A port auto-negotiation method and a device used for implementing port auto-negotiation between high-speed Ethernet devices are provided. The method performed by a first device includes: configuring a first port of the first device as four subports, where each of the four subports includes a differential transceiver channel; determining from the four subports, at least one subport whose differential transceiver channel operates normally, and selecting some or all of the at least one subport as a normal subport; sending capability information of the first port to a second device by using the normal subport, and receiving, by using the normal subport, capability information of a second port of the second device; and determining operating statuses of the four subports based on the capability information of the first port and of the second port.

A multi-endpoint adapter includes endpoints configured to couple to respective processing subsystems, multi-endpoint adapter ports configured to couple to an external switch via respective external switch ports, and an internal switch coupled to the endpoints and multi-endpoint adapter ports. The internal switch receives a data packet from a first application provided by a first processing subsystem through a first endpoint, and matches the data packet to a data flow associated with QoS parameter(s). The internal switch then identifies a data flow action that is associated with the data flow and that provides for the transmission of the data packet via a first multiple endpoint adapter port that is configured in a manner that satisfies the at least one QoS parameter, and performs the data flow action to transmit the data packet through the first multi-endpoint adapter port and a first external switch port to the external switch.

A system for negotiating Ethernet link settings between interconnected nodes in a network having an Ethernet protocol stack that includes a PCS sub-layer with an auto-negotiation function. The system comprises connecting an intermediate device coupled between two network nodes via optical or copper interfaces, with the link settings between each node and the connected intermediate device being the same, thereby bypassing the auto-negotiation of the PCS sub-layer in the intermediate device. The intermediate device may transparently send negotiation messages from each node to the other during the link negotiation phase without interacting with those messages. Instead of the intermediate device, a single form pluggable (SFP) device may be connected between the two network nodes via optical or copper interfaces on the network side and via an SFP slot on the device side.

Examples described herein relate to a network interface comprising physical medium dependent (PMD) circuitry, the PMD circuitry to during link training of at least one lane consistent with IEEE 802.3, exit to TIME_OUT state during TRAIN_LOCAL state based on consideration of expiration of a wait timer, loss of local_tf_lock state, and loss of remote_tf_lock state. In some examples, during link training for at least one lane consistent with IEEE 802.3, the PMD circuitry is to exit to TIME_OUT state during TRAIN_REMOTE state based on consideration of expiration of a wait timer, loss of local_tf_lock state, and loss of remote_tf_lock state. In some examples, link training consistent with IEEE 802.3 comprises performance of the PMD control function in Section 162.8.11 of IEEE 802.3ck.

Technologies for autonegotiation of communications operational modes over copper cable include a network port logic having a communication link coupled to a remote link partner. The network port logic may start an autonegotiation protocol upon reset, when the link is broken, or upon manual renegotiation. The network port logic transmits an autonegotiation page to the remote link partner that indicates single-lane communications ability over copper cable. The network port logic receives an autonegotiation page from the link partner indicating single-lane communications ability over copper cable. If the network port logic and link partner have a common single-lane communication ability, the link may be activated. The autonegotiation pages may be base pages or next pages. The single-lane communication ability may be indicated by one or more bits of the autonegotiation pages. The link may be established at 1 gigabit or 10 gigabits per second. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

A method for managing a number of Ethernet links includes identifying a number of Ethernet links to utilize a number of channels of a cable based on a number of capabilities and a number of policies of a number of media access controllers (MACs) and a number of physical layer entities (PHYs), determining a number of Ethernet link types to be configured for the cable based on the capabilities and policies of the MACs and PHYs, negotiating a number of parameters to allow multi-channel ports of a number of nodes connected to the cable to establish communications through the Ethernet links based on the determined Ethernet link types and the utilized channels, and managing the cable configuration describing the MACs to be supported by the channels within the cable based on the policies.

A network communication method used in a network communication apparatus is provided that includes the steps outlined below. An external network communication apparatus is electrically coupled through a communication path. A communication capability packet is transmitted to the external network communication apparatus. Whether an acknowledgement packet from the external network communication apparatus is received through the communication path is determined. When the acknowledgement packet is not received, a single direction communication is performed within any single time period by using a time division communication mechanism such that an auto negotiation process is performed by exchanging the communication capability packet and the acknowledgement packet of both of the network communication apparatus and the external network communication apparatus.

Examples include a method of identifying single twisted pair cable Ethernet auto-negotiation requests or double twisted pair cables Ethernet auto-negotiation requests using detection of message time interval patterns. The method includes receiving, by a first Ethernet device, a plurality of messages transmitted by a second Ethernet device over a single twisted pair cable connecting the first Ethernet device and the second Ethernet device; storing one or more time intervals between starting times of successive pairs of the plurality of messages; determining if a pattern is found in the time intervals; when the pattern is found, setting a single twisted pair cable communications mode between the first Ethernet device and the second Ethernet device; and performing priority resolution between the first Ethernet device and the second Ethernet device.

Technologies for autonegotiation of communications operational modes over copper cable include a network port logic having a communication link coupled to a remote link partner. The network port logic may start an autonegotiation protocol upon reset, when the link is broken, or upon manual renegotiation. The network port logic transmits an autonegotiation page to the remote link partner that indicates single-lane communications ability over copper cable. The network port logic receives an autonegotiation page from the link partner indicating single-lane communications ability over copper cable. If the network port logic and link partner have a common single-lane communication ability, the link may be activated. The autonegotiation pages may be base pages or next pages. The single-lane communication ability may be indicated by one or more bits of the autonegotiation pages. The link may be established at 1 gigabit or 10 gigabits per second. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

A system for negotiating Ethernet link settings between interconnected nodes in a network having an Ethernet protocol stack that includes a PCS sub-layer with an auto-negotiation function. The system comprises connecting an intermediate device coupled between two network nodes via optical or copper interfaces, with the link settings between each node and the connected intermediate device being the same, thereby bypassing the auto-negotiation of the PCS sub-layer in the intermediate device. The intermediate device may transparently send negotiation messages from each node to the other during the link negotiation phase without interacting with those messages. Instead of the intermediate device, a single form pluggable (SFP) device may be connected between the two network nodes via optical or copper interfaces on the network side and via an SFP slot on the device side.