Patent ID: 8782321
Filing Date: 2014-07-15
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
1. A method comprising: establishing, by a multiprotocol input-output (I/O) interconnect of a computer apparatus, a first communication path between ports of a switching fabric of the multi-protocol I/O interconnect in response to a peripheral component interconnect express (PCIe) device being connected to the computer apparatus, the first communication path communicatively connecting the PCIe device to the computer apparatus; establishing, by the multiprotocol input-output I/O interconnect, a second communication path between the switching fabric and a PCIe controller; and routing, by the multi-protocol I/O interconnect, PCIe protocol packets of the PCIe device from the PCIe device to the PCIe controller over the first and second communication paths wherein-establishing a first communication path includes establishing, by the multiprotocol input-output I/O interconnect, a virtual PCIe link between at least two adapters implemented by the ports of the switching fabric, in response to the PCIe protocol packets having a packet header that includes a protocol defined field specifying maintenance of synchronization between the adapters of the ports of the switching fabric.