Data network switch with fault tolerance
First Claim
1. An ATM data network switch, comprising:
- a) two separate switch fabrics, with both of said two separate switch fabrics being active at the same time;
b) a plurality of slot controllers, each slot controller having at least one external data link thereto and being separately connected to each of said two separate switch fabrics, whereineach switch fabric comprising means for switching a data cell transmitted from any one of said plurality of slot controllers to any other of said plurality of slot controllers, andeach of said plurality of slot controller comprises (i) means for determining the availability of data paths to all others of said plurality of slot controllers through both said two separate switch fabrics, (ii) means for storing an indicator of the availability of each of the data paths from and to the said slot controller, said means for storing being coupled to said means for determining and (iii) means for selecting, for each cell to be switched, a data path through one or other of two separate switch fabrics and for sending the cell via said data path according to the availability determined by said means for determining and stored in said means for storing, said means for selecting being coupled to said means for storing.
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Abstract
An ATM data network switch having two separate but simultaneously active switch fabrics and a plurality of slot controllers is disclosed. Each slot controller has at least one external data link thereto and is separately connected to the two separate switch fabrics. Each switch fabric was the ability to switch a data cell transmitted from any one of the slot controllers to any of the other slot controllers. Each slot controller is arranged to determine the availability of the data paths to all the other slot controllers through both switch fabrics and to select for each cell to be switched a data path through one or the other of the switch fabric according to the availability determined.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. An ATM data network switch, comprising:
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a) two separate switch fabrics, with both of said two separate switch fabrics being active at the same time; b) a plurality of slot controllers, each slot controller having at least one external data link thereto and being separately connected to each of said two separate switch fabrics, wherein each switch fabric comprising means for switching a data cell transmitted from any one of said plurality of slot controllers to any other of said plurality of slot controllers, and each of said plurality of slot controller comprises (i) means for determining the availability of data paths to all others of said plurality of slot controllers through both said two separate switch fabrics, (ii) means for storing an indicator of the availability of each of the data paths from and to the said slot controller, said means for storing being coupled to said means for determining and (iii) means for selecting, for each cell to be switched, a data path through one or other of two separate switch fabrics and for sending the cell via said data path according to the availability determined by said means for determining and stored in said means for storing, said means for selecting being coupled to said means for storing. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A method of switching cells of ATM data through an ATM data network switch, comprising:
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a) providing two separate switch fabrics; b) providing a plurality of processors, each processor coupled to each of said two separate switch fabrics; c) periodically sending from each of said plurality of processors to all others of said plurality of processors a "health check" cell; d) receiving at each of said plurality of processors the health check cells of the other processors and generating and sending a response cell for each received health check cell to indicate receipt; e) receiving at each of said plurality of processors the response cells, and identifying therefrom the availability of data paths through each of said two separate switch fabrics; f) storing indicators of said availability; g) sending data cells from a first of said plurality of processors via a plurality of particular data paths through a first of said switch fabrics, unless said indicator for any of said plurality of particular data paths indicates that said particular data path is unavailable, and in that case, sending said at least some of said data cells from said first of said plurality of processors via another data path through a second of said switch fabrics while continuing to send others of said cells along available data paths through said first of said switch fabrics.
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Specification