a method and a fiber channel switch element for processing receive - modify - send frames in a fiber channel network are provided . the method includes , determining if a received frame is a rms frame ; modifying the rms frame without copying the rms frame to a transmit buffer ; and transmitting the modified frame . the rms frame is modified in a receive buffer before being sent to the transmit buffer and a port state machine controls the receive buffer where rms frames are modified . the switch element includes a port having a state machine that determines if a received frame needs to be modified before being transmitted , and if the frame is to be modified then such modification occurs in a receive buffer without being copied to a transmit buffer before such modification . a buffer select logic selects the appropriate buffer for modifying and transmitting frames from .