Context Switching

This document describes context switching as it applies to Fibre Channel SANs. Context switching takes places when a host bus adaptor (HBA) sends a series of commands simultaneously to various storage devices in a storage area network. When one device finishes its response to the to the command, and another begins its response, this paper maintains a “”context switch”” has occurred. The document goes on to describe how different HBAs manage the process of context switching. (Jan. 2000)