IP Switch SAN Analytics Through NVMe/TCP PDU Parsing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing Storage Area Networks (SANs) primarily rely on Fiber Channel (FC) switches for analytics management, which limits efficiency, reliability, and security in data storage operations.
Innovation Solution
Utilizing Internet Protocol (IP) switches for SANs to manage analytics by collecting and analyzing NVMe/TCP Protocol Data Units (PDUs) through metadata headers and TCP segments, enabling efficient, reliable, and secure data storage operations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If Fiber Channel (FC) switches are used for SAN analytics management, then analytics management is possible, but efficiency, reliability, and security are limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the fundamental protocol parameters by transitioning from Fiber Channel protocol to Internet Protocol (IP) for SAN analytics management. This parameter change enables the use of IP switches with TCP/IP networking capabilities, which provide improved reliability through established internet protocol reliability mechanisms while avoiding the limitations of FC switch technology.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent substitutes the mechanical FC switch system with an IP-based network switch system. By replacing the specialized FC hardware infrastructure with standard IP network switches running TCP/IP protocols, the system achieves equivalent or superior analytics management functionality with improved reliability and broader industry support.
2Productivity
If IP switches are used for SAN analytics management, then efficiency and security are improved, but compatibility with existing FC SANs may be reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies universality by making IP switches the platform for multiple SAN protocols. The IP switch can handle both traditional FC SAN traffic and NVMe/TCP storage traffic over the same network infrastructure, enabling a single device to serve multiple functions and protocol families, thereby maintaining compatibility while improving efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The IP switch acts as an intermediary between storage devices and network infrastructure. By introducing IP networking as an intermediate layer, the system can translate and route storage traffic between different protocol domains (FC and NVMe/TCP), maintaining compatibility with existing FC SANs while enabling improved IP-based analytics management.
3Reliability
If FC switches are used, then SAN analytics management is established, but enterprise-level auto-discovery and authentication features are lacking
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements feedback mechanisms through IP-based analytics collection on the switch. The system continuously monitors storage traffic, collects performance metrics, and provides real-time feedback about storage device status and health. This enables automatic discovery of storage devices and continuous authentication/verification of device identity and access rights through the IP networking layer.
Data Source
AI summary
This disclosure describes techniques for performing Internet Protocol (IP) switch-based Storage Area Networks (SANs) analytics management. An example method is performed by an IP switch. The method includes identifying information associated with Non-Volatile Memory express (NVMe)/Transport Control Protocol (TCP) Protocol Data Units (PDUs) examined from an Application-Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC) data path. The information can be stored based on the NVMe/TCP PDUs being included in separate corresponding TCP data segments, according to a handshake protocol. Alternatively or additionally, the information can be stored based on a metadata header being received as a first PDU in a TCP segment. The NVMe/TCP PDUs can be used to extract the information to populate connection and IO tables inside an ASIC. The storage I/O metrics may then be available from the tables.