High speed fibre channel switch element
View Patent ↗A high-speed Fiber Channel switch element in a Fiber Channel network is provided. The Fiber Channel switch element includes, a rate select module that allows a port in the Fiber Channel switch element to operate at a rate equal to and/or higher than 10 gigabits per second (“G”). The port may operate at 20 G, 40 G or at a rate greater than 40 G. Also, a cut status is provided for cut-through routing between ports operating at different speed. Plural transmit and receive lines are used for port operation at a rate equal to or higher than 10 G.
1. A device, comprising:
a plurality of ports for sending and receiving frames, wherein each port is configurable to operate at more than one operating speed; and
a rate select module that receives a select speed signal from a common port of the device generated by firmware executed by a device processor, and based on the select speed signal, the rate select module provides a clock and a configuration signal to select an operating rate of a serializer/deserializer (SERDES) from among a plurality of SERDES to configure a port from among the plurality of ports to operate at a rate equal to or higher than 10 gigabits per second (“G”).
2. The device of claim 1 , wherein the device is a switch.
3. The device of claim 1 , wherein the port is configured to operate at 20 G (gigabits per second), or 40 G, or a rate greater than 40G (gigabits per second).
4. The device of claim 1 , wherein the port configured to operate at a rate equal to or greater than 10 G negotiates a transfer rate with other ports.
5. The device of claim 1 , wherein a cut status is used for cut-through routing between ports operating at different speeds.
6. The device of claim 1 , wherein a plurality of transmit and receive lanes are used for port operation at a rate equal to or higher than 10 G.
7. The device of claim 6 , wherein for 20 G operation each lane operates at 6.375 Gigabaud, and for 40 G operation each lane operates at 12.75 Gigabaud.
8. The device of claim 6 , wherein ports configured to operate at 20 G and 40 G port are connected using passive copper or actively driven copper paths.
9. The device of claim 6 , wherein ports configured to operate at 20 G and 40 G port are connected using optical transmission at the same or different wavelengths when multiple serial streams are used.
10. A network, comprising:
a device including a plurality of ports for sending and receiving frames, wherein each port is configurable to operate at more than one operating speed; and
a rate select module that receives a select speed signal from a common port of the device generated by firmware executed by a device processor, and based on the select speed signal, the rate select module provides a clock and a configuration signal to select an operating rate of a serializer/deserializer (SERDES) from among a plurality of SERDES to configure a port from among the plurality of ports to operate at a rate equal to or higher than 10 gigabits per second (“G”).
11. The network of claim 10 , wherein the device is a switch.
12. The network of claim 10 , wherein the port is configured to operate at 20 G (gigabits per second), or 40 G, or a rate greater than 40 G (gigabits per second).
13. The network of claim 10 , wherein the port configured to operate at a rate equal to or greater than 10 G negotiates a transfer rate with other ports.
14. The network of claim 10 , wherein a cut status is used for cut-through routing between ports operating at different speeds.
15. The network of claim 10 , wherein a plurality of transmit and receive lanes are used for port operation at a rate equal to or higher than 10 G.
16. The network of claim 15 , wherein for 20 G operation each lane operates at 6.375 Gigabaud, and for 40 G operation each lane operates at 12.75 Gigabaud.
17. The network of claim 15 , wherein ports configured to operate at 20 G and 40 G port are connected using passive copper or actively driven copper paths.
18. The network of claim 15 , wherein ports configured to operate at 20 G and 40 G port are connected using optical transmission at the same or different wavelengths when multiple serial streams are used.