Fibre channel address adaptor having data buffer extension and address mapping in a fibre channel switch

A switch for providing a connection between a source endpoint and a destination endpoint, the switch comprising:

• means for receiving FICON frames from a source endpoint, each frame having a header that includes a FICON destination address;
• means for mapping the FICON destination address of each received FICON frame to an internal destination address to provide internal frames and changing the FICON destination address in the header by replacing it with the internal destination address;
• means for switching the internal frames through the switch according to the internal destination address;
• and means for mapping the internal destination address of each internal frame to the FICON destination address for transmission to the destination endpoint.

A method for providing a connection between a source endpoint and a destination endpoint through a data switch, the method comprising:

• receiving inbound frames at the ingress port of the data switch from a source endpoint, each frame having a header that includes first destination address information;
• mapping the first destination address information of each received frame to internal destination address information at the ingress port to provide internal frames;
• replacing the first destination address information in the header of each received frame with the internal destination address information;
• switching the internal frames through the data switch to an egress port according to the internal destination address information;
• and replacing the internal destination address information of each internal frame in the frame header with the first destination address information at the egress port for transmission to the destination endpoint.

A method for providing a connection between a source endpoint and a destination endpoint through a network of data switches, the method comprising:

• receiving inbound frames at the ingress port of a first data switch in the network from a source endpoint, each frame having a header that induces first destination address information;
• mapping the first destination address information of each received frame to internal destination address information at the ingress port to provide internal frames;
• changing the destination address information in the header of each received frame into the mapped internal destination address information;
• switching the internal frames through the network of data switches to an egress port of a second data switch in the network according to the internal destination address information;
• and mapping the internal destination address information of each internal frame to the first destination address information at the egress port for transmission to the destination endpoint.

A network of data switches for providing a connection between a source endpoint and a destination endpoint, the network comprising:

• at least one ingress port at a first data switch in the network for receiving inbound frames from a source endpoint, each frame having a header that includes first destination address information;
• at least one address adaptor at the first data switch for mapping the first destination address information of each received frame to internal address information to provide internal frames;
• at least another address adaptor at a second data switch in the network for changing the internal destination address information of each internal frame to the first destination address information to provide outbound frames;
• and at least one egress port at the second data switch for transmitting the outbound frames to a destination point.