High speed fibre channel switch element

摘要

A high-speed Fiber Channel switch element in a Fiber Channel network is provided. The Fiber Channel switch element includes, a rate select module that allows a port in the Fiber Channel switch element to operate at a rate equal to and/or higher than 10 gigabits per second (“G”). The port may operate at 20 G, 40 G or at a rate greater than 40 G. Also, a cut status is provided for cut-through routing between ports operating at different speed. Plural transmit and receive lines are used for port operation at a rate equal to or higher than 10 G.

主权项

1. A device, comprising:
a plurality of ports for sending and receiving frames, wherein each port is configurable to operate at more than one operating speed; and a rate select module that receives a select speed signal from a common port of the device generated by firmware executed by a device processor, and based on the select speed signal, the rate select module provides a clock and a configuration signal to select an operating rate of a serializer/deserializer (SERDES) from among a plurality of SERDES to configure a port from among the plurality of ports to operate at a rate equal to or higher than 10 gigabits per second (“G”).