It uses hardware functionally to rapidly move large and small amounts of data over long distances. Channels have traditionally operated in closed, hardware-intensive environments where the addresses of all devices are known to the operating system. This yields fast and reliable data, but works in inflexible structures limited to short distances. However, networks are flexible and work over long distances. They operate in an environment of unanticipated connections and handle an extensive range of tasks.
Networks have their own limitations.
Since they operate in unreliable environments, networks are software intensive, spending considerable effort on error detection and recovery. Fibre Channel unites these two diverse camps. It combines the speed and reliability of channel communication with the flexibility and extended reach of a network. Fibre Channel provides high-performance, reliable communication over distances up to 10 kilometers. This is possible because Fibre Channel is a dedicated data handler, not unlike the telephone system.