Unified Storage Fabric VLAN Zoning for FC and Ethernet Traffic
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Solution Overview
Problem
Storage networking complexity arises from the mixing of IP storage traffic with general IP traffic, leading to compromised traffic quality and security, as well as administrative challenges in managing different configurations within storage area networks (SANs) and file area networks (FANs).
Innovation Solution
A Unified Storage Fabric (USF) is introduced, which optimizes storage traffic by allowing Fibre Channel (FC) and Ethernet storage traffic to share an underlying network, extending FC SAN attributes to Ethernet devices, and using VLAN information for enhanced zoning to restrict communications between FCoE devices, enabling both hard and soft zoning.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If IP storage traffic and general IP traffic share the same LAN, then network complexity is reduced and ease of operation is improved, but traffic quality and security are compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments storage traffic from general IP traffic by introducing VLANs (Virtual LANs) that isolate storage traffic into dedicated virtual networks. This allows storage traffic to be separated from general IP traffic while still sharing the physical LAN infrastructure, thereby maintaining ease of operation while improving traffic quality and security through logical segmentation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses VLANs as an intermediary mechanism between physical network infrastructure and traffic isolation requirements. VLANs act as a mediator that enables traffic classification and isolation without requiring separate physical networks, thus resolving the contradiction between operational simplicity and traffic quality assurance.
2Reliability
If a separate IP storage network is added to isolate storage traffic, then traffic quality and security are improved, but device complexity increases and ease of manufacture deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the existing LAN infrastructure universal by enabling it to perform both general IP traffic forwarding and storage traffic isolation through VLAN functionality. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate dedicated storage network hardware, thereby improving traffic quality while avoiding the increase in device complexity that would result from adding separate physical networks.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the operational parameters of the existing LAN by introducing VLAN identifiers and configuration parameters that enable traffic segmentation. This allows the same physical network infrastructure to provide both general networking and storage traffic isolation without adding new physical devices, thus improving traffic quality while maintaining network simplicity.
3Adaptability or versatility
If FC and Ethernet storage traffic share the same network, then adaptability and versatility are improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces dynamic configuration capabilities through VLAN tagging and FCoE (Fibre Channel over Ethernet) encapsulation, allowing the network to adaptively handle both FC and Ethernet storage traffic. The system can dynamically classify and route different traffic types based on their characteristics, providing versatility while managing complexity through intelligent traffic handling rather than separate physical infrastructures.
Data Source
AI summary
A network where FC and Ethernet storage traffic share the underlying network. The network extends FC SAN storage specific attributes to Ethernet storage devices. The network is preferably formed of FC switches, so each edge switch acts as an FCoE FCF, with internal communications done using FC. IP packets are encapsulated in FC packets for transport. Preferably, either each outward facing switch port can be configured as an Ethernet or FC port, so devices can be connected as desired. FCoE devices connected to the network are in particular virtual LANs (VLANs). The name server database is extended to include VLAN information for the device and the zoning database has automatic FCOE_VLAN zones added to provide a mechanism for enhanced soft and hard zoning. Zoning is performed with the conventional zoning restrictions enhanced by including the factor that any FCoE devices must be in the same VLAN.