Subject: RE: questions about fcip

From: Robert Snively <[email-masked]>
Date: Wed, 7 Aug 2002 11:03:59 -0700

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Chong Peng [mailto:[email-masked]]
> Sent: Sunday, August 04, 2002 4:02 PM
> To: [email-masked]
> Subject: questions about fcip
> 
> 
> FCIP gurus:
> 
> The FCIP protocol allows one FCIP link have multiple TCP 
> connection. I have two questions about this:
> 
> 1. Why would a FCIP link need multiple TCP connections? 

	This allows implementations to avoid head of queue
	blocking of high priority transmissions, including
	the control functions.  Examples include allowing separation
	of class F (control services), class 2, and class 3
	Fibre Channel data transfer services.  Not all devices
	may choose to use multiple TCP connections.

> 2. If there are multiple TCP connections in a FCIP link, 
> which entity is responsible for distributing  traffic among them.

	This is defined in the FC-BB-2 document managed
	by the T11 committee.  Basically, the responsibility 
	for implementing a device is divided between Fibre
	Channel activities (implemented by the FC Entity) and
	FCIP activities (implemented by the FCIP Entity).  The
	FCIP Entity provides the multiple TCP connections and
	the FC Entity chooses which ones receive which types
	of data.  It also chooses how many are required for
	a particular link and establishes only that number.

	Hope that is some help.

Robert Snively
Brocade Communications Systems, Inc.
1745 Technology Drive
San Jose, CA  95110
E-Mail:         [email-masked] 
Phone:          (408) 487-8135
Fax:            (408) 392-6655