Patent ID: 8619796

Claim:
A method of forwarding a data frame, the method comprising: receiving programming at a bridge element of a plurality of bridge elements from a controlling bridge configured to program the plurality of bridge elements, wherein the programming includes: an address of a fiber channel forwarder to associate with the bridge element, the fiber channel forwarder selected by the controlling bridge from a plurality of fiber channel forwarders coupled to the bridge element, and a global fiber channel forwarder address to identify data frames to forward to the fiber channel forwarder, wherein the global fiber channel forwarder address is common to the plurality of fiber channel forwarders; associating the fiber channel forwarder with the bridge element based on the programming received from the controlling bridge, wherein the bridge element is a hardware component and remote from the fiber channel forwarder; and forwarding a data frame received at the bridge element to the fiber channel forwarder associated with the bridge element in response to recognizing the global fiber channel forwarder address included within the data frame.