Fiber channel switch employing distributed queuing
US5894481A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Sep 11, 1996 |
| Grant date | Apr 13, 1999 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Sep 11, 2016 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04L49/351
- WIPO fieldDigital communication
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
The present invention is a fiber channel switch employing a distributed queuing algorithm for interconnecting a plurality of devices (workstations, supercomputer, peripherals) through their associated node ports (N.sub.-- ports) and employs a fabric having a shared memory coupled to a plurality of fabric ports (F.sub.-- ports) through a bi-directional bus over which memory addresses, frame data and communications commands are transmitted. Each F.sub.-- port includes a port controller employing a distributed queuing algorithm associated with a control network for communicating commands between the ports related to when and where frame transfers should be made, wherein the bi-directional bus provides an independent data network for access to the shared memory such that frames can be transferred to and from the shared memory in response to port controller commands.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.