DATA CUT-THROUGH IN AN INFINIBAND/FIBRE CHANNEL BRIDGE

Abstract

A bridge comprises an InfiniBand port, a fibre channel port, a cut-through data path coupled to the InfiniBand port and fibre channel port comprising a data buffer path operable to store data, and a message control path operable to decode and encode message headers.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1 shows an example of a cut-through data path in a bridge, consistent with an example embodiment of the invention

FIG. 2 shows a cut-through data path within a bridge architecture, consistent with an example embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 3 shows a block diagram of a bridge architecture, consistent with an example embodiment of the invention.

Claims

1. A bridge, comprising: an InfiniBand port;a fibre channel port; anda cut-through data path coupled to the InfiniBand port and fibre channel port; the data path comprising a data buffer path operable to store data and a message control path operable to decode and encode message headers.

2. The bridge of claim 1, the message control path further operable to manage message processing in the data path.

3. The bridge of claim 2, wherein managing processing comprises management of a credit system in which credits are used upon processing a message and released upon completion of processing the message.

4. The bridge of claim 1, wherein the bridge is bidirectional, and is operable to bridge data messages from InfiniBand to fibre channel and to bridge messages from fibre channel to InfiniBand.

5. The bridge of claim 1, further comprising a command path operable to process and transfer commands between the Infiniband interface and the fibre channel interface.

6. The bridge of claim 5, wherein the command path comprises a command path FPGA comprising a fibre channel command engine and a SCSI RDMA command engine.

7. The bridge of claim 1, further comprising a setup path operable to configure a link between the fibre channel adapter and the Infiniband channel adapter.

8. The bridge of claim 7, wherein the setup path comprises a control processor.

9. A method of operating a bridge, comprising: storing data in a cut-through data path coupled to an InfiniBand port and a fibre channel port, the data path operable to transfer data between the InfiniBand port and the fibre channel port; anddecoding and encoding message headers in a message control path, the cut-through data path and message control path comprising paths within the bridge.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising managing message processing in the data path via the message control path.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein managing processing comprises management of a credit system in which credits are used upon processing a message and released upon completion of processing the message.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the bridge is bidirectional, and is operable to bridge data messages from InfiniBand to fibre channel and to bridge messages from fibre channel to InfiniBand.

13. The method of claim 9, further comprising handling command processing and transfer between the Infiniband interface and the fibre channel interface via a command path.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the command path comprises a command path FPGA comprising a fibre channel command engine and a SCSI RDMA command engine.

15. The method of claim 9, further comprising configuring a link between the fibre channel adapter and the Infiniband channel adapter via a setup path.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the setup path comprises a control processor.

17. A computerized networked system, comprising: an InfiniBand port;a fibre channel port; anda cut-through data path coupled to the InfiniBand port and fibre channel port; the data path comprising a data buffer path operable to store data and a message control path operable to decode and encode message headers.

18. The computerized networked system of claim 17, further comprising a command path operable to process and transfer commands between the Infiniband interface and the fibre channel interface.

19. A bridge, comprising: storage means for storing data in a cut-through data path providing a data link between an InfiniBand port and a fibre channel port; andcontrol means for decoding and encoding message headers in a message control path, the cut-through data path and message control path comprising paths within the bridge.