Automated protocol selection for host adapter card

Abstract

A method is disclosed, wherein a host adapter is selectively connected to a network using either a four-channel connection or a single-channel connection. Whether the four-channel connection or the single-channel connection has been made to the host adapter is automatically detected. A default four-channel protocol is automatically invoked in response to detecting the four-channel connection has been made. An alternative single-channel protocol is automatically invoked, instead, in response to detecting the single-channel connection has been made. The host adapter communicates over the network using the selected one of the default, four-channel protocol and the alternative, single-channel connection using the same host adapter.

1 . A method, comprising:
 selectively connecting a host adapter to a network using a four-channel connection or a single-channel connection;   automatically detecting whether the four-channel connection or the single-channel connection has been made to the host adapter;   automatically invoking a default four-channel protocol in response to detecting the four-channel connection has been made or an alternative single-channel protocol in response to detecting the single-channel connection has been made; and   communicating from the host adapter over the network using the selected one of the default, four-channel protocol and the alternative, single-channel connection using the same host adapter.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising
 supplying Vital Product Data (VPD) to the host adapter in response to making the single-channel connection to indicate that the single-channel connection has been made; and   wherein the step of determining that the single-channel connection has been made is performed by reading and interpreting the VPD.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 supplying Vital Product Data (VPD) to the host adapter in response to making the four-channel connection to indicate that the four-channel connection has been made; and   wherein the step of determining that the four-channel connection has been made is performed by reading and interpreting the VPD.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 automatically invoking the first, four-channel protocol in the absence of any VPD specifying a particular protocol.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first, four-channel protocol comprises an InfiniBand protocol and the alternative, single-channel protocol comprises an Ethernet protocol.