公开(公告)号：GB2384405B

公开(公告)日：2004-10-06

申请号：GB0201212

申请日：2002-01-19

Applicant: IBM

Inventor： BEER REGINALD ,  CASHMAN PAUL NICHOLAS ,  HOOTON PAUL ,  MORRIS NEIL ,  MADDOCK ROBERT FRANK ,  NICHOLSON ROBERT BRUCE

IPC: H04L12/42 ,  H04L12/423 ,  H04L12/437

Abstract: A method and apparatus for detection of a port name in a loop network is provided, particularly a loop network in the form of a Fibre Channel Arbitrated Loop (FC-AL). The loop network ( 100 ) has a plurality of devices ( 120 ) each device ( 120 ) having at least one port ( 211, 212 ) on the loop network ( 100 ). The method includes determining which ports ( 211, 212 ) are populated with devices ( 120 ) for which the unique port name (WWPN) is not known. The populated ports are then all bypassed and a mode is entered on the loop network ( 100 ) in which idle frames are transmitted around the loop network ( 100 ). One port is un-bypassed at a time and the port name from the un-bypassed port is received and recorded. The port name is received from the un-bypassed port in a Loop Initialisation Select Master (LISM) frame transmitted by the un-bypassed port.

公开(公告)号：GB2357601A

公开(公告)日：2001-06-27

申请号：GB9930284

申请日：1999-12-23

Applicant: IBM

Inventor： BEER REGINALD ,  MADDOCK ROBERT FRANK ,  VEAL MICHAEL

IPC: G06F1/32 ,  G06F1/26

Abstract: Remote power control of devices in a computer system where each device communicates with the next device, in which, if communication from the previous device stops 350 and the device has received a shutdown command 330, the device enters a standby mode, in which, signal activity of its input ports is monitored 370 using a standby power supply, and if a signal resumes at any of its ports which was previously inactive 380 main power is restored to the device 390.

公开(公告)号：CA2095054A1

公开(公告)日：1993-12-21

申请号：CA2095054

申请日：1993-04-28

Applicant: IBM

Inventor： JUDD IAN D ,  BEER REGINALD

IPC: H04L1/00 ,  H04L1/18 ,  H04L12/28 ,  H04L69/40 ,  H04L29/14

Abstract: An error recovery method for use in an information communication system which comprises a plurality of nodes connected by links. Information is transferred between the nodes in frames of predefined types, including at least a first frame type used to transfer data and a second frame type used for error recovery. Each node has at least a first and a second mode of operation, in the first mode frames of both first and second types are accepted, in the second mode frames of the first type are discarded and only frames of the second type are accepted. A master node which controls error recovery is selected from amongst those nodes which can initiate transfers.

公开(公告)号：GB2357601B

公开(公告)日：2004-03-31

申请号：GB9930284

申请日：1999-12-23

Applicant: IBM

Inventor： BEER REGINALD ,  MADDOCK ROBERT FRANK ,  VEAL MICHAEL

IPC: G06F1/32 ,  G06F1/26

公开(公告)号：GB2318262B

公开(公告)日：2000-11-08

申请号：GB9620959

申请日：1996-10-08

Applicant: IBM

Inventor： BEER REGINALD ,  DEACON PETER JOHN ,  JUDD IAN DAVID ,  MORRIS NEIL

IPC: H04L12/437

Abstract: A data processing system comprises a host computer connected for the transfer of data to and from a plurality of data storage devices arranged in a string, the host computer including communication means comprising first and second ports connecting to first and second communication links, the first and second communication links being connected respectively to first and second data storage devices of said string. A bypassing means is provided between the first and second ports of the host system and the first and second data storage devices, the bypassing means being comprised of an independent bypass circuit on each of the first and second communication links between each of the first and second ports and the first and second data storage devices, the bypassing means being operable to bypass the host computer by connecting the first and second devices only when both of said independent bypass circuits detect a lack of data transfer on their respective links.

公开(公告)号：GB2343313A

公开(公告)日：2000-05-03

申请号：GB9823784

申请日：1998-10-31

Applicant: IBM

Inventor： BEER REGINALD ,  MORRIS NEIL

IPC: H04B10/80 ,  H04B10/00

Abstract: A data storage array comprises an enclosure having a plurality of data storage devices mounted therein, each of the storage devices including an optical receiver and transmitter. An optical data path is defined within the enclosure by, for example, two mirrors located at opposite ends of the enclosure. The optical receiver and transmitter of each device is positioned in the data path, for transmitting and receiving data to and from the receiver and transmitter of the other storage devices within the enclosure.

公开(公告)号：GB2318262A

公开(公告)日：1998-04-15

申请号：GB9620959

申请日：1996-10-08

Applicant: IBM

Inventor： BEER REGINALD ,  DEACON PETER JOHN ,  JUDD IAN DAVID ,  MORRIS NEIL

IPC: H04L12/437

Abstract: A data processing system comprises a host computer connected for the transfer of data to and from a plurality of data storage devices arranged in a string, the host computer including communication means comprising first and second ports connecting to first and second communication links, the first and second communication links being connected respectively to first and second data storage devices of said string. A bypassing means is provided between the first and second ports of the host system and the first and second data storage devices, the bypassing means being comprised of an independent bypass circuit 70 on each of the first and second communication links between each of the first and second ports and the first and second data storage devices the bypassing means being operable to bypass the host computer (shown as a node to be protected against) by connecting the first and second devices only when both of said independent bypass circuits detect a lack of data transfer on their respective links.

公开(公告)号：GB2377144B

公开(公告)日：2004-11-10

申请号：GB0117092

申请日：2001-07-13

Applicant: IBM

Inventor： BEER REGINALD ,  CASHMAN PAUL NICHOLAS ,  JUDD IAN DAVID ,  HOOTON PAUL ,  MADDOCK ROBERT FRANK ,  MORRIS NEIL ,  NICHOLSON ROBERT BRUCE ,  WHYTE BARRY DOUGLAS

IPC: H04L12/437 ,  H04L45/28

Abstract: A method and apparatus for recovery from faults in a loop network (500) is provided. The loop network (500) has a plurality of ports (520, 530, 532, 534) serially connected with means for bypassing the ports (520, 530, 532, 534) from the loop network (500). A control device (522, 524) is provided with bypass control over at least one of the ports (530, 532, 534). A host means (502) sends a command to the control device (522, 524) at regular intervals and the control device (522, 524) has a counter which restarts a time period at the receipt of each command. If the time period expires, the control device (522, 524) activates the means for bypassing all the ports (530, 532, 534) under its control. The loop network (500) may have two loops (516, 518) with at least some of the ports (520, 530, 532, 534) common to both loops (516, 518).

公开(公告)号：GB2376612A

公开(公告)日：2002-12-18

申请号：GB0114614

申请日：2001-06-15

Applicant: IBM

Inventor： CASHMAN PAUL NICHOLAS ,  NICHOLSON ROBERT BRUCE ,  MADDOCK ROBERT FRANK ,  BEER REGINALD ,  MORRIS NEIL ,  JUDD IAN DAVID ,  WHYTE BARRY DOUGLAS ,  HOOTON PAUL

IPC: H04L12/24 ,  H04L12/437 ,  H04L12/42 ,  H04L12/26

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for fault location in a loop or ring network (100, 200, 400) . The network system having a host port (214) for supplying and receiving data and a plurality of successively connected ports (201, 202, 203, 204, 205) through which data from the host port (214) is transferred. A counter (122) for each port records data transfers in which the amount of data received at a destination port is less than an expected amount of data. When a transfer with less than the expected amount of data is identified for a data flow between a sending port (201) and a destination port (214), the counters are incremented for each port (202, 203, 204, 205, 214) after the sending port up to and including the destination port. Analysing means determines a fault location in the network system from the distribution of counts in the counters (122).

公开(公告)号：DE69331868D1

公开(公告)日：2002-06-06

申请号：DE69331868

申请日：1993-05-18

Applicant: IBM

Inventor： JUDD IAN DAVID ,  BEER REGINALD

IPC: H04L12/56

Abstract: Described is a network addressing scheme in which a message sent from a source node to a destination node include a path address which defines the path over which the message should travel to reach the destination node. At each node between the source and destination, the path address is compared against a predetermined value, and on determining that the address and predetermined value are different, the node modifies the address before forwarding the message onto the next node. In a switch node having three or more ports, the identity of the output port is determined from the path address and a portion of the address is deleted before sending the message out on that output port. Also described is a method of configuring a network in which one or more initiator nodes are defined, the initiator nodes issuing query messages to an adjacent node which responds by sending the initiator details of the number of operational ports which are implemented in the adjacent node. The initiator node then issues query messages addressed to those nodes which are attached to the operational ports on the adjacent node. This continues until the initiator has walked through the entire network at which point the configuration process is complete.