Method for providing cable isolation in a fibre channel test environment using a software driven PCI device

A system for testing an ability of a host bus adapter to recover from a cable break comprising:

• a processor;
• a memory having stored therein a cable isolator application;
• a host bus adapter to be tested, coupled to the processor;
• and
• a cable isolator coupled to the processor through an expansion bus and connected between the host bus adapter and one or more storage devices, wherein the cable isolator includes:
• a first transceiver connected to the host bus adapter;
• a second transceiver connected to the one or more storage devices;
• and
• a controller,
• wherein the cable isolator application is executable by the processor to cause the controller to automatically enable at least one of the first transceiver and the second transceiver for an on time duration corresponding to connect time value and automatically disable the at least one of the first transceiver and the second transceiver for an off time duration corresponding to a disconnect time value.

A cable isolator coupled to a processor through an expansion bus and connected between a host bus adapter and one or more storage devices, wherein the cable isolator comprises:

• a first transceiver connected to the host bus adapter;
• a second transceiver connected to the one or more storage devices;
• and
• a controller, wherein the controller, under control of the processor executing a cable isolator application, automatically enables at least one of the first transceiver and the second transceiver for an on time duration corresponding to an on time value and automatically disables the at least one of the first transceiver and the second transceiver for an off time duration corresponding to an off time value.

A cable isolator coupled to a processor through an expansion bus and connected between a host bus adapter and one or more storage devices, wherein the cable isolator comprises:

• a first transceiver connected to the host bus adapter;
• a second transceiver connected to the one or more storage devices;
• a memory having stored therein a cable isolator application;
• and
• a controller, wherein the controller, under control of the cable isolator application, automatically enables at least one of the first transceiver and the second transceiver for an on time duration corresponding to an on time value and automatically disables the at least one of the first transceiver and the second transceiver for an off time duration corresponding to an off time value.