Monitoring in switch networks

Abstract

Monitoring in switch networks is disclosed. Ports in a switch may include monitoring circuitry and a monitoring tap which allows traffic data to be diverted for monitoring prior to any significant transformation of the traffic by the regular port logic. Furthermore, the monitoring circuitry can receive signaling and convert it for subsequent analysis by a protocol analyzer. The ports and paths in the switch network can be configured to create monitor paths to enable diverted traffic data to be passed through the network to locations where a protocol analyzer can be easily attached. With wide bandwidth ports, there is no disruption to the system. Because only a copy of the data is routed to the analyzer, there is no change to the original signal path and latency is identical with or without the analyzer.

1 . A method for remote monitoring of traffic in a network, comprising:
 tapping off traffic data from a first port;   routing the traffic data from the first port to a second port through one or more wide ports;   adaptively selecting one or both of the first port and the second port;   converting a protocol of the traffic data at the selected port; and   providing the traffic data at the second port for analysis.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , the traffic data representing transmit (Tx) and receive (Rx) traffic on the first port, the method further comprising: configuring the first port as a monitoring tap port operably to divert the Tx and Rx traffic; and configuring the second port as a pass-thru port to provide the diverted traffic data at an output of the second port. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising: configuring a third port on the first switch and a fourth port on the second switch as pass-thru ports for the diverted traffic data. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising tapping off the Tx and Rx traffic prior to any substantial primitive manipulation or addition of fill words for rate matching. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising configuring the first and second ports by routing a port configuration command through a logical port to a processor operably coupled to one or both of the first and second ports. 
     
     
         6 - 10 . (canceled) 
     
     
         11 . A switch for remote monitoring of traffic in a switch network, the switch comprising:
 a crossbar switch core;   a plurality of ports configured to be selectively connectable to the crossbar switch core, one or more of the ports comprising:
 a monitoring tap configured for diverting traffic data from the port, and 
 monitor logic for enabling the port to be configured for monitoring; and 
 a processor coupled to the crossbar switch core and the plurality of ports for receiving a configuration command through the crossbar switch core to configure one or more of the plurality of ports, the processor being adaptively selected for converting a protocol of the diverted traffic data. 
   
     
     
         12 . The switch of  claim 11 , the traffic representing transmit (Tx) and receive (Rx) traffic, the switch further comprising a first port configured as a monitoring tap port to divert the Tx and Rx traffic from the first port as the diverted traffic data. 
     
     
         13 . The switch of  claim 12 , further comprising a second port configured as a pass-thru port to pass the diverted traffic data through the second port. 
     
     
         14 . (canceled) 
     
     
         15 . The switch of  claim 12 , the monitoring tap on each port configured for tapping off the Tx and Rx traffic prior to substantial primitive manipulation or addition of fill words for rate matching. 
     
     
         16 . The switch of  claim 12 , further comprising a logical port coupled to the processor and the crossbar switch core and configured for providing access to the processor from the switch core. 
     
     
         17 - 22 . (canceled) 
     
     
         23 . The switch of  claim 11 , wherein the switch forms a part of a switch network. 
     
     
         24 . A switch network comprising:
 a first switch having a first port, the first port being operable to divert traffic data to a wide bandwidth path; and   a second switch operably coupled to the first switch through the wide bandwidth path, the second switch having a second port, the second switch being operable to communicate the diverted traffic data through the second port;   one or both of the first switch and the second switch being adaptively selected to convert a protocol of the diverted traffic data.   
     
     
         25 . The switch network of  claim 24 , the diverted traffic data representing transmit (Tx) and receive (Rx) traffic on the first port, the first port having a monitor tap for tapping off the Tx and Rx traffic from the first port as the diverted traffic data, and the second switch configured as a pass-thru switch to pass the diverted traffic data through the second port. 
     
     
         26 . The switch network of  claim 25 , further comprising:
 a third port on the first switch and a fourth port on the second switch, the third and fourth ports forming a part of the wide path between the first and second switches, respectively, and configured as pass-thru ports to reserve the third and fourth ports for the diverted traffic data.   
     
     
         27 . The switch network of  claim 25 , wherein the monitor tap is configured for tapping off the Tx and Rx traffic prior to substantial primitive manipulation or addition of fill words for rate matching. 
     
     
         28 . The switch network of  claim 25 , each of the first and second switches further comprising a processor accessible through a logical port, the processor programmed for configuring the first and second ports in accordance with a configuration command received through the logical port. 
     
     
         29 . The switch network of  claim 24 , the diverted traffic data comprising out-of-band (OOB) signaling on the first port: the first port having a monitor tap for tapping off the OOB signaling. 
     
     
         30 . The switch network of  claim 29 , further comprising: a third port on the first switch and a fourth port on the second switch, the third and fourth ports configured as pass-thru ports to reserve the third and fourth ports for the diverted traffic data. 
     
     
         31 . The switch network of  claim 29 , the first port further comprising an envelope detector to detect the OOB signaling. 
     
     
         32 . The switch network of  claim 29 , each of the first and second switches further comprising a processor accessible through a logical port, the processor programmed for configuring the first and second ports in accordance with a configuration command received through the logical port. 
     
     
         33 . (canceled) 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein converting a protocol comprises converting from a first protocol to a second protocol, the second protocol being different than the first protocol. 
     
     
         35 . The switch of  claim 11 , wherein converting a protocol comprises converting from a first protocol to a second protocol, the second protocol being different than the first protocol. 
     
     
         36 . The switch network of  claim 24 , wherein converting a protocol comprises converting from a first protocol to a second protocol, the second protocol being different than the first protocol.