Methods and apparatus are provided for efficiently selecting virtualization engines in storage area networks. Initiators, targets, and candidate virtualization engines associated with a virtual logical unit number (VLUN) are identified and characteristics such as latency, network topology, load, and mirroring and striping characteristics are analyzed and used to efficiently select a virtualization engine for a particular VLUN in a storage area network. A virtualization engine can be implemented in a line card associated with a fibre channel switch.