I-Fiber optic switch iyisisetshenziswa sokudlulisa inethiwekhi esinesivinini esikhulu, esibizwa nangokuthi iswishi se-fibre channel noma iswishi ye-SAN. Uma kuqhathaniswa nokushintsha okujwayelekile, isebenzisa intambo ye-fiber optic njengendawo yokudlulisela. Izinzuzo zokudluliswa kwe-fiber optical isivinini esisheshayo nekhono eliqinile lokulwa nokuphazamiseka. Kunezinhlobo ezimbili eziyinhloko zokushintshwa kwe-fiber optic, eyodwa iyiswishi ye-FC esetshenziselwa ukuxhuma kwisitoreji. Okunye ukushintshwa kwe-Ethernet, ichweba liwukuxhunywa kwefiber optical, futhi ukubukeka kuyafana nesixhumi esibonakalayo sikagesi esivamile, kodwa uhlobo lwesixhumi esibonakalayo luhlukile.

Njengoba izinga lephrothokholi ye-Fiber Channel lahlongozwa yi-ANSI (American Industrial Standards Protocol), ubuchwepheshe beFiber Channel buye bathola ukunakwa okubanzi kuzo zonke izici. Ngokuncishiswa kancane kancane kwezindleko zemishini yamashaneli e-fiber kanye nokubonakala kancane kancane kwezinga eliphezulu lokudlulisela, ukwethembeka okuphezulu, nezinga eliphansi lamaphutha obuchwepheshe besiteshi se-fiber, abantu banaka kakhulu ubuchwepheshe besiteshi se-fiber. Ubuchwepheshe be-Fiber Channel sebuyingxenye ebalulekile yokufezekiswa kwamanethiwekhi wendawo yokugcina. Ukushintsha kwe-Fiber Channel sekuphinde kwaba yithuluzi eliwumgogodla elakha inethiwekhi ye-SAN, futhi linesikhundla esibalulekile nomsebenzi. Ukushintsha kwe-Fiber Channel kuyingxenye ebalulekile yenethiwekhi yendawo yokugcina, futhi ukusebenza kwayo kuthinta ngokuqondile ukusebenza kwayo yonke inethiwekhi yendawo yokugcina. Ubuchwepheshe be-Fiber Channel bune-topology eguquguqukayo, okuhlanganisa i-point-to-point topology, i-topology yokushintsha kanye ne-ring topology. Ukwakha inethiwekhi, i-topology yokushintsha iyona esetshenziswa kakhulu.

Ngemuva kokuthi inkinobho ye-Fiber Channel yenze ukuguqulwa kwe-serial-to-parallel, ukuqoshwa kwe-10B/8B, ukuvumelanisa kancane nokuvumelanisa amagama kanye nokunye ukusebenza kudatha yokudlulisela ye-serial enesivinini esiphezulu etholiwe, isungula isixhumanisi neseva nedivayisi yokugcina exhunywe kuyo, futhi ngemva kokuthola idatha Ngemva kokuhlola ithebula lokudlulisela phambili, lithumele lisuka esikhaleni elihambisana nalo liye ocingweni oluhambisanayo. Njengohlaka lwedatha ye-Ethernet, ifreyimu yedatha yedivayisi ye-Fiber Channel nayo inefomethi yayo yozimele engaguquki kanye nesethi yayo yobunikazi e-oda ukuze kucutshungulwe okuhambisanayo.Amaswishi e-Fibre Channel nawo ahlinzeka ngezinhlobo eziyisithupha zezinsizakalo ezigxile ekuxhumekeni noma ezingaxhumekile. Ngokwezinhlobo ezahlukene zezinsizakalo, amaswishi e-Fiber Channel abuye abe nezindlela ezihambisanayo zokulawula ukugeleza kokusuka kuye ekupheleni noma ku-buffer-to-buffer. Ngaphezu kwalokho, ukushintshwa kwe-Fiber Channel futhi kuhlinzeka ngezinsizakalo nokuphatha njengesevisi yamagama, isevisi yesikhathi nesibizo, kanye nesevisi yokuphatha.