Systems and method for routing data

Abstract

Provided herein are methods and systems for routing data. One embodiment comprises a network interconnection device comprising a switch, a SERDES and a bridge router. The switch is operable to receive data according to a plurality of channel protocols, such as Fibre Channel and Ethernet. The SERDES (serial encoder/decoder) is operable to transfer the received data to a host bus. The bridge router is operable to transfer the received data from the host bus to a bridged network according a network configuration.

1 . A network interconnection device comprising:
 a switch operable to receive data from a channel;   a logic circuit operably connected to the switch and a host, the logic circuit comprising a register table operable to receive and store configuration information against which the received data is compared; and   a bridge router operable to transfer the received data over a bridged network according to the configuration information.   
     
     
         2 . The network connection device of  claim 1 , wherein the received data is routed according to an address domain. 
     
     
         3 . The network connection device of  claim 1 , wherein the received data is routed according to data link layer information. 
     
     
         4 . The network connection device of  claim 1 , wherein the received data is routed according to network layer information. 
     
     
         5 . The network connection device of  claim 1 , wherein the bridged network is operable with different types of channels. 
     
     
         6 . The network connection device of  claim 1 , wherein the channel is a Fibre Channel. 
     
     
         7 . The network connection device of  claim 1 , wherein the channel is a Ethernet. 
     
     
         8 . The network connection device of  claim 1 , wherein the switch comprises a serial encoder/decoder operable to convert a serial interface a parallel interface. 
     
     
         9 . The network connection device of  claim 1 , wherein the received data comprises an address. 
     
     
         10 . The network connection device of  claim 1 , wherein the switch comprises an interface between the channel and a parallel bus. 
     
     
         11 . A method for network interconnection, the method comprising:
 receiving data from a channel;   comparing the received data with stored configuration information; and routing the received data over a bridged network according to the comparison.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the received data is routed according to an address domain. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the received data is routed according to data link layer information. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the received data is routed according to network layer information. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the channel is a Fibre Channel. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the channel is a Ethernet. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the data is received by a switch that comprises an interface between the channel and a parallel bus. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the interface between the channel and the parallel bus comprises a serial encoder/decoder operable to convert a serial interface a parallel interface. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the received data comprises an address. 
     
     
         20 . A network interconnection device comprising:
 a switch operable to receive data according to a plurality of channel protocols;   a serial encoder/decoder operable to transfer the received data to a host bus; and   a bridge router operable to transfer the received data from the host bus to a bridged network according to a network configuration.