Patent ID: 7573909

Claim:
A method for routing fibre channel frames using a fibre channel switch element, comprising the steps of: (a) receiving a fibre channel frame at a port of the fibre channel switch element having a plurality of ports; (b) indexing a look up table by using (i) a Domain value for routing the fibre channel frame to another fibre channel switch, (ii) an Area value for routing the fibre channel frame within the fibre channel switch that received the fibre channel frame, (iii) a Virtual Storage Area Network identifier (VSAN#) for routing the fibre channel frame within a Virtual Storage Area Network, and (iv) an Arbitrated Loop Physical Address (AL_PA) value included in a header of the fibre channel frame; wherein the look up table includes a plurality of columns for storing destination information indexed by the Domain value, the Area value, the Virtual Storage Network identifier and the Arbitrated Loop Physical Address; (c) selecting a look up table value from one of the plurality of columns of the look up table, for routing a fibre channel frame based on a column select signal generated by a hardware logic of the fibre channel switch element; and (d) routing the frame if a route based on the selected table value is valid.