Importance

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Abstract

Storage and network data can be received from one network using a multi-protocol network adapter. In one embodiment, such a multi-protocol network adapter includes a port to receive a serialized data stream, the serialized data stream including traffic data encoded using a traffic protocol and storage data encoded using a storage protocol and a receiver coupled to the port to de-serialize the received data stream. A physical layer frame extracted from the de-serialized data stream can be stored in an input buffer. The multi-protocol network adapter can also include a protocol identifier coupled to the input buffer to determine whether the physical layer frame was encoded using the traffic or the storage protocol, and a storage decoder coupled to the protocol identifier to decode the physical layer frame using the storage protocol if the physical layer frame is determined to have been encoded using the storage protocol by the protocol identifier.

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First Claim