Patent ID: 7839765

Claim:
A host bus adapter for implementing a first port of a node in a network of nodes interconnected through an intelligent connection system, the host bus adapter comprising: a transceiver providing a physical interface for the first port; and a protocol controller configured to transmit a notification to the intelligent connection system on behalf of a remote second port indicating that the second port has potentially failed when the second port fails to communicate with the first port, wherein transmission of the notification to the intelligent connection system is to cause the intelligent connection system to determine all other remote ports in communication with the second port and to notify the other remote ports of a state change at the second port, wherein the protocol controller is configured to attempt to communicate with only remote ports not previously determined to be inoperative by the protocol controller, wherein a determination that the remote ports are inoperative is made in response to one or more notifications from the intelligent connection system that the remote ports have experienced an internal state change.