings from the identifier, and using the identified coupling for transfer of the data stream.

System and method for linking a plurality of network switches

A network switch includes a plurality of first network ports coupled to a first bus, a plurality of second network ports coupled to a second bus, a bridge interface enabling data transfer between the buses, a switch manager controlling the flow of network data, and a processor for performing supervisory and control functions. The first and second network ports operate according to different network protocols, and the first and second buses operate according to different bus standards. During packet data transfers across the first bus, the bridge interface emulates a first network port. During packet data transfers across the second bus, the bridge interface primarily acts as a slave to the second network ports by storing control lists for execution by the second network ports, thus relieving the processor of performing overhead functions associated with data transfers across the second bus.

Network switch with a multiple bus structure and a bridge interface for transferring network data between different buses

A programmable arbitration system including control logic to select one of several arbitration schemes for selecting the ports of a network switch, a memory to store priority values indicating the relative priority of each of the ports, monitor logic to monitor each of the ports and to program the priority values in the memory based on a priority scheme selected by the control logic, and arbitration logic to select a port having the next highest priority. The arbitration schemes preferably include a round-robin priority scheme, a first-come, first-served (FCFS) priority scheme, a weighted priority scheme, or any other desirable priority scheme. The monitor logic includes polling logic to periodically poll the ports and to program a priority value of each port. The memory includes receive and transmit lists to indicate of which of the ports have indicated needing service and a corresponding priority value. The arbitration logic includes a receive arbiter and a transmit arbiter, each of which use a corresponding arbitration count.

Programmable arbitration system for determining priority of the ports of a network switch

A network switch including one or more network ports for receiving and transmitting data is disclosed. The network switch also includes a processor, a switch manager, and memory. Each port includes a network interface, a data bus interface, and a processor port interface. A data bus is coupled to the data bus interface of each of the ports and the switch manager. A processor bus is coupled to a processor, the switch manager, and to the processor port interface of each of the ports. A memory bus is coupled to the memory and the switch manager. The switch manager periodically polls each of the network ports to determine the status of each port. The switch manager controls the flow of data between the network ports and memory based on the port status. The separate processor bus allows the processor to perform overhead functions, such as monitoring, determining status and configuration, without consuming valuable data bus bandwidth.

Network switch including a switch manager for periodically polling the network ports to determine their status and controlling the flow of data between ports

Growing community of inventors

Harris County, TX, United States of America

Michael L Witkowski