A method and fibre channel switch element is provided for isolating a
defective device that is coupled to a fibre channel arbitrated loop. The
method includes, isolating a port if a loop initialization primitive
("LIP") is detected from a device coupled to the arbitrated loop;
configuring the device and acquiring an AL_PA; determining if the device
is sending LIPs; and isolating the device if the device continues to send
LIPs. The switch element includes, a port having an isolation state
machine that allows the switch element to isolate a device whose behavior
may result in disruption of other devices in the network. The state
machine may also configure a device after detecting disruptive parameters
from the device and perform diagnostic operations on the device.