Patent ID: 6470026
Filing Date: 2002-10-22
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
An interface controller that operates within a fibre channel node to implement all phases of the fibre channel loop initialization protocol, the interface controller coupled to receiver and transmitter components that are both, in turn, coupled to a communications network transport medium through which the fibre channel node exchanges frames composed of an ordered set of data units with other fibre channel nodes, the interface controller comprising:a frame manager that receives data units from the receiver and that transmits data units to a transmitter, the frame manager, receiver, and transmitter together providing an inherent data buffering capacity to the fibre channel node; a logic component that processes data units received by the frame manager, that initiates transmission of data units by the frame manager, and that coordinates the transmission of data units with respect to the reception of data units in order to implement all phases of the fibre channel loop initialization protocol; a memory buffer having a size of at least 13 bytes that, combined with the inherent data buffering capacity of the fibre channel nodes coupled to the transport medium of the communications network, is sufficient in size to hold data units of a frame being received by the frame manager until the data units are processed by the logic component; and a generator that generates and transmits to the transmitter certain data units required by the fibre channel loop initialization protocol for inclusion in a frame being transmitted by the frame manager.