Method and apparatus for establishment of dynamic ESCON connections from fibre channel frames
US6148004A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Feb 11, 1998 |
| Grant date | Nov 14, 2000 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Feb 11, 2018 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04L49/351
- WIPO fieldDigital communication
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A method and apparatus for the establishment of dynamic Enterprise System Connection ("ESCON") connections over a Fibre Channel connection allows a port state machine (or port module) to request dynamic ESCON connections from the exchange context of the Fibre Channel frame and to implement dynamic linking of the Fibre Channel exchanges to ESCON ports while also linking and monitoring the status of these connections for all subsequent frames associated on a particular exchange. In a particular embodiment, the method and apparatus provides the ability to establish dynamic connections through an ESCON Director switch based off of the Originator Exchange Identifier ("OX.sub.-- ID") of the FC-2 header and information contained in the FC-4 header of the Fibre Channel frame. Once a connection path has been established for a particular OX.sub.-- ID, that connection is maintained until the exchange is terminated.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.