Method and Apparatus for Managing a Loop Network

(canceled)

(canceled)

A loop network including at least one loop, a plurality of devices connected to the at least one loop via ports, wherein at least two of the devices are initiators, the loop network also including:

• means for each initiator to send a frame to all other initiators in the loop network identifying any ports which should not be used;
• means for merging in each initiator the information from all other initiators with the initiator's own information identifying any ports which should not be used;
• resulting in a single list of ports to be used, the list being consistent across all the initiators.

A computer program product stored on a computer readable storage medium comprising computer readable program code mans for managing a loop network, the loop network having at least one loop, a plurality of devices connected to the at least one loop via ports, wherein at least two of the devices are initiators, the program code performing the steps of:

• each initiator sending a frame to all other initiators in the loop network identifying any ports which should not be used;
• each initiator merging the information from all other initiators with its own information identifying any ports which should not be used;
• resulting in all the initiators generating a single list of ports to be used which is consistent across all the initiators.