Method and apparatus for reporting unauthorized attempts to access nodes in a network computing system

1. A method in a node for managing attempts to access the node, the method comprising:

receiving, by the node, a packet from a source, wherein the packet includes a first key, wherein the first key is a partition key associated with a particular partition of a multi-partitioned network having a plurality of partitions, and is used such that the node receiving the packet can determine which of the partitions of the multi-partitioned network can access the node receiving the packet;

determining, by the node, whether the packet is from a partition authorized to access the node by determining whether the first key matches a second key for the node;

dropping, by the node, the packet without a response to the source of the packet if the first key does not match the second key;

storing, by the node, information from the packet; and

sending, by the node, the information to a selected recipient in response to a selected event.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the selected event is a request from the recipient for the information.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the selected event is an occurrence of a trap.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the selected event is a periodic event.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

incrementing a counter source if the first key does not match the second key.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the selected event occurs when the counter exceeds a threshold value.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the node comprises at least one device private to the node and at least one device shared with at least one of the partitions of the multi-partition network.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the information includes at least one of a source local identifier, a destination local identifier, the key value, a global identifier address.

9. The method of claim 7 , wherein the selected recipient is a subnet manager attached to a subnet that is responsible for configuring and managing switches, routers and channel adapters of the subnet.

10. A method in a node for reporting access violations, the method comprising:

receiving a packet from a source, wherein the packet includes authentication information, wherein the authentication information is associated with a particular partition of a multi-partioned network having a plurality of partitions, and is used such that the node that received the packet can determine which of the partitions of the multi-partitioned network can access the node that received the packet;

verifying the received authentication information to determine if the packet is from a partition authorized to access the node;

dropping the packet without a response to the source if the received authentication information is unverified;

storing information from the packet; and

sending the information to a selected recipient in response to a selected event.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the node comprises at least one device private to the node and at least one device shared with at least one of the partitions of the multi-partition network.

12. A data processing system comprising:

a bus system;

a channel adapter unit connected to a system area network fabric;

a memory connected to the bus system, wherein the memory includes as set of instructions; and

a processing unit connected to the bus system, wherein the processing unit executes the set of instructions to receive a packet from a source, wherein the packet includes a first key, wherein the first key is a partition key associated with a particular partition of a multi-partitioned network having a plurality of partitions, and is used such that the data processing system can determine which of the partitions of the multi-partitioned network can access the data processing system; determine whether the first key mates a second key for the data processing system; drop the packet without a response to the source if the first key does not match the second key; store information from the packet; and send the information to a selected recipient in response to a selected event.

13. A node comprising:

receiving means for receiving a packet from a source, wherein the packet includes a first key, wherein the first key is a partition key associated with a particular partition of a multi-partitioned network having a plurality of partitions, and is used such that the node can determine which of the partitions of the multi-partitioned network can access the network node;

determining means for determining whether the packet is from a partition authorized to access the node by determining whether the first key matches a second key for the node;

dropping means for dropping the packet without a response to the source if the first key does not match the second key;

storing means for storing information from the packet; and

sending means for sending the information to a selected recipient in response to a selected event.

14. The node of claim 13 , wherein the selected event is a request from the recipient for the information.

15. The node of claim 13 , wherein the selected event is an occurrence of a trap.

16. The node of claim 13 , wherein the selected event is a periodic event.

17. The node of claim 13 comprising:

incrementing means for incrementing a counter source if the first key does not match the second key.

18. The node of claim 17 , wherein the selected event occurs when the counter source exceeds a threshold value.

19. The node of claim 13 , wherein the node comprises at least one device private to the node and at least one device shared with at least one of the partitions of the multi-partition network.

20. The node of claim 13 , wherein the information includes at least one of a source local identifier, a destination local identifier, the key value, a global identifier address.

21. The node of claim 19 , wherein the selected recipient is a subnet manager attached to a subnet that is responsible for configuring and managing switches, routers and channel adapters of the subnet.

22. A node comprising:

receiving means for receiving a packet from a source, wherein the packet includes authentication information, wherein the authentication information is associated with a particular partition of a multi-partitioned network having a plurality of partitions, and is used such that the node can determine which of the partitions of the multi-partitioned network can access the node;

verifying means for verifying the received authentication information to determine if the packet is from a partition authorized to access the node;

dropping means for dropping the packet without a response to the source if the received authentication information is unverified;

storing means for storing information from the packet; and

sending means for sending the information to a selected recipient in response to a selected event.

23. The node of claim 22 , wherein the node comprises at least one device private to the node and at least one device shared with at least one of the partitions of the multi-partition network.

24. A computer program product in a computer readable medium for use in a node for managing attempts to access the node, the computer program product comprising:

first instructions for receiving a packet from a source, wherein the packet includes a first key, wherein the first key is a partition key associated with a particular partition of a multi-partitioned network having a plurality of partitions, and is used such that the node can determine which of the partitions of the multi-partitioned network can access the network node;

second instructions for determining whether the packet is from a partition at authorized to access the node by determining whether the first key matches a second key for the node;

third instructions for dropping the packet without a response to the source if the first key does not match the second key;

fourth instructions for storing information from the packet; and

fifth instructions for sending the information to a selected recipient in response to a selected event.

25. A computer program product in a computer readable medium for use in a node for reporting access violations, the computer program product comprising:

first instructions for receiving a packet from a source, wherein the packet includes authentication information, wherein the authentication information is associated with a particular partition of a multi-partitioned network having a plurality of partitions, and is used such that the node can determine which of the partitions of the multi-partitioned network can access the node;

second instructions for verify the received authentication information to determine if the packet is from a partition authorized to access the node;

third instructions for dropping the packet without a response to the source if the received authentication information is unverified;

fourth instructions for storing information from the packet; and

fifth instructions for sending the information to a selected recipient in response to a selected event.