SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DETECTING EARLY LINK FAILURE IN AN ETHERNET NETWORK

1 . A method for detecting a link failure in an Ethernet network comprising a local node coupled to a remote node by a link, the method comprising:

receiving a descrambler status signal;

receiving a remote receiver status signal;

receiving a link status signal; and

generating a link failure signal based on the descrambler status signal, the remote receiver status signal, and the link status signal.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the generating a link failure signal based on the descrambler status signal, the remote receiver status signal, and the link status signal comprises generating a link failure signal when any one of the descrambler status signal, the remote receiver status signal, and the link status signal, indicates failure.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the link failure signal is generated within 1 millisecond of a link failure.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the link failure signal is a value indicative of any of “FAIL”, “READY”, and “OK”.

5 . The method of claim 1 :

wherein the remote receiver status signal is generated by receiver circuitry; and

wherein the remote receiver status signal is indicative of a status of the link at the remote node as reported by the remote node.

6 . The method of claim 1 :

wherein the descrambler status signal is generated by receiver circuitry; and

wherein the descrambler status signal is indicative of a status of a descrambler at the local node.

7 . The method of claim 1 :

wherein the link status signal is generated by link monitor circuitry; and

wherein the link status signal is indicative of a status of the link between the local node and the remote node.

8 . A system for detecting a link failure in an Ethernet network comprising a local node coupled to a remote node by a link, the system comprising:

link failure circuitry configured to receive a descrambler status signal, a remote receiver status signal, and a link status signal;

wherein the link failure circuitry is configured to generate a link failure signal based on the descrambler status signal, the remote receiver status signal, and the link status signal.

9 . The system of claim 8 , wherein the link failure circuitry is configured to generate the link failure signal when any one of the descrambler status signal, the remote receiver status signal, and the link status signal, indicates failure.

10 . The system of claim 8 , wherein the link failure signal is generated within 1 millisecond of a link failure.

11 . The system of claim 8 , wherein the link failure signal is a value indicative of any of “FAIL”, “READY”, and “OK”.

12 . The system of claim 8 :

wherein the remote receiver status signal is generated by receiver circuitry; and

wherein the remote receiver status signal is indicative of a status of the link at the remote node as reported by the remote node.

13 . The system of claim 8 :

wherein the descrambler status signal is generated by receiver circuitry; and

wherein the descrambler status signal is indicative of a status of a descrambler at the local node.

14 . The system of claim 8 :

wherein the link status signal is generated by link monitor circuitry; and

wherein the link status signal is indicative of a status of the link between the local node and the remote node.

15 . An Ethernet switch configured to route data from a first port to a second port, the first port and the second port each configured for coupling to a transmission media connected to computer systems, the Ethernet switch including a switch coupled to each of the ports by at least a media access controller integrated circuit and a physical layer integrated circuit, the physical layer integrated circuit configured to receive data from and transmit data to the transmission medium, the physical layer integrated circuit including circuitry for detecting a link failure in an Ethernet network, the circuitry comprising:

link failure circuitry configured to receive a descrambler status signal, a remote receiver status signal, and a link status signal;

receiver circuitry configured to generate the descrambler status signal and the remote receiver status signal; and

link monitor circuitry configured to generate the link status signal;

wherein the link failure circuitry is configured to generate a link failure signal based on the descrambler status signal, the remote receiver status signal, and the link status signal.

16 . The system of claim 15 , wherein the link failure signal is generated within 1 millisecond of a link failure.

17 . The system of claim 15 , wherein the link failure signal is a value indicative of any of “FAIL”, “READY”, and “OK”.

18 . A method for detecting a link failure in an Ethernet network, the Ethernet network comprising an Ethernet switch configured to route data from a first port to a second port, the first port and the second port each configured for coupling to a transmission media connected to computer systems, the Ethernet switch including a switch coupled to each of the ports by at least a media access controller integrated circuit and a physical layer integrated circuit, the physical layer integrated circuit configured to receive data from and transmit data to the transmission medium and to execute the method, the method comprising:

generating a descrambler status signal;

generating a remote receiver status signal;

generating a link status signal;

receiving the descrambler status signal, the remote receiver status signal, the link status signal; and

generating a link failure signal based on the descrambler status signal, the remote receiver status signal, and the link status signal.

19 . The method of claim 18 , wherein the link failure signal is generated within 1 millisecond of a link failure.

20 . The method of claim 19 , wherein the link failure signal is a value indicative of any of “FAIL”, “READY”, and “OK”.