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Brief about Fibre channel protocol stack or FC layers !

Fibre Channel operates at several layers of the network protocol stack. The Fibre Channel architecture consists of the following layers:


FC-0 (Physical Interface): The FC-0 layer defines the physical interface and transmission media used in Fibre Channel. It includes specifications for connectors, cables, signalling rates, and electrical/optical characteristics.

FC-1 (Encoding and Transmission): The FC-1 layer handles the encoding and transmission of data across the physical link. It defines the encoding scheme and line coding methods used to convert digital data into a form suitable for transmission over the physical media.

FC-2 (Framing and Flow Control): The FC-2 layer is responsible for framing and flow control mechanisms in Fibre Channel. It encapsulates data into frames and ensures reliable delivery by providing error detection and correction, sequencing, and flow control mechanisms.

FC-3 (Common Services): The FC-3 layer provides common services and functions in Fibre Channel. It includes protocols for name services, management services, and mapping between Fibre Channel addresses and network addresses.

FC-4 (Protocol Mapping): The FC-4 layer handles the mapping of upper-layer protocols onto Fibre Channel. It provides support for various upper-layer protocols such as SCSI (SCSI-FCP), IP (FCIP), and others, allowing these protocols to be transported over Fibre Channel networks.

FC-5 (Application): The FC-5 layer represents the application layer in Fibre Channel. It encompasses the specific application protocols and services that utilize the Fibre Channel infrastructure, such as SCSI commands for storage access or other higher-level protocols.


These layers work together to enable the reliable and efficient transfer of data over Fibre Channel networks. Each layer has its own set of protocols and functions that contribute to the overall operation and performance of Fibre Channel-based storage networking.

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