Method and apparatus for routing between fibre channel fabrics
An interfabric link between two separate Fiber Channel fabrics so that devices in one fabric can communicate with devices in another fabric without requiring the merger of the two fabrics. The interfabric switch performs a conversion or a translation of device addresses in each fabric so that they are accessible to the other fabric. This translation is preferably done using a private to public loop address translation. In a first embodiment the external ports of the interfabric switch are configured as E_ports. A series of internal ports in each interfabric switch are joined together forming a series of virtual or logical switches. The virtual switches are then interconnected using private loops. The use of the private loop is enabled by the presence of translation logic which converts fabric addresses to loop addresses and back so that loop and fabric devices can communicate. Because each port can do this translation and the private loop addressing does not include domain or area information, the change in addresses between the fabrics is simplified. In a second embodiment the external ports are configured as NL_ports and the connections between the virtual switches are E_ports. Thus the private to public and public to private translations are done at the external ports rather than the internal ports as in the prior embodiment. The virtual switches in the interfabric switch match domains with their external counterparts so that the virtual switches effectively form their own fabric, connected to the other fabrics by the private loops.
1. A Fibre Channel interfabric device, comprising:
a first Fibre Channel port connected to a first Fibre Channel fabric;
a second Fibre Channel port connected to a second Fibre Channel fabric; and
processing circuitry configured to transfer Fibre Channel packets, that were transmitted through the first Fibre Channel fabric from a first device and received at the first Fibre Channel port, from the second Fibre Channel port through the second Fibre Channel fabric and to a second device, with all switching being done using a first Fibre Channel address local to and unique in the first Fibre Channel fabric to represent the second device, and a second Fibre Channel address local to and unique in the second Fibre Channel fabric to represent the first device.
2. The Fibre Channel interfabric device of claim 1 , wherein the processing circuitry is configured to perform public to private address translations and to perform private to public address translations.
3. The Fibre Channel interfabric device of claim 1 , wherein the processing circuitry is connected to the first Fiber Channel port and to the second Fibre Channel port.
4. The Fibre Channel interfabric device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a first Fibre Channel switch connected to the first Fibre Channel port; and
a second Fibre Channel switch connected to the second Fibre Channel port, wherein
the processing circuitry is connected to the first Fibre Channel switch and the second Fibre Channel switch.
5. The Fibre Channel interfabric device of claim 4 , wherein the first Fibre Channel switch and the second Fibre Channel switch are connected to each other.
6. The Fibre Channel interfabric device of claim 1 , wherein the processing circuitry is configured to translate between a first device address of the first device and the second Fibre Channel address.
7. The Fibre Channel interfabric device of claim 1 , wherein the second Fibre Channel address is a virtual address designated to the first device.
8. A method for switching Fibre Channel addresses in a Fibre Channel interfabric device including a first Fibre Channel port connected to a first Fibre Channel fabric, and a second Fibre Channel port connected to a second Fibre Channel fabric, the method comprising:
transferring Fibre Channel packets, that were transmitted through the first Fibre Channel fabric from a first device and received at the first Fibre Channel port, from the second Fibre Channel port through the second Fibre Channel fabric and to a second device, with all switching being done using a first Fibre Channel address local to and unique in the first Fibre Channel fabric to represent the second device, and a second Fibre Channel address local to and unique in the second Fibre Channel fabric to represent the first device.
9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:
performing public to private address translations; and
performing private to public address translations.
10. The method of claim 8 , wherein the Fibre Channel interfabric device further includes:
a first Fibre Channel switch connected to the first Fibre Channel port; and
a second Fibre Channel switch connected to the second Fibre Channel port.
11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the first Fibre Channel switch and the second Fibre Channel switch are connected to each other.
12. The method claim 8 , further comprising translating between a first device address of the first device and the second Fibre Channel address.
13. The method of claim 8 , wherein the second Fibre Channel address is a virtual address designated to the first device.
14. An interfabric device connected to a first fabric via a first port and connected to a second fabric via a second port, the interfabric device comprising:
processing circuitry configured to
transfer packets, that were transmitted through the first fabric from a first device and received at the first port, from the second port through the second fabric and to a second device; and
perform switching using a first Fibre Channel address local to and unique in the first fabric to represent the second device, and a second Fibre Channel address local to and unique in the second fabric to represent the first device.
15. The interfabric device of claim 14 , wherein the processing circuitry is configured to perform public to private address translations and to perform private to public address translations.
16. The interfabric device of claim 14 , wherein the processing circuitry is connected to the first port and to the second Channel port.
17. The interfabric device of claim 14 , further comprising:
a first switch connected to the first port; and
a second switch connected to the second port, wherein
the processing circuitry is connected to the first switch and the second switch.
18. The interfabric device of claim 17 , wherein the first switch and the second switch are connected to each other.
19. The interfabric device of claim 14 , wherein the processing circuitry is configured to translate between a first device address of the first device and the second Fibre Channel address.
20. The interfabric device of claim 14 , wherein the second Fibre Channel address is a virtual address designated to the first device.