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Method and apparatus for learning and switching frames in a distributed network switch

  • US 6,807,172 B1
  • Filed: 12/21/1999
  • Issued: 10/19/2004
  • Est. Priority Date: 12/21/1999
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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1. A method for learning and switching frames between line cards that are interconnected by a switch fabric of a distributed network switch, the cards including an ingress card having an incoming port for receiving a frame at the switch, an egress card having an outgoing port for transmitting the frame from the switch and a switch management card (SMC) containing a router, the method comprising the steps of:

  • executing a routing decision operation on the frame at the router, the frame comprising a header having a port-of-exit (POE) mask field, a source index field and a destination index field, the POE mask field including a plurality of bits, one for each port interface of the switch fabric; and

    modifying the header of a frame during execution of the routing decision operation to ensure that copies of the routed frame are provided to the ingress card and egress cards.

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