OUT-OF-BAND CONTROL OF COMMUNICATION PROTOCOL IN AN IN-LINE DEVICE

Abstract

Systems and methods for a network diagnostic component that is placed in-line between two nodes in a network to control the protocol with which two nodes communicate. The network diagnostic component receives a network data stream from a first node for communication with a second node. The network data stream is received by a receive component or module. The network data stream includes a portion that conforms with at least a first network protocol. The diagnostic component then determines that the first network protocol is not to be used to communicate with the second node. This determination is performed by a determine component or module. The diagnostic component modifies the network data stream so that the network data stream is in a form that is no longer recognized by the second node as being in accordance with the first network protocol. The modification is performed by a modification component or module.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

To further clarify the above and other advantages and features of the present invention, a more particular description of the invention will be rendered by reference to specific embodiments thereof which are illustrated in the appended drawings. It is appreciated that these drawings depict only typical embodiments of the invention and are therefore not to be considered limiting of its scope. The invention will be described and explained with additional specificity and detail through the use of the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates a block diagram of a network including a network diagnostic component placed in-line between two nodes;

FIG. 2 illustrates a detailed view of a particular embodiment of the network of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 illustrates a method for a network diagnostic component placed in-line between two nodes to control the protocol with which the two nodes communicate; and

FIG. 4 illustrates data burst and D.C. idle portions of various SAS and SATA OOB signals.

Claims

1. A method for a network diagnostic component that is placed in-line between first and second nodes in a network to control a protocol with which the first and second nodes communicate with each other, the method comprising: an act of receiving a network data stream from the first node for communication with the second node, a portion of the network data stream conforming with at least a first network protocol;an act of determining that the first network protocol is not to be used to communicate with the second node; andan act of modifying the network data stream so that the network data stream is in a form that is no longer recognized by the second node as being in accordance with the first network protocol.

2. The method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the network data stream includes at least one or more data portions corresponding to the first network protocol and one or more D.C. idle portions, the act of modifying the network data stream comprising: an act of changing the one or more data portions corresponding to the first network protocol into D.C. idle portions; andan act of passing any data portions that do not correspond to the first network protocol unchanged to the second node.

3. The method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the network data stream includes at least one or more data portions corresponding to the first network protocol, the act of modifying the network data stream comprising: an act of blocking the one or more data portions corresponding to the first network protocol such that the one or more data portions are not passed to the second node.

4. The method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the act of determining that the first network protocol is not to be used to communicate with the second node comprises: an act of receiving data that indicates that portions of the network data stream corresponding to the first network protocol should not be passed; andan act of identifying the portions of the network data stream that correspond to the first network protocol based on the received data.

5. The method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the first network protocol includes one of communication rules, speed negotiation rules, or a combination of the two.

6. The method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the first network protocol is one of the SAS protocol or the SATA protocol.

7. The method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the network data stream comprises one or more data bursts of a defined period and one or more DC-idle periods whose length identify the type of the one or more data bursts.

8. The method in accordance with claim 7, wherein the one or more data bursts are of the SAS protocol or the SATA protocol.

9. A network diagnostic device placed in-line between first and second nodes in a network comprising: a first component configured to receive a network data stream from the first node for communication with the second node, a portion of the network data stream conforming with at least a first network protocol;a second component configured to determine that the first network protocol is not to be used to communicate with the second node; anda third component configured to modify the network data stream so that it is in a form that is no longer recognized as being in accordance with the first network protocol.

10. The network diagnostic device in accordance with claim 9, wherein the first component is a FIFO buffer configured to receive and store the network data stream.

11. The network diagnostic device in accordance with claim 9, wherein the second component comprises: a register configured to receive data that indicates that portions of the network data stream corresponding to the first network protocol should not be passed; anda control mechanism configured to identify the portions of the network data stream that correspond to the first network protocol based on the data received by the register.

12. The network diagnostic device in accordance with claim 9, wherein the third component comprises a state machine configured to modify the network data stream.

13. The network diagnostic device in accordance with claim 9, wherein the first and second nodes are SAS/SATA nodes.

14. The network diagnostic device in accordance with claim 9, wherein the network diagnostic device is a SAS/SATA network component.

15. The network diagnostic device in accordance with claim 9, wherein the first network protocol is one of SAS protocol or SATA protocol.

16. The network diagnostic device in accordance with claim 9, wherein the network diagnostic device is one of a bit error rate tester, a protocol analyzer, a generator, a jammer, and a monitor.

17. A diagnostic network comprising: a first node;a second node;a network diagnostic component placed in-line between the first and second nodes comprising: a receive module configured to receive a network data stream from the first node for communication with the second node, a portion of the network data stream conforming with at least a first network protocol;a determine module configured to determine that the first network protocol is not to be used to communicate with the second node; anda modify module configured to modify the network data stream so that it is in a form that is no longer recognized as being in accordance with the first network protocol.

18. The diagnostic network in accordance with claim 17, wherein the first network protocol in one of the SAS protocol or the SATA protocol.

19. The diagnostic network in accordance with claim 17, wherein the network data stream comprises one or more SAS or SATA data bursts of a defined period and one or more DC-idle periods whose length identify the type of the one or more data bursts as being of the SAS or SATA protocol.

20. The diagnostic network in accordance with claim 17, wherein the first and second nodes are SAS/SATA nodes and the network diagnostic device is a SAS/SATA network component.