FC Fabric Login Logout Engine Session Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
In Fiber Channel fabric systems, server devices often remain logged in indefinitely, leading to inefficient allocation of resources and hardware limitations, such as ACL space limits, which requires manual intervention to free up resources for more efficient use.
Innovation Solution
An Information Handling System with a processing system and memory that includes a login/logout engine to manage FC fabric sessions by creating, terminating, and recreating sessions based on time periods, storing session information in hardware and software tables, and allowing for time extensions and probe communications to maintain resource efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If server devices remain logged into the FC fabric indefinitely, then FC fabric access resources are allocated to server devices, but hardware table limitations (ACL space limits) are exceeded and resource utilization becomes inefficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic session management where FC fabric sessions are automatically terminated after a predetermined time period expires. The login/logout engine monitors session duration and actively logs out devices that have been inactive, transforming the static indefinite session model into a dynamic time-limited session model. This resolves the contradiction by allowing sessions to be continuously allocated and released based on actual usage patterns, preventing hardware table limitations from being exceeded while maintaining reliability for active sessions.
Solution Approach 2:
The system employs periodic session renewal mechanisms where the login/logout engine periodically evaluates whether to extend or terminate sessions based on activity monitoring. This periodic action ensures that ACL space is freed up for inactive devices while maintaining continuous access for active ones, resolving the resource allocation contradiction through time-based periodic reassessment rather than indefinite allocation.
2Ease of operation
If manual intervention is required to free up FC fabric access resources, then network administrators can manage resource allocation, but system complexity increases and productivity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements self-service automation where the login/logout engine automatically monitors session activity, determines when sessions should be terminated, and executes logout operations without requiring network administrator intervention. The system autonomously manages FC fabric access resources by automatically freeing up ACL space for inactive devices, eliminating manual operational steps and improving productivity while maintaining ease of resource allocation management.
Solution Approach 2:
The system incorporates feedback mechanisms where the login/logout engine continuously monitors session activity status and uses this feedback to automatically make decisions about session continuation or termination. This closed-loop feedback system enables automatic resource management that improves both ease of operation and productivity by eliminating manual intervention while maintaining optimal resource allocation based on real-time usage patterns.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the number of logged-in server devices increases, then more devices can access the SAN, but hardware table limitations are exceeded
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the time-based parameter of session allocation, implementing predetermined time periods for session validity. This parameter change allows the system to support a higher number of devices by dynamically allocating hardware table entries based on session age and activity rather than maintaining permanent entries for all logged-in devices. The time-limited session model increases adaptability while preserving hardware table capacity for actively used devices.
Data Source
AI summary
An FC fabric login/logout system includes an FC switch device coupled to an endpoint device by an intermediate FC fabric device. The intermediate FC fabric device receives a first FC fabric login from the endpoint device and, in response, performs FC fabric login operations to create an FC fabric session between the endpoint device and the FC switch device, and stores FC fabric session information in hardware table(s). When the intermediate FC fabric device determines that an FC fabric session time period has passed, it ends the FC fabric session by clearing the FC fabric session information from the hardware table(s), and stores the FC fabric session information in software table(s). If the intermediate FC fabric device then receives a second FC fabric login from the endpoint device, it recreates the FC fabric session by transferring the FC fabric session information from the software table(s) to the hardware table(s).