IP Library Granted Patent US 11,729,116
Granted Patent B2
US 11,729,116 · App. 16/814,089 · Granted Aug 15, 2023

Violation detection and isolation of endpoint devices in soft zoning environment

Inventors: Ramesh Kumar Subbiah (Chennai, IN); Vibin Varghese (Chennai, IN)
Assignee: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.
H04L49/357H04L43/022H04L47/2483H04L63/101H04L63/1408
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,729,116
App. No.
16/814,089
Granted
Aug 15, 2023
Kind
B2
Abstract

Systems and methods for handling soft zoning violations comprise assigning a first target device and an endpoint device that is coupled to a switch port of a Fibre Channel (FC) switch to a zone(s). In embodiments, in response to the endpoint device logging into the FC switch, sampled traffic that originates at the endpoint device and ingresses at the switch port may be obtained. In response to determining that the sampled traffic comprises a second traffic that is intended for a second target device that has not been assigned to the zone(s), some action to restrict the second traffic may be performed such as to restrict the non-assigned traffic and prevent devices from sending potentially harmful traffic to other devices that are not assigned to a same zone.

Claims (36)

1. A computer-implemented method for handling soft zoning violations, the method comprising:

assigning a first target device and an endpoint device that is coupled to a switch port of a Fibre Channel (FC) switch to one or more zones in a soft zoning environment;

in response to the endpoint device logging into the FC switch, obtaining sampled traffic that originates at the endpoint device and ingresses at the switch port;

obtaining from the sampled traffic a source identifier associated with the endpoint device and a destination identifier associated with a target device; and

using the source identifier and the destination identifier to determine that the sampled traffic comprises a second traffic that is intended for a second target device that has not been assigned to the one or more zones, performing one or more actions to restrict the second traffic.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the step of obtaining the sampled traffic comprises monitoring one or more ports of the endpoint device.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more actions comprise configuring access control list (ACL) entries such as to deny permission to one or more ports of the endpoint device to access the second target device.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more actions comprise shutting down one or more ports of the endpoint device that sent at least some of the second traffic.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 4 , further comprising, in response to a condition, reactivating the one or more ports of the endpoint device that sent at least some of the second traffic.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 5 , wherein the condition comprises at least one of a condition associated with the second traffic or a waiting period.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the step of performing one or more actions to restrict the second traffic comprises shutting down an interface through the endpoint device logged into the FC switch.

8. A Fibre Channel (FC) system for handling soft zoning violations, the system comprising:

an FC switch comprising;

a processor coupled to the FC switch; and

a non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause steps to be performed, the steps comprising:

assigning a first target device and an endpoint device that is coupled to a switch port of the Fibre Channel (FC) switch to one or more zones in a soft zoning environment;

in response to the endpoint device logging into the FC switch, obtaining sampled traffic that originates at the endpoint device and ingresses at the switch port;

obtaining from the sampled traffic a source identifier associated with the endpoint device and a destination identifier associated with a target device;

using the source identifier and the destination identifier to determine that the sampled traffic comprises a second traffic that is intended for a second target device that has not been assigned to the one or more zones; and

performing one or more actions to restrict the second traffic.

9. The FC system of claim 8 , wherein the FC switch instructs a device coupled to the endpoint device to cause the endpoint device to shut down one or more ports of the endpoint device that sent at least some of the second traffic.

10. The FC system of claim 9 , wherein the FC switch, in response to one of a condition associated with the second traffic or a waiting period, causes the one or more ports of the endpoint device that sent at least some of the second traffic to be reactivated.

11. The FC system of claim 8 , wherein the first and second target devices are storage devices.

12. The FC system of claim 8 , wherein the processor configures an access control list (ACL) such as to deny permission to one or more ports of the endpoint device to access the second target device.

13. The FC system of claim 8 , wherein the FC switch monitors one or more ports of the endpoint device to obtain the sampled traffic.

14. The FC system of claim 8 , wherein the step of performing one or more actions to restrict the second traffic comprises causing a shut down of the switch port through which the endpoint device interfaces with the FC switch.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable medium or media comprising one or more sequences of instructions which, when executed by at least one processor, causes steps to be performed comprising:

assigning a first target device and an endpoint device that is coupled to a switch port of a Fibre Channel (FC) switch to one or more zones in a soft zoning environment;

in response to the endpoint device logging into the FC switch, obtaining sampled traffic that originates at the endpoint device and ingresses at the switch port;

obtaining from the sampled traffic a source identifier associated with the endpoint device and a destination identifier associated with a target device; and

using the source identifier and the destination identifier to determine that the sampled traffic comprises a second traffic that is intended for a second target device that has not been assigned to the one or more zones, performing one or more actions to restrict the second traffic.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium or media of claim 15 , wherein the step of obtaining the sampled traffic comprises monitoring one or more ports of the endpoint device.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium or media of claim 15 , wherein the one or more actions comprise configuring access control list (ACL) entries such as to deny permission to one or more ports of the endpoint device to access the second target device.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium or media of claim 15 , wherein the one or more actions comprise shutting down one or more ports of the endpoint device that sent at least some of the second traffic.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium or media of claim 18 , further comprising, in response to a condition, reactivating the one or more ports of the endpoint device that sent at least some of the second traffic.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium or media of claim 19 , wherein the condition comprises at least one of a condition associated with the second traffic or a waiting period.

Assignments (13)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL/FRAME (053311/0169) Recorded Jun 23, 2022
From: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
To: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; EMC CORPORATION; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
Reel/Frame 060438/0742 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL/FRAME (053546/0001) Recorded Jun 23, 2022
From: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
To: DELL MARKETING L.P. (ON BEHALF OF ITSELF AND AS SUCCESSOR-IN-INTEREST TO CREDANT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.); DELL INTERNATIONAL L.L.C.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; DELL USA L.P.; EMC CORPORATION; DELL MARKETING CORPORATION (SUCCESSOR-IN-INTEREST TO FORCE10 NETWORKS, INC. AND WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.); EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
Reel/Frame 071642/0001 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL/FRAME (052852/0022) Recorded Jun 23, 2022
From: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
To: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
Reel/Frame 060436/0582 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL/FRAME (052851/0917) Recorded Jun 23, 2022
From: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
To: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
Reel/Frame 060436/0509 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL/FRAME (052851/0081) Recorded Jun 23, 2022
From: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
To: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
Reel/Frame 060436/0441 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST AT REEL 052771 FRAME 0906 Recorded Nov 2, 2021
From: CREDIT SUISSE AG, CAYMAN ISLANDS BRANCH
To: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
Reel/Frame 058001/0298 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 8, 2020
From: SUBBIAH, RAMESH KUMAR; VARGHESE, VIBIN
To: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.
Reel/Frame 053716/0257 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jun 5, 2020
From: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; EMC CORPORATION; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
To: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 053311/0169 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jun 5, 2020
From: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
To: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 052852/0022 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jun 5, 2020
From: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
To: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 052851/0917 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jun 5, 2020
From: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC; THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 052851/0081 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded May 28, 2020
From: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
To: CREDIT SUISSE AG, CAYMAN ISLANDS BRANCH
Reel/Frame 052771/0906 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Apr 22, 2020
From: CREDANT TECHNOLOGIES INC.; DELL INTERNATIONAL L.L.C.; DELL MARKETING L.P.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; DELL USA L.P.; EMC CORPORATION; FORCE10 NETWORKS, INC.; WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
To: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A.
Reel/Frame 053546/0001 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20210288923A1 · Sep 16, 2021
Cited By (1)
US 12,348,395