Patent ID: 7340167
Filing Date: 2008-03-04
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. A network for communication between a target device operationally coupled to a proprietary switch fabric and a host system, comprising: a transparent Fibre Channel switch element that is operationally coupled to the host system and the proprietary switch fabric; and the Fibre Channel switch element's presence is transparent to the proprietary switch fabric when the host system communicates with the target device; and the Fibre Channel switch element includes at least a transparent fabric port and a transparent host port; wherein after the Fibre Channel switch element is powered up, the transparent host port is initialized and the Fibre Channel switch element collects identifier information for a host bus adapter during a fabric login process; and after the identifier information is collected, the transparent host port is disabled; and the transparent fabric port is initialized after the transparent host port is disabled; and the transparent fabric port sends a fabric login request (FLOGI) to the proprietary switch fabric as if the Fibre Channel switch element was the host system; and the transparent fabric port stores virtual N_Port identifier (VNPID) information in an alias cache for routing frames and every entry for a virtual N_Port matches with a corresponding transparent host port.