Method, apparatus, and system for employing an enhanced port multiplier
View Patent ↗A method, apparatus and system for employing an enhanced port multiplier are provided. In one embodiment, a network host is configured to be coupled with a port multiplier in a network. The port multiplier is configured into being cascaded into being coupled with a plurality of port multipliers and a plurality of network devices.
1. An apparatus comprising:
a network host configured to be coupled with a port multiplier in a network; and
the port multiplier including a top port multiplier of a plurality of port multipliers coupled with a network host and with other port multipliers of the plurality of port multipliers, wherein the top port multiplier includes an enhanced port multiplier to establish and maintain communication with each of the other plurality of port multipliers to facilitate communication, in multiple cascading levels, between the network host, other port multipliers, and a plurality of network devices, the other port multipliers having one or more of intermediate port multipliers and one or more of bottom port multipliers, wherein the one or more intermediate port multipliers include one or more enhanced intermediate port multipliers to facilitate additional one or more cascading levels, wherein the one or more intermediate port multipliers and the one or more bottom port multipliers include one or more third-party port multipliers to facilitate communication between the network host and one or more third-party network devices.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the port multiplier comprises a Serial Advanced Technology Attachment (SATA) port multiplier having two ports.
3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the network host comprises a SATA network host.
4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the network host communicates with the top port multiplier via a standard SATA communication signal.
5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the top port multiplier communicates with the other port multipliers and the plurality of network devices via enhanced SATA communication signals.
6. A system comprising:
a port multiplied network configured to couple a network host to a plurality of network devices via a plurality of port multipliers over multiple cascading levels, the port multiplied network including:
a top port multiplier of the plurality of port multipliers configured to couple the network host with a other port multipliers of the plurality of port multipliers, wherein the top port multiplier includes a top an enhanced port multiplier to establish and maintain communication with each of the plurality of port multipliers to facilitate communication, in the multiple cascading levels, between the network host, other port multipliers, and a plurality of network devices, the other port multipliers having one or more of intermediate port multipliers and one or more bottom port multipliers, wherein the one or more intermediate port multipliers include one or more enhanced intermediate port multipliers to facilitate additional one or more cascading levels, wherein the one or more intermediate port multipliers and the one or more bottom port multipliers include one or more third-party port multipliers to facilitate communication between the network host and one or more third-party network devices.
7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the top port multiplier in communicates the other port multipliers and the plurality of network devices via an enhanced communication signal.
8. The system of claim 6 , wherein the network host comprises a Serial Advanced Technology Attachment (SATA) network host.
9. A method comprising:
coupling a network host to a plurality of network devices via a plurality of port multipliers over multiple cascading levels, wherein the plurality of port multipliers includes a top port multiplier configured to coupled the network host with other port multipliers of the plurality of port multipliers to establish and maintain communication with each of the plurality of port multipliers to facilitate communication, in the multiple cascading levels, between the network host, other port multipliers, and the port multipliers having one or more of intermediate port multipliers and one or more bottom port multipliers, wherein the one or more intermediate port multipliers include one or more enhanced intermediate port multipliers to facilitate additional one or more cascading levels, wherein the one or more intermediate port multipliers and the one or more bottom port multipliers include one or more third-party port multipliers to facilitate communication between the network host and one or more third-party network devices; and
establishing communication between the plurality of networking host, the port multipliers, and the network host.
10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising establishing communication between the top port multiplier and the plurality of port multipliers and the plurality of network devices via an enhanced communication signal.
11. The method of claim 9 , wherein the network host comprises a Serial Advanced Technology Attachment (SATA) network host.