Qlogic Corporation

Other

Unisys Corporation

Silverstorm Technologies, Inc.

Todd Matters

Todd M Rimmer

Duane J McCrory

Vladimir K Tamarkin

Philip Murphy

Joseph David Coyne

Christopher John Harrer

David A Burns

Michael S Miles

Dung M Luu

Benjamin L Dagana

Thomas V Connors

Thomas J Schneider

Barry E Blust

A computer system that includes a plurality of servers, and a shared I/O subsystem coupled to each of the servers and to one or more I/O interfaces. The shared I/O subsystem services I/O requests made by two or more of the servers. Each I/O interface may couple to a network, appliance, or other device. The I/O requests serviced by the shared I/O subsystem may alternatively include software initiated or hardware initiated I/O requests. Different servers coupled to the shared I/O subsystem may use different operating systems, and each I/O interface may be used by two or more servers.

System and method for a shared I/O subsystem

A shared I/O subsystem for a plurality of computer systems. The shared I/O subsystem includes a plurality of physical I/O interfaces and a plurality of virtual I/O interfaces where each of the computer systems is communicatively coupled to one or more of the virtual I/O interfaces. The shared I/O subsystem also includes a forwarding function having a forwarding table that logically arranges the shared I/O subsystem into one or more logical LAN switches. Each of the logical LAN switches communicatively couples one or more of the virtual I/O interfaces to at least one of the physical I/O interfaces. For each of the logical LAN switches, the forwarding function receives a data packet from any one from the group of the physical I/O interfaces and the virtual I/O interfaces, and directs the data packet to at least one from the group of the physical I/O interfaces and the virtual I/O interfaces. Two or more of the physical I/O interfaces may be aggregated to form a logical I/O interface by selectively altering entries in the forwarding table without reconfiguring the computer systems.

System and method for dynamic link aggregation in a shared I/O subsystem

A shared I/O subsystem for a plurality of computer systems where a plurality of virtual I/O interfaces are communicatively coupled to the computer systems. Each of the computer systems includes a virtual adapter that communicates with one of the virtual I/O interfaces. The shared I/O subsystem also includes a plurality of I/O interfaces and a forwarding function. The forwarding function includes a plurality of forwarding table entries that logically arrange the shared I/O subsystem into one or more logical switches. Each of the logical switches communicatively couples one or more of the virtual I/O interfaces to one of the I/O interfaces. A logical switch receives a first I/O packet from one of the virtual I/O interfaces and directs the first I/O packet to at least one of the I/O interface and one or more of other ones of the virtual I/O interfaces. A logical switch also receives a second I/O packet from the I/O interface and directs the second I/O packet to one or more of the virtual I/O interfaces.

System and method for implementing logical switches in a network system

A shared I/O subsystem that couples a plurality of computer systems to at least one shared I/O interface. The shared I/O subsystem includes a plurality of virtual I/O interfaces that are communicatively coupled to the computer systems. Each of the computer systems includes a virtual adapter that communicates with one of the virtual I/O interfaces. The shared I/O subsystem further includes a forwarding function having a forwarding table. The forwarding table includes a plurality of entries corresponding to each of the virtual I/O interfaces. The forwarding function receives a first I/O packet from one of the virtual I/O interfaces and uses the forwarding table to direct the first I/O packet to at least one of a physical adapter associated with the at least one shared I/O interface and one or more of other ones of the virtual I/O interfaces. The forwarding function also receives a second I/O packet from the physical adapter and uses the forwarding table to direct the second I/O packet to one or more of the virtual I/O interfaces.

System and method for implementing virtual adapters and virtual interfaces in a network system

A shared I/O subsystem that includes a plurality of I/O interfaces for coupling a plurality of computer systems where each of I/O interfaces communicatively couples one of the computer systems to the shared I/O subsystem. The shared I/O subsystem receives, at a first one of the I/O interfaces, a data packet from one of the computer systems coupled to the first one of the I/O interfaces where the data packet has a variable length, arranges, at the first one of the I/O interfaces, the data packet into an internal format where the internal format has a first portion that includes data bits and a second portion that includes control bits, receives the data packet in a buffer in the shared I/O subsystem where the second portion is received after the first portion, verifies, with the shared I/O subsystem, that the data packet has been completely received by the buffer by monitoring a memory bit aligned with a final bit in the second portion of the data packet, and transmits, in response to the verifying, the data packet to another one of the computer systems coupled to a second one of the I/O interfaces.

System and method for eventless detection of newly delivered variable length messages from a system area network

A network node that implements a distributed TCP/IP network communication protocol stack, with the protocol stack including a TCP layer and an IP layer. The TCP layer includes a TCP management unit and a TCP data path unit, and the IP layer includes an IP management unit and an IP data path unit. The network node comprises a network host configured with the TCP management unit and the IP management unit, and at least one I/O adapter coupled to the network host and configured with the TCP data path unit and the IP data path unit. In this manner, the TCP data path unit and the IP data path unit are distributed onto the I/O adapter.

Split data path distributed network protocol

Growing community of inventors

Pottstown, PA, United States of America

Todd Matters