What Is a Fiber Channel Switch?
A fiber channel switch is a specialized network device employed in the creation of storage area networks (SANs). It leverages the fiber channel standard, an optical fiber communication protocol, to link servers with storage devices. Offering advantages over traditional Ethernet switches, it provides higher speeds, reduced latency, and improved reliability and security.
This type of switch operates by analyzing incoming fiber channel frames and forwarding the data to the correct ports. It also learns the source and destination addresses from the data it processes, facilitating accurate data routing within the network.