1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a network of devices. More particularly, it relates to an apparatus and system for coupling and decoupling data storage initiator devices to a network without disrupting the network.
2. Related Art
The data storage market includes a number of vendors and products. Unfortunately, integrating various products from different vendors is difficult, and it requires a substantial investment due to a lack of interoperability standards.
In one instance, in order to increase system performance and lower costs, the manufacturers of blade servers and other storage devices are considering integrating a Fibre Channel fabric switch into their devices. However, a blade server with an integrated fabric switch is likely to have difficulties communicating to an external network because of incompatibilities and proprietary features. The conventional wisdom is that such devices are connected using a Fibre Channel E-Port or B-Port topology, thereby allowing fabric related information to be communicated. But, this causes many currently available Fibre Channel fabric switches to be reconfigured to a mode in which proprietary features are turned off and functions are disabled, resulting in a disruption of the network. It is also likely to create network management problems.
What is needed, therefore, are new ways for integrating products from different venders to an existing network that overcome the deficiencies noted above.