Fiber channel automatic arbitration and communication control

A method for automatically arbitrating for mastership of a fiber channel loop in a host adapter circuit configured for coupling a host electronic device with the fiber channel loop. The host adapter circuit has a processor and a loop control circuit different from the processor. The loop control circuit is coupled to a memory of the host adapter circuit. The method includes sending out a host ARBITRATE primitive on the fiber channel loop. The method further includes employing the loop control circuit to monitor received ARBITRATE primitives received at the host adapter circuit from the fiber channel loop. There is also included ascertaining, using the loop control circuit, whether one of the received ARBITRATE primitives represents the host ARBITRATE primitive sent out previously. If the one of the received ARBITRATE primitives represents the host ARBITRATE primitive sent out previously, the method includes placing a target device coupled to the fiber channel loop in an OPENED state for receiving data from the host electronic device.