System and computer program product are provided to configure a path between nodes through a fabric in a fibre channel storage area network (SAN). A node name is provided for a target node on the SAN and a port name is provided for each port in the target node. A relationship is established in a data structure between each port name and a slot in which each port is physically located in the target node. Prior to configuring a path between a source node and a port in the target node, the ports which are physically connected and logged in to the fabric are identified by port address. The port names corresponding to the port addresses are then identified. The port names are used to generate interface_ids of the ports corresponding to the physical slots in which the ports are located. A data structure is created to maintain the relationship between interface_ids and port names. To establish a path connection between a port in the source node and a selected port in the target node, the node name of the target node and the interface_id of the selected port are input to the data structure and the port name of the selected port is output. The port name is then used to obtain the address of the selected port and an I/O session path opened between the source and target nodes.