Network processor interface for building scalable switching systems

• US 6,868,082 B1
• Filed: 08/30/1999
• Issued: 03/15/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Calvignac, Jean Louis, Siegel, Michael Steven, Verplanken, Fabrice Jean, Heddes, Marco C., Bass, Brian Mitchell, Allen, James Johnson Jr., Gaur, Santosh Prasad
• Primary Examiner(s): QURESHI, AFSAR M
• Application Number:
  US09/385,603
• Time in Patent Office: 2,024 Days
• Field of Search: 370/360, 370/361, 370/362, 370/363, 370/364, 370/365, 370/387, 370/389, 370/391, 370/395.4, 370/395.5, 370/395.71, 710/28, 710/29, 710/30, 710/116, 710/126, 710/129, 710/131, 711/149, 711/153, 711/170, 340/825.51
• US Class Current: 370/360
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/4022 using switching circuits, e.g. switching matrix, connection or expansion network G06F13/4009 takes precedence

Abstract

A network apparatus comprising storage units storing configuration information about the network apparatus, an input network interface to at least one network physical line, at least one processor receiving network data from said network interface, processing said data, storing information about said network data in said storage units, storing said data as formatted data units in said storage units, a first bus interface to two bus connections, a first hardware component reading said configuration information and said information about data stored in said storing units and steering said formatted data units stored in said storage units to at least one of the two bus connections of said first bus interface, a second bus interface to two bus connections, an output network interface to at least one network physical line, a second hardware component reading formatted data units arriving on at least one of the two bus connections of said second bus interface and storing said formatted data units in said storage units, said at least one processor reading said formatted data units from said storage units, processing them and sending them as network data to at least one network physical line through said output network interface. On the basis of this network processor, it is possible to build switching systems by adding one network processor and at least one switch; it is also possible to build double density blades attached to two redundant switch fabrics which can also be accessed concurrently.

Claims

1. A network apparatus comprising:

storage units, mounted on the board, storing configuration information about the network apparatus;

an input network interfaces mounted on the board, to couple to at least one network physical line;

at least one processor, mounted on the board, receiving network data from said input network interface, processing said data, storing information about said network data in said storage units, storing said data as formatted data units in said storage units;

a first bus interfaces to two bus connections;

a first hardware component reading said configuration information and said information about data stored in said storing units and steering said formatted data units stored in said storage units to at least one of the two bus connections of said first bus interface;

a second bus interface to two bus connections;

an output network interface to at least one network physical line; and

a second hardware component reading formatted data units arriving on at least one of the two bus connections of said second bus interface and storing said formatted date units in said storage units, said at least one processor reading said formatted data units from said storage units, processing them and sending them as network data to at least one network physical line through said output network interface.

2. The network apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:

a bus connecting one of the two bus connections of said first bus interface to one of the two bus connections of said second bus interface, the first hardware component of said network apparatus sending formatted data units to said bus and the second hardware component receiving from said bus said formatted data units.

3. The network apparatus of claim 2,

wherein the second hardware component further comprises an additional storage unit and additional logic for reading said configuration information and said information about data stored in said storing units and steering said read formatted data units either to said storage units or to said additional storage unit;

and

wherein, the first hardware component further comprises a bus accessing said additional storage unit, said first hardware component steering said formatted data units stored in said additional storage unit to at least one of the two bus connections of said first bus interface.

4. A switching system comprising:

a network apparatus according to claim 3;

a second network apparatus according to claim 2;

a second bus connecting the second one of the two bus connections of said second bus interface of said first network apparatus to the second one of the two bus connections of said first bus interface of said second network apparatus, said second bus conveying data received at the network interface of said first network processor said data being intended to be sent to the network interface of said second network processor;

a third bus connecting the second one of the two bus connections of said first bus interface of said second network apparatus to the second one of the two bus connections of said second bus interface of said first network apparatus, said third bus conveying data having been sent through said second bus but being intended to be sent through said bus to said additional memory, to the network interface of said first network processor.

5. A blade comprising:

a circuit board;

a network apparatus according to claim 3 mounted on the board;

a second network apparatus according to claim 2 mounted on the board;

a second bus, mounted on the board, connecting the second one of the two bus connections of said second bus interface of said first network apparatus to the second one of the two bus connections of said first bus interface of said second network apparatus, said second bus conveying data received at the network interface of said first network processor said data being intended to be sent to the network interface of said second network processor;

a third bus, mounted on the board, connecting the second one of the two bus connections of said first bus interface of said second network apparatus to the second one of the two bus connections of said second bus interface of said first network apparatus, said third bus conveying data having been sent through said second bus but being intended to be sent through said bus to said additional memory, to the network interface of said first network processor.

6. A switching system comprising:

a switching fabric receiving formatted data units from at least one input bus connection and switching said formatted data units to at least one output bus connection;

a second switching fabric receiving formatted data units from at least one input bus connection and switching said formatted data units to at least one output bus connection;

a first network apparatus according to claim 3;

a second network apparatus according to claim 3;

a first bus connecting one of the two bus connections of said first bus interface of said first network apparatus to one of the at least one input bus connection of said switching fabric, said first bus conveying formatted data units sent by said first network apparatus to said first switching fabric;

a second bus connecting one of the two bus connections of said second bus interface of said first network apparatus to one of the at least one output bus of said switching fabric, said second bus conveying formatted data units sent by said first switching fabric to said first network apparatus;

a third bus connecting one of the two bus connections of said first bus interface of said second network apparatus to one of the at least one input bus connection of said second switching fabric, said third bus conveying formatted data units sent by said second network apparatus to said second switching fabric;

a fourth bus connecting one of the two bus connections of said second bus interface of said first network apparatus to one of the at least one output bus of said switching fabric, said second bus conveying formatted data units sent by said switching fabric to said first network apparatus;

a fifth bus connecting the second one of the two bus connections of said first interface of said first network apparatus to the second one of the two bus connections of the second interface of said second network apparatus; and

a sixth bus connecting the second one of the two bus connections of said first interface of said second network apparatus to the second one of the two bus connections of the second interface of said first network apparatus.

7. The network apparatus of claim 2 wherein the recited elements are formed on a common semiconductor substrate.

8. A switching system comprising:

a switching fabric receiving formatted data units from at least one input bus connection and switching said formatted data units to at least one output bus connection;

a first network apparatus according to claim 7;

a second network apparatus according to claim 1;

a second bus connecting one of the two bus connections of said first bus interface of said first network apparatus to one of the at least one input bus connection of said switching fabric, said second bus conveying formatted data units sent by said network apparatus to said switching fabric;

a third bus connecting one of the two bus connections of said second bus interface of said network apparatus to one of the at least one output bus of said switching fabric, said third bus conveying formatted data units sent by said switching fabric to said network apparatus;

a fourth bus connecting the second one of the two bus connections of said second bus interface of said first network apparatus to the second one of the two bus connections of said first bus interface of said second network apparatus, said fourth bus conveying data received at the network interface of said first network processor said data being intended to be sent to the network interface of said second network processor; and

a fifth bus connecting the second one of the two bus connections of said first bus interface of said second network apparatus to the second one of the two bus connections of said second bus interface of said first network apparatus, said fifth bus conveying data having been sent through said second bus but being intended to be sent through said bus to said additional memory, to the network interface of said first network processor.

9. A switching system comprising:

a switching fabric receiving formatted data units from at least one input bus connection and switching said formatted data units to at least one output bus connection,

at least one network apparatus according to claim 2, each network apparatus further comprising;

a second bus connecting the second one of the two bus connections of said first bus interface of said network apparatus to one of the at least one input bus connection of said switching fabric, said first bus conveying formatted data units sent by said network apparatus to said switching fabric;

a third bus connecting the second one of the two bus connections of said second bus interface of said network apparatus to one of the at least one output bus of said switching fabric, said second bus conveying formatted data units sent by said switching fabric to said network apparatus.

10. The network apparatus of claim 1,

wherein the second hardware component further comprises an additional storage unit and additional logic for reading said configuration information and said information about data stored in said storing units and steering said read formatted data units either to said storage units or to said additional storage unit;

and

wherein the first hardware component further comprises a bus accessing said additional storage unit, said first hardware component steering said formatted data units stored in said additional storage unit to at least one of the two bus connections of said first bus interface.

11. The network apparatus of claim 10 wherein the recited elements are formed on a common semiconductor substrate.

12. The network apparatus of claim 1 wherein the recited elements are formed on a common semiconductor substrate.

13. A switching system comprising:

a switching fabric receiving formatted data units from at least one input bus connection and switching said formatted data units to at least one output bus connection;

at least one network apparatus according to claim 1;

said switching system further comprising;

a first bus connecting one of the two bus connections of said first bus interface of said network apparatus to one of the at least one input bus connection of said switching fabric, said first bus conveying formatted data units sent by said network apparatus to said switching fabric;

a second bus connecting one of the two bus connections of said second bus interface of said network apparatus to one of the at least one output bus of said switching fabric, said second bus conveying formatted data units sent by said switching fabric to said network apparatus.

14. The switching system of claim 13 further comprising:

a second switching fabric receiving formatted data units from at least one input bus connection and switching said formatted data units to at least one output bus connection;

said switching system further comprising;

a third bus connecting the second of the two bus connections of said first bus interface of said network apparatus to one of the at least one input bus connection of said second switching fabric, said third bus conveying formatted data units sent by said network apparatus to said second switching fabric;

a fourth bus connecting the second one of the two bus connections of said second bus interface of said network apparatus to one of the at least one output bus of said second switching fabric, said fourth bus conveying formatted data units sent by said second switching fabric to said network apparatus.

15. A blade comprising:

a circuit board;

storage units mounted on the board, storing configuration information about the network apparatus;

an input network interface mounted on the board, to connect to at least one network physical line;

at least one processor mounted on the board, receiving network data from said input network interface, processing said data, storing information about said network data in said storage units, storing said data as formatted data units in said storage units;

a first bus interface mounted on the board, to connect to two bus connections;

a first hardware component mounted on the board, to read said configuration information and said information about data stored in said storing units and steering said formatted data units stored in said storage units to at least one of the two bus connections of said first bus interface;

a second bus interface mounted on the board, to connect to two bus connections;

an output network interface mounted on the board, to connect to at least one network physical line;

a second hardware component mounted on the board, reading formatted data units arriving on at least one of the two bus connections of said second bus interface and storing said formatted data units in said storage units, said at least one processor reading said formatted data units from said storage units, processing them and sending them as network data to at least one network physical line through said output network interface.

16. A blade comprising:

a circuit board;

storage units mounted on the board, storing configuration information about a network apparatus;

an input network interface mounted on the board, to connect to at least one network physical line;

at least one processor mounted on the board, receiving network data from said input network interface, processing said data, storing information about said network data in said storage units, storing said data as formatted data units in said storage units;

a first bus interface mounted on the board, to connect to two bus connections;

a first hardware component mounted on the board, said first hardware component reading said configuration information and said information about data stored in said storing units and steering said formatted data units stored in said storage units to at least one of the two bus connections of said first bus interface;

a second bus interface mounted on the board, to connect to two bus connections, wherein the second hardware component further comprises an additional storage unit, mounted on the board, and an additional logic, mounted on the board, for reading said configuration information and said information about data stored in said storing units and steering said read formatted data units either to said storage units or to said additional storage unit, wherein, the first hardware component further comprises a bus, mounted on the board, accessing said additional storage unit, said first hardware component steering said formatted data units stored in said additional storage unit to at least one of the two bus connections of said first bus interface.

17. A blade comprising:

a circuit board;

storage units, mounted on the board, storing configuration about the network apparatus;

an input network interface, mounted on the board, to couple to at least one network physical line;

at least one processor, mounted on the board, receiving network data from said input network interface, processing said data units in said storage units;

storage units, storing said data as formatted data units in said storage units;

a first bus interface, mounted on the board, to couple to two bus connections,

a first hardware component, mounted on the board reading said configuration information and said information about data stored in said storing units and steering said formatted data units stored in said storage units to at least one of the two bus connections of said first bus interface;

a second bus interface, mounted on the board, to couple to two bus connections;

a bus, mounted on the board, connecting one of the two bus connections of said first bus interface to one of the two bus connections of said second bus interface, the first hardware component of said network apparatus sending formatted data units to said bus and the second hardware component receiving from said bus said formatted data units.

18. A blade comprising:

a circuit board;

storage units, mounted on the board, storing configuration about a network apparatus;

an input network interface, mounted on the board, to couple to at least one network physical line;

at least one processor, mounted on the board, receiving network date from said input network interface, processing said data, storing information about said network data in said storage units, storing said data as formatted data units in said storage units;

a first bus interface, mounted on the board, to couple to two bus connections;

a first hardware component, mounted on the board;

reading said configuration information and said information about data stored in said storing units and steering said formatted data units stored in said storage units to at least one of the two bus connections of said first bus interface;

a second bus interface mounted on the board, to connect to two bus connections;

a bus, mounted on the board, connecting one of the two bus connections of said first bus interface to one of the two bus connections of said second bus interface, the first hardware component of said network apparatus sending formatted data units to said bus and the second hardware component receiving from said bus said formatted date units, wherein the second hardware component further comprises an additional storage unit, mounted on the board, and an additional logic, mounted on the board, for reading said configuration information and said information about data stored in said storing units and steering said read formatted data units either to said storage units or to said additional storage unit, wherein, the first hardware component further comprises a bus, mounted on the board, accessing said additional storage unit, said first hardware component steering said formatted data units stored in said additional storage unit to at least one of the two bus connections of said first bus interface.