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：GB2295032A

公开(公告)日：1996-05-15

申请号：GB9422932

申请日：1994-11-14

Applicant: IBM

Inventor： BEER REGINALD ,  CUTTS STANLEY JOHN ,  KEW STEVEN BRIAN ,  MORRIS NEIL ,  NEWMARCH DAVID

IPC: G05B23/02 ,  G11B33/14 ,  G11B33/10

Abstract: A cooling system provides redundant fault-tolerant cooling to electrical devices in a data storage system and comprises a plurality N+1 individual cooling means, N cooling means being required to provide cooling of said devices and further comprises monitor logic for monitoring the status of said plurality of cooling means and for issuing a non-critical warning to said apparatus in the event of failure of one of said cooling means, said logic being further operable, in the event of a failure in said logic, to issue a non-critical warning to said apparatus.

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：GB2376612B

公开(公告)日：2004-06-09

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 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：GB2384405A

公开(公告)日：2003-07-23

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 has a plurality of devices each device having at least one port on the loop network. The method includes determining which ports are populated with devices for which the unique port name (WWPN) is not known 302. The populated ports are then all bypassed 303 and a mode is entered on the loop network in which idle frames are transmitted around the loop network. 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：GB2377144A

公开(公告)日：2002-12-31

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 (400) is provided. The loop network (400) has a host means (402), a first loop and a second loop (406, 408), a plurality of ports (410) connected to each of the loops (406, 408) and a control device (414, 440) on or connected to each loop (406, 408) with bypass control over at least one of the ports (410) connected to the loop (406, 408). In the event of a failure on the first loop (406), the host means (402) instructs the bypassing of at least one port (410) on the first loop (406), the host means (402) sending the instructions via the control device (414, 440) on or connected to the second loop (408). The host means (402) may determine the physical topology of the ports (410) on the first and second loops (406, 408) such that when a failure is reported to the host means (402) by a port (432) on the first loop (406), the host means (402) instructs the bypassing of a port (434) in a specific relationship to the reporting port (432) on the first loop (434). The host means (402) may instruct the bypassing of all ports (416) on the first loop (406) and subsequently selectively un-bypass ports (416) to ascertain the location of a faulty port or ports.