Ethernet Switch Direct Packet Forwarding for FCoE Latency
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional Fibre Channel over Ethernet (FCoE) networks experience high communication latency and bottlenecks due to the need for packets to be transmitted through external switches, which lengthens the communication path and creates bottlenecks between switches.
Innovation Solution
An Ethernet switch is connected to external devices using an encapsulating I/O protocol over Ethernet and an N_Port ID virtualization, allowing direct packet transmission to destination devices without relay through an FC switch, by utilizing a storage unit and processor to manage destination information and process packets efficiently.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If packets are transmitted through external FC switches in conventional FCoE networks, then device connectivity and protocol compatibility are achieved, but communication latency increases and bottlenecks occur between switches
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the packet forwarding function from external FC switches and implements it directly within the Ethernet switch. The Ethernet switch stores destination information (FC IDs and corresponding port numbers) in a table and directly forwards FCoE packets to destination devices without routing them through external FC switches, thereby eliminating the latency and bottlenecks caused by external switch relay while maintaining protocol compatibility through NPIV virtualization
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the FCoE packet switching function with the Ethernet switch by integrating the destination information table and packet forwarding logic into the Ethernet switch's control unit. This consolidation allows the Ethernet switch to simultaneously handle both Ethernet traffic and FCoE traffic, eliminating the need for separate FC switch infrastructure and reducing communication path length
2Adaptability or versatility
If packets are relayed through external switches, then network topology flexibility is maintained, but communication bottlenecks occur between switches
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the intermediate relay step through external switches by implementing direct packet forwarding within the Ethernet switch. The control unit checks the destination FC ID against the stored destination information table and directly transmits packets to the corresponding port, eliminating the bottleneck created by external switch relay and significantly improving communication throughput while maintaining network flexibility through configurable destination tables
Data Source
AI summary
An Ethernet switch which is connected to a plurality of external devices using an encapsulating I/O protocol over Ethernet, and is connected to a I/O protocol switch using N_Port ID virtualization includes: a storage unit which stores destination information describing an external device whose connection is established in the FCoE in the plurality of external devices; and a processor. When the processor receives a packet addressed from a first external device to a second external device in the external devices, the processor checks whether or not the destination information describes the second external device. When the second external device is described in the destination information, the processor transmits the packet to the second external device.