Patent ID: 7925758

Claim:
A computer system comprising: a plurality of nodes; a fabric comprising at least a Fibre Channel link; and a master server coupled to the plurality of nodes via a network separate from the fabric and configured to coordinate allocation of pipes; wherein the system is configured to: allocate a first pipe having a unique first pipe identifier for use in transporting a first data stream within the Fibre Channel link, wherein a first initiator node is configured to use the Fibre Channel link and the unique first pipe identifier to communicate with a first target node; allocate a second pipe having a unique second pipe identifier for use in transporting a second data stream within the Fibre Channel link, wherein a second initiator node is configured to use the Fibre Channel link and the unique second pipe identifier to communicate with a second target node; and wherein the unique first pipe identifier and the unique second pipe identifier are used to distinguish data corresponding to the first data stream from data corresponding to the second data stream within the Fibre Channel link, thereby allowing concurrent data exchanges via the first pipe and second pipe via the Fibre Channel link.