CLIAMS:We claim:
1. A multi-protocol translation method, comprising:
receiving, at a storage area network switch, a frame formatted according to a first protocol;
selecting, using the received frame, a second protocol from a plurality of protocols according to which to convert the received frame;
obtaining a protocol format specification data of a second protocol;
converting by the storage area network switch, the received frame to a converted frame according to the second protocol based on the protocol format specification data of the second protocol; and
providing, by the storage area network switch, the converted frame.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein selecting the second protocol uses a destination address included in the received frame.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising separating a payload portion from a non-payload portion of the received frame.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein converting the received frame comprises:
converting a non-payload portion of the received frame to a non-payload portion according to the second protocol; and
constructing the converted frame that includes the non-payload portion converted according to the second protocol, and the separated payload portion.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein converting the non-payload portion comprises:
converting a format of the received frame from the first protocol to the second protocol;
converting a source address and a destination address included in the received frame from the first protocol to the second protocol; and
modifying a size of the received frame from the first protocol to the second protocol.
6. The method of claim 1, further comprising: determining whether a speed mismatch exists between the first protocol and the second protocol.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising: adjusting a transmission speed of the converted frame according to the second protocol after determining that the speed mismatch exists between the first protocol and the second protocol.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein adjusting the transmission speed of the converted frame comprises buffering the converted frame.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the first protocol is one from a group consisting of: Ethernet; InfiniBand; Serial Attached Small Computer System Interface; Internet Small Computer System Interface; and Fibre Channel protocols.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the second protocol is one from a group consisting of: Ethernet; InfiniBand; Serial Attached Small Computer System Interface; Internet Small Computer System Interface; and Fibre Channel protocols.

11. A frame translation apparatus, comprising:
a processor; and
a memory storing instructions executable by the processor, wherein the instructions comprise instructions to:
receive a frame formatted according to a first protocol;
select, using the received frame, a second protocol from a plurality of protocols according to which to convert the received frame;
obtaining a protocol format specification data of a second protocol;
convert the received frame to a converted frame according to the second protocol based on the protocol format specification data of the second protocol; and
provide the converted frame.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein selecting the second protocol uses a destination address included in the received frame.

13. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the instructions further comprise instructions to: separate a payload portion from a non-payload portion of the received frame.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein converting the received frame comprises:
converting a non-payload portion of the received frame to a non-payload portion according to the second protocol; and
constructing the received frame that includes the non-payload portion converted according to the second protocol, and the separated payload portion.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein converting the non-payload portion comprises:
converting a format of the received frame from the first protocol to the second protocol;
converting a source address and a destination address included in the received frame from the first protocol to the second protocol; and
converting a size of the received frame from the first protocol to the second protocol.

16. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the instructions further comprise instructions to: determine whether a speed mismatch exists between the first protocol and the second protocol.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, the instructions further comprising instructions to: adjust a transmission speed of the converted frame according to the second protocol after determining that the speed mismatch exists between the first protocol and the second protocol.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein adjusting the transmission speed of the converted frame comprises buffering the converted frame.

19. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the first protocol is one from a group consisting of: Ethernet; InfiniBand; Serial Attached Small Computer System Interface; Internet Small Computer System Interface; and Fibre Channel protocols.

20. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the second protocol is one from a group consisting of: Ethernet; InfiniBand; Serial Attached Small Computer System Interface; Internet Small Computer System Interface; and Fibre Channel protocols.

Dated this 28th day of August, 2013

SRAVAN KUMAR GAMPA
K&S PARTNERS
AGENT FOR THE APPLICANT
,TagSPECI:This disclosure relates generally to communication network protocols, and more particularly to systems and methods for multi-protocol translation.