Two-Layer Switch Apparatus Avoiding First Layer Inter-Switch Traffic In Steering Packets Through The Apparatus
First Claim
1. A method of link-level data communications,the method carried out in link-level data communications switching apparatus, the switching apparatus comprising modular link-level data communications switches disposed within a modular computer cabinet, the modular computer cabinet also having disposed within it a plurality of modular computer systems;
- the switching apparatus configured as two layers of link-level data communications switches, a first layer and a second layer, the first layer switches coupled for data communications to data communications networks, the first layer switches also coupled to one another for link-level data communications by inter-switch links, each first layer switch also coupled for link-level data communications to each of the second layer switches, each second layer switch coupled for link-level data communications to at least one of the modular computer systems so that each second layer switch provides data communications connections to the switching apparatus only for service applications in the modular computer system to which a second layer switch is coupled;
all the switches stacked by a stacking protocol that shares administrative configuration information among the switches through the inter-switch links and presents all the switches in the switching apparatus to the networks and to the modular computer systems as a single logical switch;
the switching apparatus further comprises a plurality of data communications ports, at least one of the ports coupling the switching apparatus to at least one data communications network, at least one additional port connected to an application running on at least one of the modular computer systems that carry out processing of data communications packets traveling from the network(s), each application associated with a unique, link-level identifier;
the method comprising;
receiving, in the switching apparatus through an ingress port from a source network, a data communications packet directed to a modular computer system that is running at least one of the applications;
sending the packet by the switching apparatus to the modular computer system to which the packet is directed, the packet traversing none of the inter-switch links among the first layer switches;
receiving, in the switching apparatus through an ingress port from an application on a modular computer system, a packet directed to a device on a destination network; and
sending, in the switching apparatus to a port to the destination network to which the packet is directed, the packet traversing none of the inter-switch links among the first layer switches.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Link-level data communications implemented in switching apparatus comprising modular switches disposed within a modular computer cabinet that includes modular computer systems; the switching apparatus configured as two layers of switches, the first layer switches coupled to one another for communications by inter-switch links, each second layer switch coupled for communications to the modular computer systems; all the switches stacked by a stacking protocol that shares administrative configuration information among the switches through the inter-switch links and presents all the switches as a single logical switch; the switching apparatus including ports coupling the apparatus to networks and to service applications and terminating applications on the modular computer systems; and sending the packet from network to modular computer system to which the packet is directed, or from modular computer system to network to which the packet is directed, the packet traversing none of the inter-switch links among the first layer switches.
97 Citations
18 Claims
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1. A method of link-level data communications,
the method carried out in link-level data communications switching apparatus, the switching apparatus comprising modular link-level data communications switches disposed within a modular computer cabinet, the modular computer cabinet also having disposed within it a plurality of modular computer systems; -
the switching apparatus configured as two layers of link-level data communications switches, a first layer and a second layer, the first layer switches coupled for data communications to data communications networks, the first layer switches also coupled to one another for link-level data communications by inter-switch links, each first layer switch also coupled for link-level data communications to each of the second layer switches, each second layer switch coupled for link-level data communications to at least one of the modular computer systems so that each second layer switch provides data communications connections to the switching apparatus only for service applications in the modular computer system to which a second layer switch is coupled; all the switches stacked by a stacking protocol that shares administrative configuration information among the switches through the inter-switch links and presents all the switches in the switching apparatus to the networks and to the modular computer systems as a single logical switch; the switching apparatus further comprises a plurality of data communications ports, at least one of the ports coupling the switching apparatus to at least one data communications network, at least one additional port connected to an application running on at least one of the modular computer systems that carry out processing of data communications packets traveling from the network(s), each application associated with a unique, link-level identifier; the method comprising; receiving, in the switching apparatus through an ingress port from a source network, a data communications packet directed to a modular computer system that is running at least one of the applications; sending the packet by the switching apparatus to the modular computer system to which the packet is directed, the packet traversing none of the inter-switch links among the first layer switches; receiving, in the switching apparatus through an ingress port from an application on a modular computer system, a packet directed to a device on a destination network; and sending, in the switching apparatus to a port to the destination network to which the packet is directed, the packet traversing none of the inter-switch links among the first layer switches. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. Apparatus for link-level data communications, the apparatus comprising:
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a link-level data communications switching apparatus, the switching apparatus comprising modular link-level data communications switches disposed within a modular computer cabinet, the modular computer cabinet also having disposed within it a plurality of modular computer systems; the switching apparatus configured as two layers of link-level data communications switches, a first layer and a second layer, the first layer switches coupled for data communications to data communications networks, the first layer switches also coupled to one another for link-level data communications by inter-switch links, each first layer switch also coupled for link-level data communications to each of the second layer switches, each second layer switch coupled for link-level data communications to at least one of the modular computer systems so that each second layer switch provides data communications connections to the switching apparatus only for service applications in the modular computer system to which a second layer switch is coupled; all the switches stacked by a stacking protocol that shares administrative configuration information among the switches through the inter-switch links and presents all the switches in the switching apparatus to the networks and to the modular computer systems as a single logical switch; the switching apparatus further comprises a plurality of data communications ports, at least one of the ports coupling the switching apparatus to at least one data communications network, at least one additional port connected to an application running on at least one of the modular computer systems that carry out processing of data communications packets traveling from the networks, each application associated with a unique, link-level identifier; the apparatus configured to carry out the steps of; receiving, in the switching apparatus through an ingress port from a source network, a data communications packet directed to a modular computer system that is running at least one of the applications; sending the packet by the switching apparatus to the modular computer system to which the packet is directed, the packet traversing none of the inter-switch links among the first layer switches; receiving, in the switching apparatus through an ingress port from an application on a modular computer system, a packet directed to a device on a destination network; and sending, in the switching apparatus to a port to the destination network to which the packet is directed, the packet traversing none of the inter-switch links among the first layer switches. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A computer program product for link-level data communications carried out in link-level data communications switching apparatus, the computer program product disposed in recordable medium for machine-readable information,
the switching apparatus comprising modular link-level data communications switches disposed within a modular computer cabinet, the modular computer cabinet also having disposed within it a plurality of modular computer systems; -
the switching apparatus configured as two layers of link-level data communications switches, a first layer and a second layer, the first layer switches coupled for data communications to data communications networks, the first layer switches also coupled to one another for link-level data communications by inter-switch links, each first layer switch also coupled for link-level data communications to each of the second layer switches, each second layer switch coupled for link-level data communications to at least one of the modular computer systems so that each second layer switch provides data communications connections to the switching apparatus only for service applications in the modular computer system to which a second layer switch is coupled; all the switches stacked by a stacking protocol that shares administrative configuration information among the switches through the inter-switch links and presents all the switches in the switching apparatus to the networks and to the modular computer systems as a single logical switch; the switching apparatus further comprises a plurality of data communications ports, at least one of the ports coupling the switching apparatus to at least one data communications network, at least one additional port connected to an applications running on at least one of the modular computer systems that carry out processing of data communications packets traveling from the networks, each application associated with a unique, link-level identifier; the computer program product comprising computer program instructions which, when executed by a data communications processor, cause the switching apparatus to carry out the steps of; receiving, in the switching apparatus through an ingress port from a source network, a data communications packet directed to a modular computer system that is running at least one of the applications; sending the packet by the switching apparatus to the modular computer system to which the packet is directed, the packet traversing none of the inter-switch links among the first layer switches; receiving, in the switching apparatus through an ingress port from an application on a modular computer system, a packet directed to a device on a destination network; and sending, in the switching apparatus to a port to the destination network to which the packet is directed, the packet traversing none of the inter-switch links among the first layer switches. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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Specification