Fibre channel virtualization zone

One or more computer readable storage memories encoded with software comprising computer executable instructions and when the software is executed operable to:

• in a Fibre Channel network comprising a switched fabric having a plurality of switch ports in one or more switches, receive, via a first switch port, a Fabric Login request from a first virtual machine;
• determine that the first virtual machine is currently logged into the switched fabric via a second switch port;
• determine if the first virtual machine is an element of a virtualization zone defined for the switched fabric;
• and
• accept the Fabric Login request from the first virtual machine via the first switch port when the first virtual machine is an element of the virtualization zone.

An apparatus comprising:

• first and second switch ports;
• a memory;
• and
• a processor coupled to the network interface and the memory, wherein the processor is configured to:
• receive a Fabric Login request from a first virtual machine via the first switch port,
• determine that the first virtual machine is currently logged into the switched fabric via the second switch port,
• determine if the first virtual machine is an element of a virtualization zone defined for the switched fabric, and
• accept the Fabric Login request from the first virtual machine via the first switch port when the first virtual machine is an element of the virtualization zone.