System and method for sharing logic in a network device

1. A method for processing information at a network device connected to a network, comprising:

receiving first information conforming to a first protocol at a first clock rate at a first sub-port of the network device; wherein the network device includes a base-port having a plurality of sub-ports that can be configured to operate independently as a port for sending and receiving information at a plurality of rates complying with a plurality of protocols;

receiving second information conforming to a second protocol at a second clock rate at a second sub-port;

storing received first and second information in a temporary storage device at the base-port;

reading first and second information out of the temporary storage device at a third clock rate; and

processing the first and second information at a media access control (MAC) module that includes logic that is time-shared among the plurality of sub-ports to process information at the third rate for both the first protocol and the second protocol; wherein the first sub-port is granted access to the logic in a first phase and the second sub-port is granted access to the logic in a second phase for processing the first and second information after the first and second information is read out at the third clock rate.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the temporary storage device is at a physical coding module (PCS) shared by the plurality of sub-ports.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first protocol is a Fibre Channel protocol and the second protocol is an Ethernet protocol.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of sub-ports are configured as any one of a single lane, a dual lane, or a quad lane port.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the MAC module is shared for both information received by the base-port and information transmitted by the base-port.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the network device is a switch element coupled to a network.

7. A system for processing information at a network device, comprising:

a computing system coupled to a network; and the network device coupled to the network; wherein the network device, comprises:

a processor for executing firmware code;

a base-port including a plurality of sub-ports to receive and transmit information; where the plurality of sub-ports can be configured to operate independently as a port for sending and receiving information at a plurality of rates complying with a plurality of protocols;

wherein a first sub-port is configured to receive information conforming to a first protocol at a first clock rate; and a second sub-port is configured to receive information conforming to a second protocol at a second clock rate;

a temporary storage device for storing received information that is read at a third clock rate; and

a media access control (MAC) module that includes logic that is time-shared among the plurality of sub-ports to process information at the third clock rate for both the first protocol and the second protocol; wherein the first sub-port is granted access to the logic in a first phase and the second sub-port is granted access to the logic in a second phase for processing information that is read out from the temporary storage device at the third rate.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the temporary storage device is at a physical coding module (PCS) shared by the plurality of sub-ports.

9. The system of claim 7 , wherein the first protocol is a Fibre Channel protocol.

10. The system of claim 7 , wherein the second protocol is an Ethernet protocol.

11. The system of claim 7 , wherein the plurality of sub-ports are configured as any one of a single lane, a dual lane, or a quad lane port.

12. The system of claim 7 , wherein the MAC module is shared for both information received by the base-port and information transmitted by the base-port.

13. The system of claim 7 , wherein the network device is a switch element coupled to a network.

14. A network device coupled to a network via a network link for processing frames, comprising:

a processor for executing firmware code;

a base-port including a plurality of sub-ports to receive and transmit information; where the plurality of sub-ports can be configured to operate independently as a port for sending and receiving information at a plurality of rates complying with a plurality of protocols;

wherein a first sub-port is configured to receive information conforming to a first protocol at a first clock rate; and a second sub-port is configured to receive information conforming to a second protocol at a second clock rate;

a temporary storage device for storing received information that is read at a third clock rate; and

a media access control (MAC) module that includes logic that is time-shared among the plurality of sub-ports to process information at the third rate for both the first protocol and the second protocol; wherein the first sub-port is granted access to the logic in a first phase and the second sub-port is granted access to the logic in a second phase for processing information that is read out from the temporary storage device at the third clock rate.

15. The system of claim 14 , wherein the temporary storage device is at a physical coding module (PCS) shared by the plurality of sub-ports.

16. The device of claim 14 , wherein the first protocol is a Fibre Channel protocol and the second protocol is an Ethernet protocol.

17. The device of claim 14 , wherein the plurality of sub-ports are configured as any one of a single lane, a dual lane, or a quad lane port.

18. The device of claim 14 , wherein the MAC module is shared for both information received by the base-port and information transmitted by the base-port.

19. The device of claim 14 , wherein the network device is a switch element coupled to a network.