Multifabric Communication Using a Backbone Fabric

Abstract

A Fibre Channel router used to join fabrics. EX_ports are used to connect to the fabrics. The EX_port joins the fabric but the router will not merge into the fabric. Ports in the Fibre Channel router can be in a fabric, but other ports can be connected to other fabrics. Fibre Channel routers can be interconnected using a backbone fabric. Global, interfabric and encapsulation headers are developed to allow routing by conventional Fibre Channel switch devices in the backbone fabric and simplify Fibre Channel router routing. Phantom domains and devices must be developed for each of the fabrics being interconnected. Front phantom domains are present at each port directly connected to a fabric. Each of these is then connected to at least one translate phantom domain. Zoning is accomplished by use of a special LSAN zoning naming convention. This allows each administrator to independently define devices are accessible.

1 . A Fibre Channel network comprising:
 a first edge Fibre Channel fabric;   a first device connected to said first edge Fibre Channel fabric;   a second edge Fibre Channel fabric;   a second device connected to said second edge Fibre Channel fabric;   a first Fibre Channel routing device connected to said first edge fabric;   a second Fibre Channel routing device connected to second first edge fabric; and   a backbone Fibre Channel fabric connected to said first and second Fibre Channel routing devices,   wherein said first and second Fibre Channel routing devices are configured to allow said first and second devices to communicate.