Method and system for decreasing routing latency for switching platforms with variable configuration

Abstract

A method for decreasing routing latency of a switching platform comprises identifying ports which have changed their operational state and modifying the port polling code associated with the respective ports so that operational ports are polled for frames to be routed, while non-operational ports are not polled. In one embodiment, the method is implemented in a fiber channel switch. Non-operational ports are identified as having operational states below a pre-determined threshold level of functionality. The polling code for the ports is modified while polling operations are carried out in the switch. The code for a newly operational port is modified by copying into the code one or more instructions that poll the port for a frame and routes the frame. The code for a newly non-operational port is modified by copying into the code a branch instruction that bypasses the remainder of the polling code for the port. The frame routing latency of the switch is reduced because ports which are non-operational and will not produce frames are not polled.