Methods, systems and computer program products for selecting an aggregator interface

• US 6,631,141 B1
• Filed: 05/27/1999
• Issued: 10/07/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/27/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Larsen, Loren Douglas, Lynch, Jeffrey James, Kumar, Arush
• Primary Examiner(s): Ton, Dang
• Assistant Examiner(s): PHAN, TRI H
• Application Number:
  US09/321,330
• Time in Patent Office: 1,594 Days
• Field of Search: 370/469, 370/229, 370/230, 370/230.1, 370/235, 370/235.1, 370/238, 370/252, 370/254, 370/389, 370/400, 370/401, 370/402, 370/408, 370/445, 370/412, 370/413, 370/414, 370/464, 370/465, 370/463, 370/422, 370/423, 370/428, 709/100, 709/103, 709/104, 709/105, 709/226, 709/238, 709/241, 709/231
• US Class Current: 370/469
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/00 Routing or path finding of packets in data switching networks routing or path finding in wireless networks H04W40/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/245 Link aggregation, e.g. trunking
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/50 in wire-line communication networks, e.g. low power modes or reduced link rate

Abstract

Methods, systems and computer program products are provided for which associate physical links of a network device to aggregator ports of the network device where there are more physical links of the network device capable of aggregation than aggregator ports of the network device. Physical links are associated with the aggregator ports of the network device based on a session invariant characteristic of the physical links until either all of the aggregator ports of the network device have been associated with physical links or all of the physical links capable of aggregation have been associated with an aggregator port. The remaining physical links are then utilized as single links to the network device irrespective of the physical link'"'"'s capability to aggregate.

Claims

1. A method of associating physical links to a network device with aggregator ports of the network device, the method comprising the steps of:

associating physical links with the aggregator ports of the network device in a predictable sequence based on a session invariant characteristic of the physical links until at least one of, all of the aggregator ports of the network device have been assigned physical links and, all of the physical links capable of aggregation have been assigned an aggregator port; and

connecting remaining physical links as single links to the network device irrespective of the physical links capability to aggregate.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the associating step comprises the steps of:

determining a system identification associated with a remote end of each of the physical links connected to the network device;

determining a port key associated with the remote end of each of the physical links connected to the network device; and

associating physical links with the aggregator ports of the network device in a predictable sequence based on both the system identification and the port key associated with the physical link.

3. A method according to claim 2, wherein the step of associating physical links with the aggregator ports of the network device in a predictable sequence based on both the system identification and the port key associated with the physical link comprises the step of associating physical links with the same system identification value and port key value with the same aggregator port in a predictable order based on the system identification values of the physical links.

4. A method according to claim 3, wherein the predictable order is sequential order.

5. A method according to claim 2, wherein the system identification is a media access control (MAC) address associated with a system at the remote end of the physical links.

6. A method according to claim 4, further comprising the step of terminating an association of physical links with an aggregator port if a request is received to aggregate physical links having a system identification within the sequence of system identifications of physical links associated with aggregator ports.

7. A method according to claim 6, wherein the association of physical links with an aggregator port terminated is an association of physical links having a system identification value at the boundary of the sequence of system identification values associated with aggregator ports.

8. A method of associating physical ports with aggregator ports of a network device, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving a link aggregation message from one of the physical ports of the network device;

parsing the received message for a system identification and port key of a remote system associated with the one of the physical ports;

assigning the one of the physical ports from which the message was received to a potential aggregation group based on the system identification and port key values of the remote system associated with the one of the physical ports;

determining if, at least one of, a message has been received from each of the physical ports of the network device and expiration of a hold time, has occurred; and

associating potential aggregation groups with the aggregator ports of the network device in a predictable sequence based on the system identification values associated with the potential aggregation group until all aggregator ports have been associated with a potential aggregation group if at least one of, a message has been received from each of the physical ports of the network device and expiration of a hold time, has occurred.

9. A method according to claim 8, further comprising the steps of:

determining if all of the aggregator ports have been associated with a potential aggregation group; and

utilizing physical ports of potential aggregation groups which have not been associated with an aggregator port as single port links if all of the aggregator ports have been associated with a potential aggregation group.

10. A method according to claim 8, wherein the link aggregation message is a link aggregation control protocol message.

11. A method according to claim 9, wherein the predictable sequence is an ascending sequence based on system identification.

12. A method according to claim 8, further comprising the steps of:

receiving a subsequent link aggregation message from one of the physical ports of the network device, wherein the second link aggregation message is received after the occurrence of one of expiration of the hold time and receiving a message from each of the physical ports of the network device;

parsing the received subsequent message for a system identification and port key of a remote system associated with the one of the physical ports;

determining if the system identification of the subsequent message is of a lower value than the system identifications of any of the physical ports associated is with an aggregator port;

terminating the association of an aggregation group with an aggregator port with an associated system identification at a boundary of the predictable sequence; and

associating the physical port of the received subsequent message with an aggregator port according to the predictable sequence.

13. A method according to claim 8, wherein the system identification is a media access control (MAC) address.

14. A system associating physical links to a network device with aggregator ports of the network device, comprising:

means for associating physical links with the aggregator ports of the network device in a predictable sequence based on a session invariant characteristic of the physical links until at least one of, all of the aggregator ports of the network device have been assigned physical links and, ail of the physical links capable of aggregation have been assigned an aggregator port; and

means for connecting remaining physical links as single links to the network device irrespective of the physical links capability to aggregate.

15. A system according to claim 14, wherein the means for associating comprises:

means for determining a system identification associated with a remote end of each of the physical links connected to the network device;

means for determining a port key associated with the remote end of each of the physical links connected to the network device; and

means for associating physical links with the aggregator ports of the network device in a predictable sequence based on both the system identification and the port key associated with the physical link.

16. A system according to claim 15, wherein the means for associating physical links with the aggregator ports of the network device in a predictable sequence based on both the system identification and the port key associated with the physical link comprises means for associating physical links with the same system identification value and port key value with the same aggregator port in a predictable order based on the system identification values of the physical links.

17. A system according to claim 16, wherein the predictable order is sequential order.

18. A system according to claim 15, wherein the system identification is a media access control (MAC) address associated with a system at the remote end the physical links.

19. A system according to claim 17, further comprising means for terminating an association of physical links with an aggregator port if a request is received to aggregate physical links having a system identification within the sequence of system identifications of physical link s associated with aggregator ports.

20. A system according to claim 19, wherein the association of physical links with an aggregator port terminated is an association of physical links having a system identification value at the boundary of the sequence of system identification values associated with aggregator ports.

21. A system for associating physical ports with aggregator ports of a network device, comprising:

means for receiving a link aggregation message from one of the physical ports of the network device;

means for parsing the received message for a system identification and port key of a remote system associated with the one of the physical ports;

means for assigning the one of the physical ports from which the message was received to a potential aggregation group based on the system identification and port key values of the remote system associated with the one of the physical ports;

means for determining if, at least one of, a message has been received from each of the physical ports of the network device and expiration of a hold time, has occurred; and

means for associating potential aggregation groups with the aggregator ports of the network device in a predictable sequence based on the system identification values associated with the potential aggregation group until all aggregator ports have been associated with a potential aggregation group if at least one of, a message has been received from each of the physical ports of the network device and expiration of a hold time, has occurred.

22. A system according to claim 21, further comprising:

means for determining if all of the aggregator ports have been associated with a potential aggregation group; and

means for utilizing physical ports of potential aggregation groups which have not been associated with an aggregator port as single port links if all of the aggregator ports have been associated with a potential aggregation group.

23. A system according to claim 21, wherein the link aggregation message is a link aggregation control protocol message.

24. A system according to claim 22, wherein the predictable sequence is an ascending sequence based on system identification.

25. A system according to claim 21, further comprising:

means for receiving a subsequent link aggregation message from one of the physical ports of the network device, wherein the second link aggregation message is received after the occurrence of one of expiration of the hold time and receiving a message from each of the physical ports of the network device;

means for parsing the received subsequent message for a system identification and port key of a remote system associated with the one of the physical ports;

means for determining if the system identification of the subsequent message is of a lower value than the system identifications of any of the physical ports associated with an aggregator port;

means for terminating the association of an aggregation group with an aggregator port with an associated system identification at a boundary of the predictable sequence; and

means for associating the physical port of the received subsequent message with an aggregator port according to the predictable sequence.

26. A system according to claim 21, wherein the system identification is a media access control (MAC) address.

27. A computer program product for associating physical links to a network device with aggregator ports of the network device, comprising:

a computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable program code means embodied in said medium, said computer-readable program code means comprising;

computer-readable program code means for associating physical links with the aggregator ports of the network device in a predictable sequence based on a session invariant characteristic of the physical links until at least one of, all of the aggregator ports of the network device have been assigned physical links and, all of the physical links capable of aggregation have been assigned an aggregator port; and

computer-readable program code means for connecting remaining physical links as single links to the network device irrespective of the physical links capability to aggregate.

28. A computer program product according to claim 27, wherein the computer-readable program code means for associating comprises:

computer-readable program code means for determining a system identification associated with a remote end of each of the physical links connected to the network device;

computer-readable program code means for determining a port key associated with the remote end of each of the physical links connected to the network device; and

computer-readable program code means for associating physical links with the aggregator ports of the network device in a predictable sequence based on both the system identification and the port key associated with the physical link.

29. A computer program product according to claim 28, wherein the computer-readable program code means for associating physical links with the aggregator ports of the network device in a predictable sequence based on both the system identification and the port key associated with the physical link comprises computer-readable program code means for associating physical links with the same system identification value and port key value with the same aggregator port in a predictable order based on the system identification values of the physical links.

30. A computer program product according to claim 29, wherein the predictable order is sequential order.

31. A computer program product according to claim 28, wherein the system identification is a media access control (MAC) address associated with a system at the remote end the physical links.

32. A computer program product according to claim 30, further comprising computer-readable program code means for terminating an association of physical links with an aggregator port if a request is received to aggregate physical links having a system identification within the sequence of system identifications of physical links associated with aggregator ports.

33. A computer program product according to claim 32, wherein the association of physical links with an aggregator port terminated is an association of physical links having a system identification value at the boundary of the sequence of system identification values associated with aggregator ports.

34. A computer program product for associating physical ports with aggregator ports of a network device, comprising:

a computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable program code means embodied in said medium, said computer-readable program code means comprising;

computer-readable program code means for receiving a link aggregation message from one of the physical ports of the network device;

computer-readable program code means for parsing the received message for a system identification and port key of a remote system associated with the one of the physical ports;

computer-readable program code means for assigning the one of the physical ports from which the message was received to a potential aggregation group based on the system identification and port key values of the remote system associated with the one of the physical ports;

computer-readable program code means for determining if, at least one of, a message has been received from each of the physical ports of the network device and expiration of a hold time, has occurred; and

computer-readable program code means for associating potential aggregation groups with the aggregator ports of the network device in a predictable sequence based on the system identification values associated with the potential aggregation group until all aggregator ports have been associated with a potential aggregation group if at least one of, a message has been received from each of the physical ports of the network device and expiration of a hold time, has occurred.

35. A computer program product according to claim 34, further comprising:

computer-readable program code means for determining if all of the aggregator ports have been associated with a potential aggregation group; and

computer-readable program code means for utilizing physical ports of potential aggregation groups which have not been associated with an aggregator port as single port links if all of the aggregator ports have been associated with a potential aggregation group.

36. A computer program product according to claim 34, wherein the link aggregation message is a link aggregation control protocol message.

37. A computer program product according to claim 35, wherein the predictable sequence is an ascending sequence based on system identification.

38. A computer program product according to claim 34, further comprising:

computer-readable program code means for receiving a subsequent link aggregation message from one of the physical ports of the network device, wherein the second link aggregation message is received after the occurrence of one of expiration of the hold time and receiving a message from each of the physical ports of the network device;

computer-readable program code means for parsing the received subsequent message for a system identification and port key of a remote system associated with the one of the physical ports;

computer-readable program code means for determining if the system identification of the subsequent message is of a lower value than the system identifications of any of the physical ports associated with an aggregator port;

computer-readable program code means for terminating the association of an aggregation group with an aggregator port with an associated system identification at a boundary of the predictable sequence; and

computer-readable program code means for associating the physical port of the received subsequent message with an aggregator port according to the predictable sequence.

39. A computer program product according to claim 34, wherein the system identification is a media access control (MAC) address.