The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Oct. 28, 2008
Filed:
Aug. 06, 2002
Paul Nicholas Cashman, Alton, GB;
Robert Frank Maddock, Christchurch, GB;
Robert Bruce Nicholson, Portsmouth, GB;
Michael Alan Veal, Southampton, GB;
Paul Nicholas Cashman, Alton, GB;
Robert Frank Maddock, Christchurch, GB;
Robert Bruce Nicholson, Portsmouth, GB;
Michael Alan Veal, Southampton, GB;
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY (US);
Abstract
A method and apparatus for improving performance of a loop network, in particular a Fiber Channel Arbitrated Loop. The loop network has two loops and a plurality of dual-ported devices each with one port on each loop. The method includes selectively bypassing redundant ports on the loops by a first command means in the form of a Fiber Channel Arbitrated Loop command to balance port accesses and to reduce the loop overhead by reducing the number of ports in each loop. In the event of a fault, bypassing the port of a device by a second command means in the form of a non Fiber Channel Arbitrated Loop command and enabling all the bypassed redundant ports with a single command to all ports using the first command means. The first command means does not enable the port bypassed by the second command means.