Merging a stand-alone switch to a fibre channel network
US8811227B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jul 6, 2011 |
| Grant date | Aug 19, 2014 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Nov 28, 2031 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04L49/65
- WIPO fieldDigital communication
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A Fiber Channel (FC) switch and related methods are provided for merging the FC switch with an existing FC network. During a merge process of a stand-alone switch with an FC network, a first Exchange Fabric Parameters (EFP) frame is sent from the stand-alone switch to an FC switch in the existing FC network. The first EFP frame has an empty domain identifier (ID) list. The stand-alone switch receives a second EFP frame from the FC switch. The second EFP frame contains a domain ID list of domain IDs already in use in the FC network. The stand-alone switch compares the domain ID list in the second EFP frame with a stored list of one or more domain IDs associated with the stand-alone switch to determine if there is a domain ID overlap or conflict. If no conflict is detected, the stand-alone switch merges with the existing network without initiating a Build Fabric phase or a Principal Switch Selection phase that could cause disruption of traffic in the network.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.