Methods and associated hub arrangements are described for use in diagnosis
and recovery in high performance digital loops such as, for example,
those seen in Fibre Channel systems. In one system having a hub
configured for interconnection of a plurality of stations as part of a
digital system such that digital data flows between the stations based on
operational status of the system, an arrangement forms part of the hub
which arrangement is connectable at points within the hub and between at
least two different pairs of the stations for monitoring certain
characteristics of the data in a way which provides for non-invasive
identification of one or more conditions related to the operational
status of the system.