Patent ID: 8031722

Claim:
Within a data storage system, a method for controlling a network switch having a set of ports, comprising: configuring the network switch to provide an initial set of communications paths between the ports, the initial set of communications paths defining an initial communications path topology within the network switch; after configuring the network switch to provide the initial set of communications paths within the network switch, receiving a configuration command which identifies a particular operating mode of the data storage system; and in response to the configuration command, reconfiguring the network switch to provide a new set of communications paths between the ports, the new set of communications paths (i) defining a new communications path topology within the network switch, the new communications path topology being different than the initial communications path topology, and (ii) supporting the particular operating mode of the data storage system; wherein the network switch is a multi-port Ethernet switching integrated circuit device; wherein configuring the network switch to provide the initial set of communications paths between the ports includes: sending an initial microcontroller signal from a microcontroller to the multi-port Ethernet switching integrated circuit device to direct the multi-port Ethernet switching integrated circuit device to provide the initial set of communications paths; and wherein receiving the configuration command which identifies the particular operating mode of the data storage system includes receiving the identification of the particular operating mode following an initial power up of the data storage system.