Patent ID: 6775230
Filing Date: 2004-08-10
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
A method for transmitting frames between a computer system and a storage system in a Storage Area Network, wherein the computer system and the storage system are coupled together by a switch, wherein at least a first port with a first port ID of the switch is coupled to the computer system, wherein a plurality of ports of the switch are coupled to the storage system, the method comprising:mapping a logical volume presented by the storage subsystem to at least a second port with a second port ID and a third port with a third port ID of the ports, wherein the logical volume is accessed by the computer system; establishing, at the switch, a first path between the first port and the second port and a second path between the first port and the third port; selecting the first path to send a frame from the computer system; receiving, at the switch, a first frame including the second port ID from the computer system; sending the first frame including the second port ID to the storage system via the first path; receiving, at the storage system, the first frame including the second port ID from the second port; determining a status of the first path by the switch; and switching from the first path to the second path based on the status; receiving, at the switch, a second frame including the second port ID from the computer system; sending the second frame including the second port ID to the storage system via the second path; accepting, at the storage system, the second frame including the second port ID received from the third port.