Isolation of data, control, and management traffic in a storage area network

1. A device for switching data packets, comprising:

a first port associated with a first domain and operable to receive a plurality of first data packets;

a second port associated with a second domain and operable to receive a plurality of second data packets;

a service processor card coupled to the first port and to the second port and operable to:

initiate forwarding of the first data packets to the first port; and

manage the first data packets using a first management subsystem;

initiate forwarding of the second data packets to the second port, the second data packets isolated from the first data packets; and

manage the second data packets using a second management subsystem;

a plurality of first protocol subsystems, each first protocol subsystem coupled to the first management subsystem and operable to process the first data packets according to a communication protocol of a set of communication protocols; and

a plurality of second protocol subsystems, each second protocol subsystem coupled to the second management subsystem and operable to process the second data packets according to a communication protocol of the set of communication protocols.

2. The device of claim 1 , wherein the service processor card comprises a domain manager operable to:

associate the first port with the first domain; and

associate the second port with the second domain.

3. The device of claim 1 , further comprising:

a first master agent coupled to the first protocol subsystems and operable to translate the first data packets between a communication protocol of the set of communication protocols and a genetic protocol; and

a second master agent coupled to the second protocol subsystems and operable to translate the second data packets between a communication protocol of the set of communication protocols and the generic protocol.

4. A device for switching data packets, comprising:

a first port associated with a first domain and operable to receive a plurality of first data packets;

a second port associated with a second domain and operable to receive a plurality of second data packets;

a service processor card coupled to the first port and to the second port and operable to:

initiate forwarding of the first data packets to the first port; and

manage the first data packets using a first management subsystem;

initiate forwarding of the second data packets to the second port, the second data packets isolated from the first data packets; and

manage the second data packets using a second management subsystem;

a plurality of first protocol subsystems, each first protocol subsystem coupled to the first management subsystem and operable to process the first data packets according to a communication protocol of a set of communication protocols; and

a first master agent coupled to the first protocol subsystems and operable to translate the first data packets between a first communication protocol of the set of communication protocols and a second communication protocol of the set of communication protocols.

5. The device of claim 1 , further comprising a shared subsystem coupled to the first management subsystem and the second management subsystem and operable to monitor the device for the first domain and the second domain.

6. The device of claim 1 , further comprising:

a first line card comprising the first port and operable to process the first data packets; and

a second line card comprising the second port and operable to process the second data packets.

7. The device of claim 1 , further comprising:

a first line card comprising the first port and operable to:

process the first data packets from a first server; and

transmit the first data packets to a first database; and

a second line card comprising the second port and operable to:

process the second data packets from a second server; and

transmit the second data packets to a second database.

8. The device of claim 1 , wherein the service processor card is operable to:

receive a software upgrade associated with the first domain; and

implement the software upgrade in the first domain without implementing the software upgrade in the second domain.

9. The device of claim 1 , wherein the service processor card is operable to communicate the first data packets between the first port and a management function associated with the first domain without communicating the first data packets to a management function associated with the second domain.

10. A method for switching data packets, comprising:

forwarding a plurality of first data packets to a first port associated with a first domain and operable to receive the first data packets;

forwarding a plurality of second data packets to a second port associated with a second domain and operable to receive the second data packets;

managing the first data packets using a first management subsystem of a service processor card coupled to the first port;

managing the second data packets using a second management subsystem of the service processor card coupled to the second port;

processing the first data packets according to a set of communication protocols using a plurality of first protocol subsystems, each first protocol subsystem operable to process the first data packets according to a communication protocol of the set of communication protocols; and

processing the second data packets according to the set of communication protocols using a plurality of second protocol subsystems, each second protocol subsystem operable to process the second data packets according to a communication protocol of the set of communication protocols.

11. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:

saving an assignment of the first port to the first domain in a table; and

saving an assignment of the second port to the second domain in the table.

12. A method for switching data packets, comprising:

forwarding a plurality of first data packets to a first port associated with a first domain and operable to receive the first data packets;

forwarding a plurality of second data packets to a second port associated with a second domain and operable to receive the second data packets;

managing the first data packets using a first management subsystem of a service processor card coupled to the first port;

managing the second data packets using a second management subsystem of the service processor card coupled to the second port;

processing the first data packets according to a set of communication protocols using a plurality of first protocol subsystems, each first protocol subsystem operable to process the first data packets according to a communication protocol of the set of communication protocols;

translating the first data packets between the set of communication protocols and a generic protocol;

processing the second data packets according to the set of communication protocols using a plurality of second protocol subsystems, each second protocol subsystem operable to process the second data packets according to a communication protocol of the set of communication protocols; and

translating the second data packets between the set of communication protocols and the generic protocol.

13. A method for switching data packets, comprising:

forwarding a plurality of first data packets to a first port associated with a first domain and operable to receive the first data packets;

forwarding a plurality of second data packets to a second port associated with a second domain and operable to receive the second data packets;

managing the first data packets using a first management subsystem of a service processor card coupled to the first port;

managing the second data packets using a second management subsystem of the service processor card coupled to the second port;

processing the first data packets according to a set of communication protocols using a plurality of first protocol subsystems, each first protocol subsystem operable to process the first data packets according to a communication protocol of the set of communication protocols; and

translating the first data packets between a first communication protocol of the set of communication protocols and a second communication protocol of the set of communication protocols.

14. The method of claim 10 , further comprising monitoring a device comprising the first port and the second port using a shared subsystem.

15. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:

processing the first data packets at a first line card comprising the first port; and

processing the second data packets at a second line card comprising the second port.

16. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:

receiving the first data packets at the first port from a first server;

transmitting the first data packets to a first database;

receiving the second data packets at the second port from a second server; and

transmitting the second data packets to a second database.

17. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:

receiving a software upgrade associated with the first domain; and

implementing the software upgrade in the first domain without implementing the software upgrade in the second domain.

18. The method of claim 10 , further comprising communicating the first data packets between the first port and a management function associated with the first domain without communicating the first data packets to a management function associated with the second domain.

19. Logic for switching data packets, the logic embodied in a medium and operable to:

forward a plurality of first data packets to a first port associated with a first domain and operable to receive the first data packets;

forward a plurality of second data packets to a second port associated with a second domain and operable to receive the second data packets;

manage the first data packets using a first management subsystem of a service processor card coupled to the first port;

manage the second data packets using a second management subsystem of the service processor card coupled to the second port;

process the first data packets according to a set of communication protocols using a plurality of first protocol subsystems, each first protocol subsystem operable to process the first data packets according to a communication protocol of the set of communication protocols; and

process the second data packets according to the set of communication protocols using a plurality of second protocol subsystems, each second protocol subsystem operable to process the second data packets according to a communication protocol of the set of communication protocols.

20. The logic of claim 19 , wherein the logic is operable to:

save an assignment of the first port to the first domain in a table; and

save an assignment of the second port to the second domain in the table.

21. Logic for switching data packets, the logic embodied in a medium and operable to:

forward a plurality of first data packets to a first port associated with a first domain and operable to receive the first data packets;

forward a plurality of second data packets to a second port associated with a second domain and operable to receive the second data packets;

manage the first data packets using a first management subsystem of a service processor card coupled to the first port;

manage the second data packets using a second management subsystem of the service processor card coupled to the second port;

process the first data packets according to a set of communication protocols using a plurality of first protocol subsystems, each first protocol subsystem operable to process the first data packets according to a communication protocol of the set of communication protocols;

translate the first data packets and the set of communication protocols and a generic protocol;

process the second data packets according to the set of communication protocols using a plurality of second protocol subsystems, each second protocol subsystem operable to process the second data packets according to a communication protocol of the set of communication protocols; and

translate the second data packets and the set of communication protocols and the generic protocol.

22. Logic for switching data packets, the logic embodied in a medium and operable to:

forward a plurality of first data packets to a first port associated with a first domain and operable to receive the first data packets;

forward a plurality of second data packets to a second port associated with a second domain and operable to receive the second data packets;

manage the first data packets using a first management subsystem of a service processor card coupled to the first port; and

manage the second data packets using a second management subsystem of the service processor card coupled to the second port;

process the first data packets according to a set of communication protocols using a plurality of first protocol subsystems, each first protocol subsystem operable to process the first data packets according to a communication protocol of the set of communication protocols; and

translate the first data packets between a first communication protocol of the set of communication protocols and a second communication protocol of the set of communication protocols.

23. The logic of claim 19 , wherein the logic is operable to monitor a device comprising the first port and the second port using a shared subsystem.

24. The logic of claim 19 , wherein the logic is operable to:

process the first data packets at a first line card comprising the first port; and process the second data packets at a second line card comprising the second port.

25. The logic of claim 19 , wherein the logic is operable to:

receive the first data packets at the first port from a first server;

transmit the first data packets to a first database;

receive the second data packets at the second port from a second server; and

transmit the second data packets to a second database.

26. The logic of claim 19 , wherein the logic is operable to:

receive a software upgrade associated with the first domain; and

implement the software upgrade in the first domain without implementing the software upgrade in the second domain.

27. The logic of claim 19 , wherein the logic is operable to communicate the first data packets between the first port and a management function associated with the first domain without communicating the first data packets to a management function associated with the second domain.

28. A device for switching data packets, comprising:

a first port associated with a first domain and operable to receive a plurality of first data packets from a first server and transmit the first data packets to a first database;

a second port associated with a second domain and operable to receive a plurality of second data packets from a second server and transmit the second data packets to a second database;

a service processor card coupled to the first port and to the second port and operable to forward the first data packets to the first port, manage the first data packets using a first management subsystem, forward the second data packets to the second port, the second data packets isolated from the first data packets, manage the second data packets using a second management subsystem;

a domain manager operable to associate the first port with the first domain, and associate the second port with the second domain;

a plurality of first protocol subsystems, each first protocol subsystem coupled to the first management subsystem and operable to process the first data packets according to a communication protocol of a set of communication protocols;

a first master agent coupled to the first protocol subsystems and operable to translate the first data packets from a communication protocol of the set of communication protocols to a generic protocol;

a plurality of second protocol subsystems, each second protocol subsystem coupled to the first management subsystem and operable to process the second data packets according to a communication protocol of the set of communication protocols;

a second master agent coupled to the second protocol subsystems and operable to translate the second data packets from a communication protocol of the set of communication protocols to the generic protocol; and

a shared subsystem coupled to the first management subsystem and the second management subsystem and operable to monitor the device for the first domain and the second domain.