One embodiment of the present invention provides a switch. The switch includes a service management module and a packet processor. During operation, the service management module identifies a service provided by an appliance coupled to the switch via a local port. The packet processor constructs a notification message for a remote switch. The notification message includes information about the service and the appliance. In this way, the switch allows the remote switch to request the service.

A disclosed switch includes: plural ports each of which is connected to another apparatus; a determination unit that determines, for each of the plural ports, whether the port is connected to one of plural switches integrated logically; and a setting unit that sets, for each of the plural ports, a port type or propriety of use based on a result of determination by the determination unit.

An apparatus for operating a low data-rate (LDR) link and legacy switch at a high data-rate (HDR) includes a first block and a second block. The first block receives input signals from the legacy switch and generates identical output signals. The second block receives the identical output signals and generates an HDR signal for communication over the LDR link coupled to an access point. Further, a media access control (MAC) interface communicates data at a first data rate with an Ethernet PHY block including a first-in-first-out (FIFO) module and a buffer. The FIFO receives data from the MAC interface at the first data rate and transmits data at a second data rate. The buffer receives data from the Ethernet port at the second data rate and transmits the received data at the first data rate in response to detection of an end of packet.

A method includes receiving a FLOGI message sent by a device seeking to log on to a network, wherein the device is in a same zone as reachable devices already logged into the network; in response to the FLOGI message, sending to the device a FC_ID, receiving from the device a query, including the FC_ID, for a list of devices with which the device can communicate, in response to the query, sending to the device an empty list of reachable devices with which the device can communicate within the same zone; after sending the empty list, programming, at least, an access control list (ACL) including information about the device; and after the ACL is programmed, triggering a RSCN message to be sent to the device to cause the device to, for the first time, obtain information about the reachable devices.

Various example embodiments for supporting communications for data storage are presented herein. Various example embodiments for supporting communications for data storage may be configured to support communications between a host and a storage element for supporting storage of data in the storage element by the host. Various example embodiments for supporting communications between a host and a storage element may be configured to support communications between a host and a controller of the storage element. Various example embodiments for supporting communications between a host and a controller of a storage element may be configured to support, using a single transport layer connection, communications of multiple queue pairs supporting communications between the host and the controller of the storage element, where each of the queue pairs includes a queue on the host and a queue on the controller of the storage element.

A system includes a storage system and circuitry coupled to the storage system. The circuitry is configured to perform operations comprising determining a type of a received data packet, determining a destination of the received data packet, and determining whether the received data packet is of a particular type or has a particular destination. The operations further comprise, responsive to determining that the received data packet is of the particular type or has the particular destination, rerouting the received data packet from the particular destination to a register of the storage system.

A storage system switching mediators within a storage system synchronously replicating data, where the switching between mediators includes: determining, among one or more of the plurality of storage systems, a change in availability of a first mediator service, wherein one or more of the plurality of storage systems are configured to request mediation from the first mediator service; communicating, among the plurality of storage systems and responsive to determining the change in availability of the first mediator service, a second mediator service to use in response to a fault; and switching, in dependence upon the change in availability of the first mediator service, from the first mediator service to the second mediator service.

A new rack equipped with at least one ToR switch is pushed into operational mode in a datacenter equipped with at least one operational datacenter switch. A script server fetches from a database information about a first networking configuration of the datacenter switch, and a minimal profile information of the rack. The script server devises a physical cabling plan between the ToR switch and the datacenter switch, reserves ports on the datacenter switch, computes and stores into the database enriched information of the rack, and provides cabling instructions relative to the physical cabling plan to a datacenter technician. The script server fills-in a configuration template, and causes a configuration builder to apply a first networking configuration of the ToR switch, applies a second networking configuration to the datacenter switch, pushes the rack into production, completes a second networking configuration of the ToR switch, and pushes the rack into operational mode.

Systems and methods for InfiniBand fabric optimizations to minimize SA access and startup failover times. A system can comprise one or more microprocessors, a first subnet, the first subnet comprising a plurality of switches, a plurality of host channel adapters, a plurality of hosts, and a subnet manager, the subnet manager running on one of the one or more switches and the plurality of host channel adapters. The subnet manager can be configured to determine that the plurality of hosts and the plurality of switches support a same set of capabilities. On such determination, the subnet manager can configure an SMA flag, the flag indicating that a condition can be set for each of the host channel adapter ports.

Embodiments include methods, systems, and computer program products for routing mode support in a switched fabric network. A fabric login payload is built at a device to establish a plurality of communication parameters with a switched fabric network. A routing mode capability of the device is determined. One or more routing support bits are configured in the fabric login payload based on the routing mode capability of the device. The fabric login payload is sent to the switched fabric network to establish communication between the device and a network device of the switched fabric network.