Patent ID: 7646767
Filing Date: 2010-01-12
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. A method for routing fibre channel frames using a fibre channel switch element, comprising: (a) receiving a fibre channel frame at a port of the fibre channel switch element; (b) indexing a look up table by using an output value generated by a hashing module for the fibre channel switch element; a domain value for routing the fibre channel frame to another fibre channel switch, an area value for routing the fibre channel frame to a port of the fibre channel switch that received the fibre channel frame, a virtual storage area network identifier for routing the fibre channel frame within a virtual storage area network, and an arbitrated loop physical address (AL_PA) value included in a header of the fibre channel frame; (c) selecting a column value from the look up table based on a column select signal generated by a hardware logic; wherein the column select signal is based on the output value generated by the hashing module; and wherein the output value is a pseudo random number value generated by the hashing module by applying a hash function on a field of a fibre channel frame header of the fibre channel frame; and the pseudo random number value is used for selecting the column value used for routing the frame; and (d) based on the selected column value, routing the frame if a route is valid.