A storage subsystem and a storage controller adapted to take advantage of
high data transfer rates of fibre channels while offering enhanced
reliability and availability and capable of connecting with a plurality
of host computers having multiple different interfaces. A loop is
provided to serve as a common loop channel having fibre channel
interfaces. Host interface controllers (HIFC) connected to host computers
having different interfaces permit conversion between the fibre channel
interface and a different interface as needed. Control processors, shared
by the host interface controllers, each reference FCAL (fibre channel
arbitrated loop) management information to capture a frame having an
address of the processor in question from among the frames passing
through the loop. I/O processing is then carried out by the controller in
accordance with a range of logical unit numbers (LUN) set in the captured
frame.