BACKGROUND 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   The present invention relates to data storage systems, and more particularly to routing non-data frames. 
   2. Background of the Invention 
   Fibre channel is a set of American National Standard Institute (ANSI) standards which provide a serial transmission protocol for storage and network protocols such as HIPPI, Small Computer Systems Interface (“SCSI”), IP, ATM and others. Fibre channel provides an input/output interface to meet the requirements of both channel and network users. 
   SCSI is commonly used to transfer information between a host computer system and a storage device (for example, a SCSI device). SCSI is an industry standard that defines a system level bus with intelligent controllers on each device to manage flow of information. 
   In a typical SCSI exchange, an initiator sends a “read” or “write” command to a target. For a read operation, the target sends the requested data to the initiator. For a write command, the target sends a “Ready to Transfer” response informing the initiator that the target is ready to accept the write data. The initiator then sends the write data to the target. Once the data is transferred, the exchange enters the response phase. The target then sends a response to the initiator with the status of the operation. Once the initiator receives this response, the exchange is complete. 
   In a typical fibre channel system, a host computer uses a host bus adapter (“HBA”) to transfer data from and to a host. Host adapters receive frames either from a host or from a fibre channel device (for example, a SCSI device) and then facilitate transfer of data. 
   In conventional systems, an HBA includes a single processor that analyzes every incoming frame, extract the required information to continue or terminate data exchange. Even if no action is required to process the frame, the processor must still analyze it. This slows the overall process of data transfer and is hence not desirable in today&#39;s systems where transfer and processing times must be efficient. 
   Therefore, what is required is a system that minimizes processor involvement if no substantive action is required by the HBA processor. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   In one aspect of the present invention, a method for processing non-data frames in a host bus adapter with a main processor and a first processor, coupled to a host system and fibre channel, is provided. The method includes, examining non-data frames; storing non-data frame information; notifying the first processor of non-data frames; and processing non-data frames without generating an interrupt to the main processor. 
   In another aspect, a system for processing non-data frames is provided. The system includes, the host adapter with the main processor and the first processor; and the fibre channel module with a state machine, wherein the fibre channel module receives and examines the non-data frames and stores non-data frame information in a FIFO and notifies the first processor that non-data frames have been received. 
   In one aspect of the present invention, no interrupt is generated to notify the main processor of an HBA to process non-data frames. This saves main processor resources and improves the overall efficiency of HBAs. 
   This brief summary has been provided so that the nature of the invention may be understood quickly. A more complete understanding of the invention can be obtained by reference to the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments thereof concerning the attached drawings. 


   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The foregoing features and other features of the present invention will now be described with reference to the drawings of a preferred embodiment. In the drawings, the same components have the same reference numerals. The illustrated embodiment is intended to illustrate, but not to limit the invention. The drawings include the following Figures: 
       FIG. 1  shows a block diagram of a host system that uses a host bus adapter, according to one aspect of the present invention; 
       FIG. 2  shows a block diagram with a host operationally coupled to a host adapter using the various aspects of the present invention; 
       FIG. 3  shows a block diagram of the host adapter components using the various aspects of the present invention; and 
       FIG. 4  shows a flow diagram of process steps for handling non-data frames according to one aspect. 
   


   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
   The following definitions are provided as they are typically (but not exclusively) used in the fibre channel/SCSI environment, implementing the various adaptive aspects of the present invention. 
   “CS-CTL”: Class Specific Control defined by Fibre Channel Standard. 
   “DF — CTL”: Data Field Control defined by Fibre Channel Standard. 
   “D-ID”: Destination Identifier defined by Fibre Channel Standard. 
   “EOF” End of Frame 
   “EOFt”: End of Frame, Terminate 
   “FC”: Fibre Channel 
   “Fibre channel ANSI Standard”: The standard describes the physical interface, transmission and signaling protocol of a high performance serial link for support of other high level protocols associated with IPI, SCSI, IP, ATM and others. 
   “FC-1”: Fibre channel transmission protocol, which includes serial encoding, decoding and error control. 
   “FC-2”: Fibre channel signaling protocol that includes frame structure and byte sequences. 
   “FC-3”: Defines a set of fibre channel services that are common across plural ports of a node. 
   “FC-4”: Provides mapping between lower levels of fibre channel, IPI and SCSI command sets, HIPPI data framing, IP and other upper level protocols. 
   “Fabric”: A system which interconnects various ports attached to it and is capable of routing fibre channel frames by using destination identifiers provided in FC-2 frame headers. 
   “F — CTL”: Frame Control defined by Fibre Channel Standard. 
   “FCP — RSP”: Defined by Fibre Channel standard and provides completion information for a fibre channel input/output operation. 
   “R — CTL” FC-4 device data command status defined by Fibre Channel Standard. 
   “SCSI — FCP”: FC-4 protocol mapping of SCSI command protocol for a physical fibre channel interface. 
   “SOF”: Start of Frame 
   “SOFi3”: Start of Frame, Initiate Class 3 
   To facilitate an understanding of the preferred embodiment, the general architecture and operation of a host system with a driver will be described. The specific architecture and operation of the preferred embodiment will then be described with reference to the general architecture of the host system and host controller. 
     FIG. 1  shows a block diagram of a system  100  representing a computer, server or other similar devices, which may be coupled to a fiber channel fabric or any other system to facilitate communication. In general, system  100  typically includes a host processor  102  that is coupled to computer bus  101  for processing data and instructions. Computer bus  101  may be a PCI/PCI-X bus. In one aspect of the present invention, host processor  102  may be a Pentium Class microprocessor manufactured by Intel Corp™. 
   A computer readable volatile memory unit  103  (for example, random access memory unit) may be provided for temporarily storing data and instructions for host processor  102 . 
   A computer readable non-volatile memory unit  104  (for example, read-only memory unit) may also be provided for storing non-volatile data and instructions for host processor  102 . Data Storage device  105  is provided to store data and may be a magnetic or optical disk. 
   Interface logic  113  interfaces host processor  102  with memory modules  103 ,  104  and bus  101 . It is noteworthy that host processor  102  may be directly coupled to bus  101 . 
   System  100  includes a host controller  106  (also known as a host bus adapter or “HBA”) that facilitates data transfer to and from data storage  105 . 
     FIG. 2  shows a block diagram of system  100  with various components of HBA  106 . HBA  106  is coupled to a PCI/PCI-X bus  101  via a PCI interface unit (or state machine) 201 . 
   HBA  106  includes arbitration logic  202  that is coupled to a DMA controller  207 . DMA units are used to perform transfers between memory locations, or between memory locations and an input/output port. The transfer control information generally includes source address (the address of the beginning of a block of data to be transferred), the destination address, and the size of the data block. 
   HBA  106  includes a control module  204 , that includes a processor (for example, a RISC processor, a processor on the receive side and a processor on the transmit side) as described below with respect to  FIG. 3 . Module  204  is operationally coupled with random access memory (RAM)  205 , read only memory (ROM)  206  and buffer  208 . 
   Module  204  is also operationally coupled to a fibre channel protocol module (“FPM”)  203  that receives frames from fibre channel both inwards (to host  100 ) and outwards from host  100 . FPM  203  includes a FIFO where frames are received. Some of the frames are non-data frames. An example of non-data frames are “good status” and transfer ready frames”. 
   An example of a good status frame is provided below:
         (a) If the first number of bytes (for example, 12 bytes) of an FCP — RSP (Fibre Channel defined command) payload are all zero.       

   (b) If there is no D — ID (destination identifier, defined by Fibre Channel standard) error. 
   (c) Class 3 Frames only (as defined by Fibre Channel Standard): SOFi3 and EOFt
         (d) R — CTL provides FC-4 Device Data, Command Status.       

   (e) F — CTL matches firmware provided value. Frame TYPE is SCSI — FCP (0×08)
         (f) CS — CTL field is zero.       

   (g) DF — CTL field is zero. 
   (h) Parameter field is zero if “Enable Parameter Checking” bit is set. 
   (i) There are no Receive Errors, Transfer length Errors, or bad EOFs. 
   A transfer ready frame is a non-data frame that is send by a storage device ( 105 ) indicating that data is ready to be transferred. An example of a transfer ready frame is given below: 
   (a) Frame Payload length of a certain size (for example, 12 bytes). 
   (b) There is no D — ID error. 
   (c) For Class 3 frames only: SOFi3 and EOFt 
   (d) R — CTL indicates FC-4 Device Data, and Data Descriptor. 
   (e) The value for F — CTL is 0×890000. 
   (f) The frame TYPE is SCSI — FCP. 
   (g) CS — CTL field is zero. 
   (h) DF — CTL field is zero. 
   (i) Parameter field is zero if “Enable Parameter Checking” bit is set. 
   (j) There are no Receive Errors, Transfer length Errors, or bad EOFs. 
   The foregoing examples of good status frames and transfer ready frames are to illustrate the various adaptive aspects of the present invention and are not intended to limit the present invention to particular format types or frames sizes. 
   Non-data frames are examined and if they are for “good status” or “transfer ready”, as defined above, then the frames are organized and stored for RISC processor use. This avoids causing an interrupt for the RISC processor every time a non-data frame needs to be processed. 
     FIG. 3  shows a detailed block diagram of HBA  106  that includes control module  204 . In one aspect, control module  204  includes a processor (RISC or main processor)  204 A, a transmit sequencer (or processor) (Tx)  204 B that manages transmit operations from HBA  106  and a receive sequencer (or processor) (Rx)  204 C that manages receive operations. 
   HBA  106  also includes buffer  208  for storing information. In one aspect, information may be stored as non-data frames  208 A, control information  208 B and received data  208 C. Non-data frames  208 A may include good status frames and transfer ready frames. Frame buffer  208  is operationally coupled to control module  204 . This allows the various modules of control module  204  to read data from or write data to buffer  208 . 
   Incoming frame(s)  300  are received by FPM  203 . FPM  203  includes a state machine  203 A that examines all frames  300 . FPM  203  identifies if the frame is a “good status” frame OR “transfer ready”. In one aspect of the present invention, FPM  203  includes a FIFO to store incoming non-data frame information before the frames are transferred to buffer  208 . 
   If a good status or transfer ready frame is found, then the frame is stored in FIFO  203 B. An entry for the non-data frame is created and a bit is set that signals Rx Sequencer  204 C (via signal  301 ) to access/unload the non-data frame to frame buffer  208 . In one aspect of the present invention, RISC  204 A does not have to be interrupted to process the non-data frame. 
     FIG. 4  is a flow diagram showing process steps for validating non-data frames. 
   In step S 400 , plural frames are received by FPM  203 . 
   In step S 401 , FPM state machine  203 A examines the incoming frames and recognizes non-data frames. Frame header information is extracted and stored in FIFO  204 B. 
   In step S 403 , a counter in Rx Sequencer  204 C is updated, indicating to Rx Sequencer  204 C that a non-data frame has been received. 
   In step S 404 , Rx Sequencer  204 C uploads and processes the non-data frames. 
   In one aspect of the present invention, no interrupt is generated to notify RISC  204 A (or main processor of HBA  106 ) to process the non-data frames. This saves RISC  204 A resources and improves overall efficient of HBA  106 . 
   Although the present invention has been described with reference to specific embodiments, these embodiments are illustrative only and not limiting. Many other applications and embodiments of the present invention will be apparent in light of this disclosure and the following claims.
A method and system processing non-data frames in a host bus adapter with a main processor and a first processor coupled to a host system and fibre channel is provided. The method includes, examining non-data frames; storing non-data frame information; notifying the first processor of non-data frames; and processing non-data frames without generating an interrupt for the main processor. The host bust adapter includes a fibre channel module ("FPM") with a state machine, wherein the fibre channel module receives and examines the non-data frames and stores non-data frame information in a FIFO. The FPM notifies the first processor that the non-data frames have been received.