A Fibre Channel Switch element and method for Inter-Fabric routing is
provided. The switch element includes a switch port whose worldwide port
number is used in a zone set to enable Inter-Fabric frame routing without
using Inter-Fabric frame headers. The method includes querying a Name
Server to determine world wide port numbers of devices; storing query
results in an Inter-Fabric Name Server module; extracting world wide port
numbers for each switch port; registering Proxy Devices with the Name
Server, wherein the Proxy Devices interface with the switch ports as if
it was they were actual devices to route Inter-Fabric frames; and
establishing Fabric Address Translator entries so that source
identification values and destination identification values are mapped to
route Inter-Fabric frames without using Inter-Fabric frame headers.