Patent ID: 6014370
Filing Date: 2000-01-11
Classification: H04L,H04Q

Abstract:
A method for controlling communications in a composite network comprised by plural Fibre Channel networks, whose Fibre Channel links are initialized by executing an initialization protocol, and an Asynchronous Transfer Mode network, known as an ATM network, adjoining said Fibre Channel networks, wherein said Fibre Channel networks and said ATM network are connected through respective inter-network bridging apparatuses to perform tasks comprising the steps of:monitoring said Fibre Channel networks and said ATM network;sending, when necessary, an abnormal notification cell to said ATM network upon detecting an abnormal event in either said Fibre Channel networks or said ATM network;starting an initialization protocol of said Fibre Channel link, upon detecting said abnormal event or receiving an abnormal notification cell from said ATM network;stopping said initialization protocol of said Fibre Channel link until an initialization-complete cell is received from said ATM network during execution of said initialization protocol of said Fibre Channel link and sending a series of initialization-start cells to said ATM network; andsending an initialization-complete cell to said ATM network when an initialization-start cell is received from said ATM network after sending initialization-start cells.