Patent ID: 7496042

Claim:
In a Fibre Channel system configured for interconnection of a plurality of stations as part of a digital system using a main loop such that digital data flows between the stations on the main loop through a Fibre Channel hub based on operational status of the system, said Fibre Channel hub being configured for interconnection of said stations using a series of ports which interface with said main loop, each station being operatively coupled to one of said ports such that each one of said stations is selectively insertable in the main loop via the ports to cause said digital data to flow through the stations and such that each one of the stations is selectively and individually bypassable with respect to the main loop while the station is operatively coupled to one of the ports to prevent said digital data from flowing through each of the stations, the improvement comprising: an arrangement forming part of the hub and part of at least one selected station configured for sending a set of loop-back test data from the selected station to the hub when the selected station is operatively coupled to one of the ports and, thereafter, looping the set of loop-back test data, at least partially through a diagnostics loop separate from the main loop, back to the selected station in a loop-back mode in a way which confirms operation of the selected station using the port into which the selected station is operatively coupled and which also confirms the operation of at least a portion of said hub.