Adaptec, Inc.

Shing Mark Lin

Yen-Chung Lin

Terence Ma

An invention is disclosed that provides device information using a Fibre Channel network. Initially, device information is obtained for a device coupled to a Fibre Channel based network, and an address database is constructed that includes a device entry for the device. Preferably, the device entry includes a port target identifier and a logical unit identifier for the device, and associates the previously obtained device information with the port target identifier and the logical unit identifier. A request is then received for the device information that typically includes the port target identifier and the logical unit identifier. The device information associated with the port target identifier and the logical unit identifier is then returned in response to the request.

Method and apparatus for device discovery

An invention is disclosed that provides a method for facilitating communication with a Fiber Channel controller. Initially, a data structure is defined that includes a Fiber Channel attribute value, which defines a particular functionality of a Fiber Channel controller. Although the data structure can include a plurality of Fiber Channel attributes, preferably at least one Fiber Channel attribute is defined in the data structure. A user is then enabled to modify the Fiber Channel attribute value. Further, during operation of the Fiber Channel controller, a modification request can be received from a code segment to alter the Fiber Channel attribute. The functionality of the Fiber Channel controller is then altered based on the Fiber Channel attribute value.

Method and apparatus for establishing a profile table for host bus adapters

An invention is disclosed for a layer structure that facilitates configuring a Fiber Channel driver. In one embodiment, the layer structure includes a hardware layer directory that includes code for communicating with a Fiber Channel controller. In addition, a wrapper layer directory is included in the layer structure. The wrapper layer directory includes code for communicating with the code associated with the hardware layer directory, and also includes a wrapper header file that defines a particular value setting in a first state, such as a compiler directive set a particular value. The layer structure further includes a global header directory that defines a group of value settings. The group of value settings is defined for the code associated with each of the hardware directory and the wrapper layer directory. The particular value setting in the first state is also included in the group of value settings. The code associated with each of the hardware layer directory, the wrapper layer directory and the global header directory is linked with one another. The linking is accomplished such that any change to the particular value setting made in the code associated with the wrapper layer directory has priority over the first state defined in the global header directory.

Method and apparatus for a layer structure directory for common hardware interface modules

An invention is disclosed that maps a Fibre Channel address to a Small Computer System Interface (SCSI) address. A data port is detected on a computer network system and a port target identifier is assigned to the detected data port. Next, a device coupled to the data port is detected and a logical unit identifier is assigned to the detected device. In addition, an Arbitrated Loop Physical Address (AL_PA) is obtained for the device. Further, an address database is constructed that includes a device entry for the detected device. The device entry includes the port target identifier and the logical unit identifier that were assigned to the data port and device. In addition, the device entry associates the AL_PA to the port target identifier and the logical unit identifier of the device.

Growing community of inventors

Palo Alto, CA, United States of America

Shing Mark Lin