System and Method for Increasing Input/Output Speeds in a Network Switch

• US 20120327769A1
• Filed: 06/21/2011
• Published: 12/27/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/21/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Broadcom Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Ghiasi, Ali, Pillai, Velu, Chidambara, Sundar
• Granted Patent: US 8,582,437 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/235
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/10 Flow control; Congestion control
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/60 Software-defined switches
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 7/041 using special codes as synchronising signal

Abstract

A system and method for increasing input/output speeds in a network switch. A physical layer device is provided that includes a physical coding sublayer that insert data flow identifiers to data flows that are provided to a gearbox. In one embodiment, the gearbox is a 5 to 2 gearbox that can transport various combinations of 10G/40G data flows over a narrower interface to a second physical layer device having an inverse gearbox.

Claims

1. A network link, comprising:

a first physical layer device, said first physical layer device including a physical coding sublayer module that receives a plurality of input data flows, said physical coding sublayer module inserting data flow markers into each of said plurality of input data flows to produce a corresponding plurality of marked input data flows, wherein said data flow markers are used to distinguish between said plurality of input data flows, said first physical layer device also including a first gearbox having a five to two ratio that enables a production of two output data flows for every five input data flows, said gearbox receiving said plurality of marked input data flows and generating a plurality of marked data flows for transmission over a physical medium; and

a second physical layer device coupled to said physical medium for receiving signals containing said plurality of marked data flows, said first physical layer device including a second gearbox having a five to two ratio that enables a production of five output data flows for every two input data flows, said second gearbox receiving said plurality of marked data flows, removing said data flow markers from said plurality of marked data flows, and generating a plurality of output data flows.

2. The network link of claim 1, wherein said physical coding sublayer module receives five input data flows.

3. The network link of claim 1, wherein said physical coding sublayer module receives ten input data flows.

4. The network link of claim 1, wherein each of said plurality of input data flows is a 10 gigabit data flow.

5. The network link of claim 1, wherein each of said plurality of output data flows is a 25 gigabit data flow.

6. The network link of claim 1, wherein said plurality of input data flows consists of one 40 gigabit data flow and six 10 gigabit data flows, and said plurality of output data flows consists of four 25 gigabit data flows.

7. The network link of claim 1, wherein said plurality of input data flows consists of two 40 gigabit data flow and two 10 gigabit data flows, and said plurality of output data flows consists of four 25 gigabit data flows.

8. A physical layer device, comprising:

a physical coding sublayer module that receives a plurality of input data flows, said physical coding sublayer module inserting data flow markers into each of said plurality of input data flows to produce a corresponding plurality of marked input data flows, wherein said data flow markers are used to distinguish between said plurality of input data flows; and

a gearbox having a five to two ratio that enables a production of two output data flows for every five input data flows, said gearbox receiving said plurality of marked input data flows and generating a plurality of output data flows for transmission.

9. The physical layer device of claim 8, wherein said physical coding sublayer module receives five input data flows.

10. The physical layer device of claim 8, wherein said physical coding sublayer module receives ten input data flows.

11. The physical layer device of claim 8, wherein each of said plurality of input data flows is a 10 gigabit data flow.

12. The physical layer device of claim 8, wherein each of said plurality of output data flows is a 25 gigabit data flow.

13. The physical layer device of claim 8, wherein said plurality of input data flows consists of one 40 gigabit data flow and six 10 gigabit data flows, and said plurality of output data flows consists of four 25 gigabit data flows.

14. The physical layer device of claim 8, wherein said plurality of input data flows consists of two 40 gigabit data flow and two 10 gigabit data flows, and said plurality of output data flows consists of four 25 gigabit data flows.