Cisco Technology, Inc.

Yu Deng

Sharat C Prasad

Sriram Natarajan

Yanfeng Wang

Fan Zhou

Terry Seaver

Luis M Hernandez

Fiber-Channel links are carried over transport networks such as optical transport networks. In certain embodiments, available transport network capacity is over-subscribed by Fiber-Channel links. This may be accomplished by buffering Fiber-Channel traffic at the ingress of the transport network and selecting frames to inject into the transport network from the buffers. Transport network efficiency can therefore be greatly increased by use of statistical multiplexing. Ready signals from the receiving Fiber-Channel ports may be delayed before being relayed to the transmitting Fiber-Channel ports.

Fibre-channel over-subscription over DWDM/SONET/SDH optical transport systems

The link status of a Fibre-Channel link interconnecting two Fibre-Channel ports may be determined by a third entity distinct from the two Fibre-Channel ports. The third entity may be a transport interface used to connect one of the Fibre-Channel ports to a transport network that carries the link. The transport interface may also learn the Fibre-Channel port types of the two ports.

Apparatus and method for enabling intelligent Fibre-Channel connectivity over transport

Systems and methods for carrying a serial digital video stream over an optical network such as an optical network employing SONET/SDH or G.709. For example, serial digital video data formatted in accordance with ANSI/SMPTE 259 M-1997 may be carried. Also, a common interface may be provided for both serial digital video streams and packetized digital video data such as DVB-ASI data.

Digital video streaming over optical network

A method of mapping coded data for communication within a network is disclosed. The method includes receiving an 8/10source protocol data stream and converting the data stream into a plurality of 33-bit code groups. Each of the 33-bit code groups contains four bytes of data and one control bit. The method further includes forming a 33-byte block comprising eight of the 33-bit code groups.

Block code mapping system and method

A packet switching system and method are disclosed. The system includes a plurality of input and output ports and an input buffer at each of the input ports. The system further includes an input scheduler associated with each of the input buffers and a centralized memory shared by the output ports. An output buffer is located at each of the output ports and an output scheduler is associated with each of the output ports. Each of the input buffers comprises a plurality of virtual output queues configured to store a plurality of packets in a packed arrangement.

Centralized memory based packet switching system and method

A multiprotocol encapsulation method and system for transporting different protocols over Ethernet are disclosed. The method includes receiving frames from an optical interface and identifying a protocol of the frame. The frames are multiprotocol and include storage network interface protocols. The frames are encapsulated into Ethernet protocol and transported over an Ethernet link.

Multiprotocol encapsulation system and method

The Fibre-Channel flow control mechanism is augmented to facilitate efficient data exchange between Fibre-Channel ports over extended distances. A supplemental buffer mechanism may be maintained as part of an interface to a transport network used to carry Fibre-Channel traffic. The transport network interface makes a remote Fibre-Channel port aware of the augmented local receiver buffer capacity by intercepting certain frames used in link establishment and substituting an enhanced buffer capacity for the local Fibre-Channel port's internal buffer capacity. This technique provides improved throughput and readily accommodates large distances and large frame sizes.

Apparatus and method for distance extension of fibre-channel over transport

A two-wire bus is used to de-skew XAUI lanes of a single charnel received at independent chips. One wire of the bus is transmits an alignment signal generated by a master and used by slaves coupled to the bus to detect misalignment of their data from data received at the master. The other wire transmits an error signal generated by any slave that detects a misalignment.

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Milpitas, CA, United States of America

Yu Deng