Vlan protocol

• US 20060039378A1
• Filed: 10/05/2005
• Published: 02/23/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/08/1998
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Marvell Semiconductor Israel, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Marvell Semiconductor Israel, Ltd.
• Inventors: Shemla, David, Medina, Eitan
• Granted Patent: US 7,573,882 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/392
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/4641 Virtual LANs, VLANs, e.g. virtual private networks [VPN] LAN interconnection over a bridge based backbone H04L12/462; encapsulation techniques H04L12/4633; routing of packets H04L45/00; packet switches H04L49/00; virtual private networks for security H04L63/0272
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/467 Arrangements for supporting untagged frames, e.g. port-based VLANs
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2101/604 Address structures or formats
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2101/622 Layer-2 addresses, e.g. medium access control [MAC] addresses
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/745 Address table lookup; Address filtering

Abstract

A generally full-wire throughput, switching Ethernet controller used within an Ethernet network of other switching Ethernet controllers connected together by a bus. The controller comprises a plurality of ports including at least one bus port associated with ports connected to other switching Ethernet controllers. A hash table stores MAC addresses and VLAN ids of ports within said Ethernet network. A hash table address control hashes the MAC address and VLAN id of a packet to initial hash table location values, changes the hash table location values by a fixed jump amount if the address and VLAN id values stored in said initial hash table location do not match the received address and VLAN id, and provides at least an output port number of the port associated with the received address and VLAN id. A storage buffer includes a multiplicity of contiguous buffers in which to temporarily store said packet.

Claims

1. A generally full-wire throughput, switching Ethernet controller for use within an Ethernet network of other switching Ethernet controllers connected together by a bus, the controller comprising:

a plurality of ports including at least one bus port associated with ports connected to other switching Ethernet controllers;

a hash table for storing MAC addresses and VLAN ids of ports within said Ethernet network;

a hash table address control for hashing the MAC address and VLAN id of a packet to initial hash table location values, for changing the hash table location values by a fixed jump amount if the address and VLAN id values stored in said initial hash table location do not match the received address and VLAN id, and for providing at least an output port number of the port associated with the received address and VLAN id; and

a storage buffer including a multiplicity of contiguous buffers in which to temporarily store said packet.

2. A switch controller comprising:

a plurality of ports including at least one bus port associated with ports connected to other switching controllers;

a hash table for storing MAC addresses and VLAN ids of ports within a network; and

a hash table address controller for hashing the MAC address and VLAN id of a packet to initial hash table location values, for changing the hash table location values by a fixed offset if the address and VLAN id values stored in said initial hash table location do not match the received address and VLAN id, and for providing at least an output port number of the port associated with the received address and VLAN id.

3. The controller of claim 2 further comprising a storage buffer including a multiplicity of contiguous buffers in which to temporarily store said packet.

4. A method for operating a switch controller comprising:

providing a plurality of ports including at least one bus port associated with ports connected to other switching controllers;

storing MAC addresses and VLAN ids of ports within a network in a hash table;

hashing the MAC address and VLAN id of a packet to initial hash table location values;

changing the hash table location values by a fixed jump amount if the address and VLAN id values stored in said initial hash table location do not match the received address and VLAN id;

providing at least an output port number of the port associated with the received address and VLAN id; and

temporarily storing said packet.

5. A method for operating a switch controller comprising:

providing a plurality of ports including at least one bus port associated with ports connected to other switching controllers;

storing MAC addresses and VLAN ids of ports within a network in a hash table;

hashing the MAC address and VLAN id of a packet to initial hash table location values;

changing the hash table location values by a fixed offset if the address and VLAN id values stored in said initial hash table location do not match the received address and VLAN id; and

providing at least an output port number of the port associated with the received address and VLAN id.

6. The method of claim 5 further comprising temporarily storing said packet.