Importance

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Abstract

In a fiber channel network environment wherein an autonomous hub is provided with a switchable connection to another autonomous hub, an autonomous hub being an arbitrated loop with at least one port, a method is provided for maintaining switchable access between the autonomous hubs while also maintaining access fairness without degrading throughput. The method includes allowing all uncommitted ports to arbitrate together on an integrated hub, while preventing ports on those autonomous hubs which contain a port that has been committed to a loop circuit, from winning arbitration. While the established loop circuits are concurrently exchanging data, arbitration is conducted among the remaining ports which desire access to the integrated hub. Since autonomous hubs containing committed ports are effectively excluded from arbitration, the other ports on those busy hubs cannot win an arbitration and thereby prevent connection of multiple current circuits.

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First Claim