A fault region identification system adapted for use in a network, such as
a storage area network (SAN), includes logic and/or program modules
configured to identify errors that occur in the transmission of command,
data and response packets between at least one host, switches and target
devices on the network. The system maintains a count at each of a
plurality of packet-receiving components of the network, the count
indicating a number of CRC or other errors that have been detected by
each component. The error counts are stored with the time of detection.
The system alters the EOF (end-of-file) delimiter for each packet for
which an error was counted such that other components ignore that packet,
i.e. do not increment their error counts for that packet. Link segments
adjacent single- or multiple-device components of the network are
identified as fault regions, based upon the error counts of those
components.