Patent ID: 7958263

Claim:
A data storage enclosure management system configured to communicate externally via a pair of Fiber Channel-Arbitrated Loop (FC-AL) loops, comprising: a plurality of secondary communication links; and a plurality of service processors, comprising: a first lead service processor to connect to one of said pair of FC-AL loops with an FC-AL address, and to connect to at least a first said secondary communication links; a second lead service processor to connect to the other of said pair of FC-AL loops with an FC-AL address, and to connect to at least a second said secondary communication link; a plurality of subsidiary service processors, a first subsidiary service processor to connect to at least said first secondary communication link, a second subsidiary service processor to connect to at least said second secondary communication link; and each of said lead service processors additionally to employ an identifier unassociated with said FC-AL address to differentiate communications of said lead service processor from communications of an associated subsidiary service processor, said lead service processor serving as a proxy for said associated subsidiary service processor with respect to said FC-AL address and communicating with said associated subsidiary service processor via a respective said secondary communication link, such that each said lead service processor has the active FC-AL address with respect to said connected FC-AL loop for said lead service processor and said associated subsidiary service processor.