Patent ID: 7525983
Filing Date: 2009-04-28
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. A method for assigning virtual lanes (VL) in a fibre channel switch having a plurality of ports, comprising: (a) receiving an incoming frame at a port from among the plurality of ports; wherein each of the plurality of ports include a receive segment to receive the incoming frame and a transmit segment for transmitting the incoming frame; (b) determining if a destination identifier and a source identifier in a frame header for the incoming frame matches a destination identifier value and a source identifier value stored at the port receiving the incoming frame; (c) if there is no match in step (b), then assigning a virtual lane based on a frame parameter within the frame header; (d) if there is a match in step (b) then assigning a virtual lane based on a parameter from a virtual lane cache; and (f) if there is a match in step (b), determining if an indicator for indicating that the received frame is a preferred frame is set; and (g) if the indicator in step (f) is set, then assigning a virtual lane with a preferred routing priority.