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connected by the fabric switching function, which routes the frame from one
F_Port to another F_Port within the switch. Communication between two
switches is routed between two expansion ports (E_Ports).
When an N_Port is connected to an F_Port, the fabric is responsible for the
assignment of the Fibre Channel address to the N_Port attached to the
fabric. The fabric is also responsible for selecting the route a frame will take,
within the fabric, to be delivered to the destination.
When the fabric consists of multiple switches, the fabric can determine an
alternate route to ensure that a frame gets delivered to its destination.
Figure 6–2 shows an example fabric topology.
Figure 6–2: Fabric Topology
N_Port
Node 1
Node 2
Transmit
Receive
Transmit
Receive
Transmit
Receive
Transmit
Receive
Transmit
Receive
Transmit
Receive
Transmit
Receive
Transmit
Receive
F_Port
Fabric
Node 3
Node 4
F_Port
F_PortF_Port N_Port
N_Port
N_Port
ZK-1536U-AI
6.2.2.3 Arbitrated Loop Topology
In an arbitrated loop topology, frames are routed around a loop created by
the links between the nodes.
In an arbitrated loop topology, a node port is called an NL_Port (node loop
port), and a fabric port is called an FL_Port (fabric loop port).
Figure 6–3 shows an example arbitrated loop topology.
Using Fibre Channel Storage 6–7