Methods and devices for converting between trunked and single-link data transmission in a fibre channel network

A device, comprising:

• a plurality of Fibre Channel ports adapted to receive frame data;
• first storage adapted to receive frame data;
• a first interface circuit adapted to transmit frame data;
• and
• a control means for routing frame data from each of the plurality of Fibre Channel ports to the first storage and for routing frame data from the storage to the first interface circuit, wherein frame data is routed from the first storage to the first interface circuit in the same order it was received at the first storage from the plurality of Fibre Channel ports.

A Fibre Channel switch, comprising:

• a plurality of Fibre Channel ports adapted to receive and transmit frame data;
• a first interface circuit adapted to receive and transmit frame data;
• first storage adapted to receive, from the first interface circuit, frame data;
• second storage adapted to receive, from at least one of the plurality of Fibre Channel ports, frame data;
• a first control circuit adapted to route frame data from the first storage to at least two of the Fibre Channel ports, and for routing frame data from the second storage to at least one of the Fibre Channel ports, wherein frame data is routed from the first storage to the at least two Fibre Channel ports in the same order it was received at the first storage as appropriate for each of the at least two Fibre Channel ports;
• and
• a second control circuit adapted to route frame data from each of the plurality of Fibre Channel ports to the second storage and for routing frame data from the second storage to the first interface circuit, wherein frame data is routed from the second storage to the first interface circuit in the same order it was received at the second storage from the plurality of Fibre Channel ports.

A Fibre Channel network comprising:

• a first switch having:
• a plurality of Fibre Channel ports adapted to receive and transmit frame data;
• a first interface circuit adapted to receive and transmit frame data;
• first storage adapted to receive, from the first interface circuit, frame data associated with a first virtual circuit;
• second storage adapted to receive, from at least one of the plurality of Fibre Channel ports, frame data;
• a first control circuit adapted to route frame data from the first storage to at least two of the Fibre Channel ports, and for routing frame data from the second storage to at least one of the Fibre Channel ports, wherein frame data is routed from the first storage to the at least two Fibre Channel ports in the same order it was received at the first storage as appropriate for each of the at least two Fibre Channel ports;
• and
• a second control circuit adapted to route frame data from each of the plurality of Fibre Channel ports to the second storage and for routing frame data from the second storage to the first interface circuit, wherein frame data is routed from the second storage to the first interface circuit in the same order it was received at the second storage from the plurality of Fibre Channel ports;
• and
• a high-speed serial device having a high speed serial link connected to the first interface circuit.

A Fibre Channel switch comprising:

• a plurality of Fibre Channel ports;
• a serial link interface;
• a first buffer operatively coupled to the plurality of fiber channel ports and the serial link interface;
• a control circuit;
• and
• storage, readable by the control circuit, having instructions for causing the control circuit to:
• receive a plurality of data frames from the serial link interface,
• store the plurality of data frames in the first buffer, and
• transmit the plurality of data frames through at least two of the plurality of Fibre Channel ports, wherein each frame is transmitted in the same order that they were received, as appropriate for each of the at least two Fibre Channel ports.

A Fibre Channel network, comprising:

• a first Fibre Channel switch having a first plurality of Fibre Channel ports, a serial link interface, a first buffer operatively coupled to the first plurality of Fibre Channel ports and the serial link interface, a first control circuit, and first storage readable by the first control circuit and having instructions for causing the first control circuit to:
• receive a plurality of data frames from the serial link interface,
• store the plurality of data frames in the first buffer, and
• transmit the plurality of data frames through at least two of the first plurality of Fibre Channel ports, wherein each frame is transmitted in the same order it was received as appropriate for each of the at least two Fibre Channel ports;
• and
• a second Fibre Channel switch having a second plurality of fiber channel ports, wherein at least one of the second plurality of Fibre Channel ports is operatively coupled to the at least one of the first plurality of Fibre Channel ports, a second control circuit, and second storage readable by the second control circuit and having instructions for causing the second control circuit to receive data frames from the second plurality of Fibre Channel ports.

A method to convert reception of data frames from at least two Fibre Channel links to a transmission of data frames to a serial link, the method comprising:

• receiving a plurality of data frames from a plurality of Fibre Channel ports;
• storing the data frames in first storage;
• and
• transmitting the plurality of data frames through a serial link, wherein each frame is transmitted in the same order it was received from the plurality of Fibre Channel ports.