Patent ID: 6996629

Claim:
An apparatus for providing an input/output interface with failover functionality between a host and a target, comprising: a first data transfer route suitable for communicatively coupling the apparatus to a host system; a second data transfer route suitable for communicatively coupling the apparatus to a target; a third data transfer route suitable for communicatively coupling the apparatus to the target; a memory suitable for storing electronic data, the memory including a program of instructions; and a controller communicatively coupled to the first data transfer route, the second data transfer route, the third data transfer route and the memory, the controller suitable for performing the program of instructions, wherein the program of instructions configures the controller to transfer data between the host and target utilizing the third data transfer route should the second data transfer route become unavailable, utilization of the third data transfer unaffecting operation of the host and wherein a logical identifier is utilized to access the apparatus by the host, the logical identifier being a 16-bit value configured from a bus field and an id field, the logical identifier remaining static when the third transfer route is utilized.