Abstract: A system and method for measuring data transmission activity through a port of a switch device interconnecting nodes of a storage area network, the port transmitting data as words of predetermined length, one data word indicating idle port activity. The method includes steps of: counting a number of transmitted words received from the port in a first counter device; and, for each word counted, comparing that word with a predetermined word indicating no (idle) port transmission activity. In response to the comparing, a number of matches are counted in a second counter device. In this manner, a ratio of a number of counted matches with a total amount of words counted indicates available bandwidth for transmitting additional data over that link. Preferably, this available bandwidth information is included in a link state record that the switch communicates to other switch devices interconnecting that link.

Abstract: An error logging and analysis system is used to detect a type of error condition, assign a numeric value corresponding to the severity of the error condition, record the time of the error condition, and determine the frequency between subsequent error conditions of the same type. A weighted error rate is generated as a function of the severity of the initial error condition, the frequency of subsequent error conditions, and a percentage of any preceding weighted error rates. These weighted error rates are compared to a predetermined threshold to determine if the error condition is statistically significant.

Abstract: A system and method for measuring data transmission activity through a port of a switch device interconnecting nodes of a storage area network, the port transmitting data as words of predetermined length, one data word indicating idle port activity. The method includes steps of: counting a number of transmitted words received from the port in a first counter device; and, for each word counted, comparing that word with a predetermined word indicating no (idle) port transmission activity. In response to the comparing, a number of matches are counted in a second counter device. In this manner, a ratio of a number of counted matches with a total amount of words counted indicates available bandwidth for transmitting additional data over that link. Preferably, this available bandwidth information is included in a link state record that the switch communicates to other switch devices interconnecting that link.