Autonomous ethernet interface speed configuration
Automatically configuring a pluggable module installed in an Ethernet system by probing the module using an interface protocol to identify a type and data transfer rate of the module and determine whether or not the type and data transfer rate are correct for a Ethernet data layer and physical (PHY) layer device of the system. If so, the automated process enables the PHY interface through a control bus coupled to a host CPU to operate the module at a desired data transfer rate, otherwise it reconfigures the PHY to a type determined through the probing step, or sets the PHY data transfer rate to the data transfer rate determined by the probing step. This improves present methods where an operator must identify the type/rate of the device installed in a switch and then manually configure the port to the correct rate, which is an inherently error prone process.
1 . A method of automatically configuring a pluggable module installed in an Ethernet system, comprising:
detecting installation of the module in a port of the Ethernet system;
providing a host CPU controlling an Ethernet switch of the Ethernet system with respect to device parameters including multiplexing mode, forward-error correction, flow control, maximum transmission unit speed, and unreliable loss of signal;
first configuring, by the host CPU, a device speed register to a selected line rate;
second configuring, by the host CPU, a device control register to a selected multiplexing mode;
automatically probing internal registers of the module using an interface protocol to identify a type and data transfer rate of the module; and
determining whether or not the device parameters and data transfer rate are correct for a Ethernet data interface and physical (PHY) interface device of the Ethernet switch by the first and second configuring, and if so, enabling the PHY interface device through a control bus coupled to the host CPU to operate the module at a desired data transfer rate, otherwise reconfiguring the PHY interface device to a type determined through the automatic probing, or setting the PHY interface device data transfer rate to the data transfer rate determined by the automatic probing.
2 . The method of claim 1 wherein the interface protocol to determine the type and data transfer rate of the module comprises an Inter-Integrated Serial Interface (I2C) protocol.
3 . The method of claim 1 wherein the control bus coupling the host CPU to the PHY interface comprises a PCI bus.
4 . The method of claim 1 wherein the PHY interface device comprises the Ethernet switch incorporating physical interfaces and corresponding media access controller (MAC) devices.
5 . The method of claim 4 wherein the PHY interface device is coupled to the module through an optical transceiver.
6 . The method of claim 5 wherein the optical transceiver comprises a small form factor pluggable (SFP) transceiver providing access to an optical cable coupling the module to the Ethernet system.
7 . The method of claim 6 wherein the SFP transceiver comprises a SFP+ transceiver providing fixed line rates of 1 Gbps to 25 Gbps in a plurality of discrete rates.
8 . The method of claim 6 wherein the SFP transceiver comprises a quad SFP (QSFP) transceiver providing fixed line rates of one channel at 10 Gbps or four channels at 40 Gbps to 100 Gbps.
9 . A system for automatically configuring a pluggable module installed in an Ethernet system, comprising:
a monitor component detecting installation of the module in a port of the Ethernet system;
an Ethernet switch providing a switchable coupling for connected devices of the Ethernet system;
a host CPU controlling the Ethernet switch with respect to device parameters including multiplexing mode, forward-error correction, flow control, maximum transmission unit speed, and unreliable loss of signal, and first configuring a device speed register to a selected line rate, and second configuring a device control register to a selected multiplexing mode;
an interface automatically probing internal registers of the module using an interface protocol to identify a type and data transfer rate of the module; and
an automatic configuration processing component determining whether or not the device parameters and data transfer rate are correct for a Ethernet data interface and physical (PHY) interface device of the Ethernet switch by the first and second configuring, and if so, enabling the PHY interface device through a control bus coupled to the host CPU to operate the module at a desired data transfer rate, otherwise reconfiguring the PHY interface device to a type determined through the automatic probing, or setting the PHY interface device data transfer rate to the data transfer rate determined by the automatic probing.
10 . The system of claim 9 wherein the interface protocol to determine the type and data transfer rate of the module comprises an Inter-Integrated Serial Interface (I2C) protocol.
11 . The system of claim 9 wherein the control bus coupling the host CPU to the PHY interface device comprises a PCI bus.
12 . The system of claim 9 wherein the PHY interface device comprises the Ethernet switch incorporating physical interfaces and corresponding media access controller (MAC) devices.
13 . The system of claim 12 wherein the PHY interface device is coupled to the module through an optical transceiver.
14 . The system of claim 13 wherein the optical transceiver comprises a small form factor pluggable (SFP) transceiver providing access to an optical cable coupling the module to the system.
15 . The system of claim 14 wherein the SFP transceiver comprises a SFP+ transceiver providing fixed line rates of 1 Gbps to 25 Gbps in a plurality of discrete rates.
16 . The system of claim 15 wherein the SFP transceiver comprises a quad SFP (QSFP) transceiver providing fixed line rates of one channel at 10 Gbps or four channels at 40 Gbps to 100 Gbps.
17 . A system for automatically configuring a pluggable module installed in an Ethernet system, comprising:
a host computer configured to control data transmission through the module over an optical medium of the Ethernet system, wherein the host computer first configures a device speed register to a selected line rate, and second configures a device control register to a selected multiplexing mode;
an Ethernet switch coupled to the host computer through a first control bus, wherein the host computer controls the Ethernet switch with respect to device parameters including multiplexing mode, forward-error correction, flow control, maximum transmission unit speed, and unreliable loss of signal;
an Ethernet media access controller (MAC) and physical layer (PHY) interface device coupled to the host computer through the first control bus and to the Ethernet switch through a first direct bus;
an optical transceiver coupled to the host computer through a second control bus and the MAC and PHY interface device through a second direct bus; and
an automated configuration component determining if the device parameters and data transfer rate of the module conforms to the first and second configuring.
18 . The system of claim 17 wherein the automated configuration component reconfigures the PHY interface device to a type determined for the module, or sets a PHY interface device data transfer rate to the data transfer rate determined for the module if either the type or data transfer rate of the module does not conform.
19 . The system of claim 18 wherein the optical transceiver comprises a small form factor pluggable (SFP) transceiver.
20 . The system of claim 19 wherein the SFP transceiver comprises one of: a SFP+ transceiver providing fixed line rates of 1 Gbps to 25 Gbps in a plurality of discrete rates, or a quad SFP (QSFP) transceiver providing fixed line rates of one channel at 10 Gbps or four channels at 40 Gbps to 100 Gbps.