Patent ID: 8244948

Claim:
A Serial Attached Small Computer System Interface (SAS) switch including at least three SAS expanders, comprising: a first SAS expander including at least three phys; a second SAS expander including at least three phys; a third SAS expander including at least three phys; a first SAS wide port including at least three lanes, one of the at least three lanes of the first SAS wide port designateable as a connection request lane; a second SAS wide port including at least three lanes, one of the at least three lanes of the second SAS wide port designateable as a connection request lane, a third SAS wide port including at least three lanes, one of the at least two lanes of the third SAS wide port designated as a connection request lane, wherein the connection request lane of each SAS wide port is operably coupled to a different SAS expander of the at least three SAS expanders.