Fibre channel over ethernet

Abstract

The use of Ethernet as an underlying transport for Fibre Channel (FC) frames is disclosed in the Fibre Channel Over Ethernet (FCOE) protocol. In FCOE, the FC physical layer and part of the FC-2 link layer are replaced with the Ethernet physical and link layers. Each FC frame is encapsulated within an Ethernet Frame. The payload of the FCOE frame contains type information from the FC Start Of Frame (SOF) indicator, the FC header, an optional FC payload, and type information from the FC End Of Frame (EOF) indicator. In one embodiment, an Ethernet network carrying FCOE replaces a standard FC network. In another embodiment, devices implementing FCOE may be implemented in a blade server. The entire backplane is Ethernet, over which both storage and networking traffic can be run. The Ethernet links are connected to an Ethernet switch, a FCOE/FC converter, and a FC switch.

1 . An Ethernet device comprising:
 a processor operable to generate an Ethernet frame comprising:   a destination Media Access Control (MAC) address translated from a Fibre Channel (FC) destination address using an Address Resolution Protocol (ARP);   a source MAC address translated from an FC source address using the ARP;   an Ethertype value indicating that the Ethernet frame is a Fibre Channel over Ethernet (FCoE) frame;   an FCoE Start Of Frame (SOF) translated from an FC SOF, the FCoE SOF being a first type;   an FC header; and   an FCoE End Of Frame (EOF) translated from an FC EOF, the FCoE EOF being a second type, wherein the first type and the second type are represented differently.   
     
     
         2 - 26 . (canceled) 
     
     
         27 . The Ethernet device of  claim 1 , wherein the Ethernet frame comprises a Virtual Local Area Network (VLAN) field. 
     
     
         28 . The Ethernet device of  claim 1 , wherein the Ethernet frame comprises a Fibre Channel payload. 
     
     
         29 . The Ethernet device of  claim 1 , wherein the Ethernet frame comprises a Fibre Channel Cyclic Redundancy Check (CRC). 
     
     
         30 . The Ethernet device of  claim 1 , wherein the Ethernet frame comprises padding. 
     
     
         31 . The Ethernet device of  claim 1 , wherein the Ethernet frame comprises a 2112 byte FC payload. 
     
     
         32 . The Ethernet device of  claim 1 , wherein the Ethernet device is operably coupled to an FCoE switch. 
     
     
         33 . The Ethernet device of  claim 1 , wherein the Ethernet device comprises an FCoE switch. 
     
     
         34 . A blade server comprising the Ethernet device of  claim 1   
     
     
         35 . The Ethernet device of  claim 1 , wherein the processor is operable to convert an FCoE frame into an FC frame. 
     
     
         36 . A method of encapsulating a Fibre Channel (FC) in an Ethernet frame frame, the method comprising:
 translating a Fibre Channel (FC) destination address into a destination Media Access Control (MAC) address using an Address Resolution Protocol (ARP);   translating an FC source address into a source MAC address using the ARP;   setting an Ethertype value to indicate that the Ethernet frame is a Fibre Channel over Ethernet (FCoE) frame;   translating an FC Start Of Frame (SOF) into an FCoE SOF, the FCoE SOF being a first type; and   translating an FC End Of Frame (EOF) into an FCoE EOF, the FCoE EOF being a second type, wherein the first type and the second type are represented differently.   
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein the method comprises setting a Virtual Local Area Network (VLAN) field. 
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein the method comprises transferring a Fibre Channel payload to the Ethernet frame. 
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 38 , wherein the method comprises padding the Fibre Channel payload according to size. 
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 38 , wherein the FC payload comprises 2112 bytes. 
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein the method comprises generating a Fibre Channel Cyclic Redundancy Check (CRC). 
     
     
         42 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein the method comprises switching the Ethernet frame between a plurality of Ethernet devices. 
     
     
         43 . A method of processing an Ethernet frame, the method comprising:
 detecting an Ethertype value to indicate that the Ethernet frame is a Fibre Channel over Ethernet (FCoE) frame;   translating a destination Media Access Control (MAC) address into a Fibre Channel (FC) destination address according to an Address Resolution Protocol (ARP);   translating a source MAC address into an FC source address according to the ARP;   translating an FCoE Start Of Frame (SOF) into an FC SOF, the FCoE SOF being a first type;   translating an FCoE End Of Frame (EOF) into an FC EOF, the FCoE EOF being a second type, wherein the first type and the second type are represented differently;   generating an FC frame comprising the FC destination address, the FC source address, the FC SOF and the FC EOF.   
     
     
         44 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein the method comprises switching the FC frame between a plurality of FC devices. 
     
     
         45 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein the method comprises switching the Ethernet frame between a plurality of Ethernet devices.