Trunking ethernet-compatible networks

• US 6,049,528 A
• Filed: 06/30/1997
• Issued: 04/11/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Oracle America, Inc. (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sun Microsystems Incorporated (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Kumar, Sampath H. K., Hendel, Ariel, Hejza, Leo A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Olms, Douglas W.
• Assistant Examiner(s): VINCENT, DAVID ROBERT
• Application Number:
  US08/885,072
• Time in Patent Office: 1,016 Days
• Field of Search: 370/466, 370/467, 370/469, 370/463, 370/445, 370/216, 370/229, 370/230, 370/235, 370/437
• US Class Current: 370/235
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/10 Flow control; Congestion control
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/00 Network arrangements, protocols or services for addressing or naming
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/14 Multichannel or multilink protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

A network system dynamically controls data flow between physical links by logically combining multiple physical links into a single logical channel trunk, preferably to balance data flow carried by each link. Each link in the trunk has identical physical layer and identical media access control layer characteristics. A system server assigns a single media access control layer address to the single trunked logical channel, preferably randomly by hashing destination media access control layer addresses for the links. The system server includes, in addition to a physical layer and a network layer, a pseudo-driver software layer disposed therebetween, which pseudo-driver software layer functions as a multiplexer in a receive path and functions as a de-multiplexer in a transmit path. The resultant preferably Ethernet-compatible network system operates in full-duplex mode and distributes packets from the server to the links to preserve temporal order of data flow.

Claims

1. A method of dynamically controlling data flow between physical links of a network system, the method comprising the step of:

logically combining multiple said physical links into a single logical channel referred to as a trunk; and

a server in said system assigning a single media access control (MAC) layer address to said trunk.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein:

each of said physical links comprising said trunk is representable by identical physical layer and identical MAC layer characteristics.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

dynamically controlling said data flow to substantially balance data flow carried by each of said physical links comprising said trunk.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

constructing said single MAC layer address using map-table information available to said system.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

randomly selecting a destination address for one of said physical links.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein said randomly selecting includes hashing destination MAC layer addresses for said physical links.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

distributing data packets from a server in said system to chosen ones of said physical links such that temporal order of data flow is preserved.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

said server distributing said data packets over a common segment of said trunk.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

defining, for a server in said system representable by a multi-layer model including at least a physical layer and a network layer, a pseudo-driver software layer disposed intermediate said physical layer and said network layer.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein:

said pseudo-driver software layer functions as a multiplexer in a receive path and functions as a de-multiplexer in a transmit path.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein said network is Ethernet-compatible.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein said network functions in full-duplex mode.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein said server assigns said MAC layer address by selecting one of the said multiple physical links as the trunk-head and using the MAC address of the trunk head as the MAC address of the trunk.

13. A network system, comprising:

a first physical link, coupleable to said network system;

a second physical link, coupleable to said network system;

a server having a server interface that dynamically combines the first and second physical links into a single logical channel referred to as a trunk by assigning a single media access control (MAC) layer address to said trunk.

14. The network system of claim 13, wherein:

each of said physical links comprising said trunk is representable by identical physical layer and identical MAC layer characteristics.

15. The network system of claim 13, wherein said MAC layer address is generated with an address generator selected from a group consisting of (i) a map-table, (ii) a random selector of destination media access control layer addresses for said physical links, and (iii) a hash unit that hashes destination medial access control layer addresses for said physical links.

16. The network system of claim 13, wherein said server interface dynamically balances data flow carried by each of said physical links comprising said trunk.

17. The network system of claim 13, wherein said server distributes data packets to chosen ones of said physical links such that temporal order of data flow is preserved.

18. The network system of claim 13, wherein:

said interface includes a pseudo-driver software layer disposed intermediate a physical layer and a network layer in said server;

said pseudo-driver software layer functioning as a multiplexer in a receive path and functioning as a de-multiplexer in a transmit path.

19. The network system of claim 13, wherein said network system has at least one characteristic selected from a group consisting of (i) said network functions in full-duplex mode, (ii) said network is an Ethernet network, and (iii) said network is Ethernet-compatible.

21. A server comprising:

a first physical port to provide a physical link to a network;

a second port to provide a second physical link to the network; and

a server interface that dynamically combines the first port and the second port into a single logical channel referred to as a trunk by assigning a single media access control (MAC) layer address to said trunk.

22. The server of claim 21, wherein each of said physical links comprising said trunk is representable by identical physical layer and identical MAC layer characteristics.

23. The server of claim 21, wherein said server dynamically controls said data flow to substantially balance data flow carried by each of said physical links comprising said trunk.

24. The server of claim 21, wherein said server constructs said single MAC layer address using map-table information available to said system.

25. The server of claim 21, wherein said server randomly selects a destination address for one of said physical links.

26. The server of claim 25, wherein said randomly selection includes hashing destination MAC layer addresses for said physical links.

27. The server of claim 21, wherein said server distributes data packets over said physical links such that temporal order of data flow is preserved.

28. The server of claim 27, wherein said server distributes said data packets over a common segment of said trunk.

29. The server of claim 21, wherein said server defines a pseudo-driver software layer disposed intermediate the physical layer and the network layer.

30. The server of claim 29, wherein said pseudo-driver software layer functions as a multiplexer in a receive path and functions as a de-multiplexer in a transmit path.