Abstract: In some embodiments, a system includes a set of network control entities associated with a distributed multi-stage switch. Each network control entity from the set of network control entities is configured to manage at least one edge device having a set of ports and coupled to the distributed multi-stage switch. Each network control entity from the set of network control entities is associated with a unique set of identifiers. A network control entity from the set of network control entities is configured to assign a unique identifier from its unique set of identifiers to a port from the set of ports of the at least one edge device in response to the network control entity receiving a login request associated with the port.

Abstract: In one embodiment, an apparatus includes an initialization module configured to receive a Fibre Channel over Ethernet Initialization Protocol (FIP) login request from a network device. The initialization module is configured to select an outbound port based at least in part on a load-balancing calculation. The initialization module is configured to define a destination Media Access Control (MAC) address. The initialization module is configured to associate the destination MAC address with the outbound port. The initialization module is configured to send, to the network device, a signal including the destination MAC address in response to the FIP login request.

Abstract: In some embodiments, an apparatus includes a gateway device configured to be operatively coupled to a Fibre Channel switch by a first data port and a second data port. The gateway device is configured to designate the first data port as a primary data port and the second data port as a secondary data port. The gateway device is configured to associate a set of virtual ports with the first data port and not the second data port when in the first configuration. The gateway device is configured to associate the set of virtual ports with the second data port when in the second configuration. The gateway device moves from the first configuration to the second configuration when an error associated with the first data port is detected.

Abstract: In one embodiment, an apparatus includes a switching policy module configured to define a switching policy associating a Fibre Channel port with a destination Media Access Control (MAC) address. The switching module can be configured to receive a Fibre Channel over Ethernet (FCoE) frame from a network device and send a Fibre Channel frame encapsulated in the FCoE frame to the Fibre Channel port based at least in part on the switching policy and a destination MAC address of the FCoE frame.

Abstract: A multicast stream is received. At a non-designated router, a multicast stream is received with respect to which the non-designated router is not a designated router responsible for sending the multicast stream to a host. The received multicast stream is discarded.