Variable access fairness in a fibre channel arbitrated loop
US6459701B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Aug 6, 1999 |
| Grant date | Oct 1, 2002 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Aug 6, 2019 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04L12/433
- WIPO fieldDigital communication
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A method whereby a fair port in a Fibre Channel Arbitrated Loop behaves unfairly during portions of its loop tenancy and behaves fairly during other portions. In a preferred implementation, the fair port establishes a first loop circuit with an initial destination port during a loop tenancy. Before relinquishing control of the loop to an arbitrating port, the fair port—under the control of a transfer protocol—establishes one or more subsequent loop circuits with other destination ports. Loop circuits are established in sequence without the fair port relinquishing control of the loop and rearbitrating. This continues until (1) the fair port establishes a loop circuit with every destination port to which it desires to exchange information; (2) a fixed time period has lapsed; and/or (3) a predefined maximum number of loop circuits are established.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.