Diagnosis and throughput measurement of fibre channel ports in a storage area network environment

Non-transitory tangible computer readable media that includes instructions for execution, which when executed by a control processor of a generator in a SAN, is operable to perform operations comprising:

• generating a control packet requesting a link test to be performed with a reflector in the SAN over a link between the generator and the reflector, wherein the generator is located in a first switch in the SAN, wherein the reflector is located in a different second switch in the SAN;
• sending the control packet to the reflector through a MAC of the generator;
• configuring the MAC to generate a test data packet for the link test and perform the link test when an acknowledgement is received from the reflector indicating ability to perform the requested link test;
• and
• analyzing, at the generator, network parameters based on results of the link test, wherein the first switch allows automatic provisioning of the link according to the analysis, wherein the link is added to a port channel between the first switch and the second switch if the analysis indicates suitable link performance, wherein the link is not added to the port channel if the analysis indicates unsuitable link performance.

An apparatus in a SAN, comprising:

• a generator;
• a MAC;
• a memory element for storing data;
• and
• a control processor, wherein the control processor executes instructions associated with the data, wherein the control processor and the memory element cooperate, such that the apparatus is configured for:
• generating, by the control processor, a control packet requesting a link test to be performed with a reflector in the SAN over a link between the generator and the reflector, wherein the reflector is located in a different apparatus in the SAN;
• sending the control packet to the reflector through the MAC;
• receiving, at the MAC, an acknowledgement from the reflector indicating ability to perform the requested link test;
• generating, at the MAC, a test data packet for the link test;
• performing the link test with the reflector;
• and
• analyzing network parameters based on results of the link test, wherein the apparatus allows automatic provisioning of the link according to the analysis, wherein the link is added to a port channel between the apparatus and the different apparatus if the analysis indicates suitable link performance, wherein the link is not added to the port channel if the analysis indicates unsuitable link performance.