Multi-device link aggregation

• US 6,910,149 B2
• Filed: 09/24/2001
• Issued: 06/21/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/24/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Christian, Thrysoee J., Frederik, Anderson H., Perloff, Ronald S.
• Primary Examiner(s): BADERMAN, SCOTT T
• Application Number:
  US09/961,471
• Publication Number:
  US 20030061533A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,366 Days
• Field of Search: 714/4, 714/43, 709/239, 370/216, 370/217, 370/218, 370/219, 370/220, 370/221, 370/225, 370/226, 370/227, 370/228, 370/242, 370/244, 370/245
• US Class Current: 714/4.3
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/22 using redundant apparatus to increase reliability
• 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

The invention relates to multi-device link aggregation (MDLA). A first MDLA device is connected to a second MDLA device by an MDLA internal link. Each of the interconnected first and second MDLA devices is connected to at least one common link aggregation (LAG) partner device by an aggregated link, respectively. Typically, the first and second MDLA devices exchange protocol data units (PDUs) to detect devices that are connected to both the first and second MDLA devices such that they are able to trick the detected devices into behaving as though the two MDLA devices are a single device. If one of the MDLA devices fails, traffic of the associated aggregated link to the failed MDLA device can be automatically forwarded by the other non-failed MDLA device.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a first multi-device link aggregation (MDLA) device;

a second MDLA device; and

an MDLA internal link connecting the first MDLA device to the second MDLA device;

wherein each of the interconnected first and second MDLA devices is connected to a common link aggregation (LAG) partner device by an aggregated link, respectively and wherein, if one of the first or second MDLA devices fails, data traffic of the associated aggregated link to the failed MDLA device is forwarded by the other non-failed MDLA device.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein, after the failed MDLA device is repaired, the system is restored to the same configuration as prior to the failure of the MDLA device.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein, the first and second MDLA devices exchange protocol data units (PDUs) through the MDLA internal link to detect devices that are common to both the first and second MDLA devices such that the detected devices are designated as common LAG partner devices.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein, the common LAG partner device supports Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE) 802.03ad link aggregation control protocol (LACP) to provide an aggregated link to each of the first and second MDLA devices, respectively.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein, each of the first and second MDLA devices supports IEEE 802.03ad LACP.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein, the first and second MDLA devices exchange link aggregation control protocol data units (LACPDUs) that are in accordance with IEEE 802.03ad LACP through the MDLA internal link to detect devices that are common to both the first and second MDLA devices such that the detected devices are designated as common LAG partner devices.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein, the first and second MDLA devices exchange system IDs, and based upon the system IDs, one of the first or second MDLA devices is designated as a master device and the other of the first or second MDLA devices is designated as a slave device.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein, the first and second MDLA devices determine a common key for both the first and second MDLA devices such that the common LAG partner device aggregates links to both the first and second MDLA devices as if both the first and second MDLA devices were a single unitary device.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein, the MDLA internal link is an Ethernet link.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein, an MDLA device is a switch.

11. A system comprising:

a first multi-device link aggregation (MDLA) device that supports Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE) 802.03ad link aggregation control protocol (LACP);

a second MDLA device that supports IEEE 802.03ad LACP; and

an MDLA internal link that connects the first MDLA device to the second MDLA device, each of the interconnected first and second MDLA devices are connected by an aggregated link to a common link aggregation (LAG) partner device supporting IEEE 802.03ad LACP, respectively, the first and second MDLA devices to exchange link aggregation control protocol data units (LACPDUs) through the MDLA internal link to detect common LAG partner devices that are common to both the first and second MDLA devices;

wherein, if one of the first or second MDLA devices fails, data traffic of the associated aggregated link of the failed MDLA device is forwarded by the other non-failed MDLA device.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein, the first and second MDLA devices exchange system IDs, and based upon the system IDs, one of the first or second MDLA devices is designated as a master device and the other of the first or second MDLA devices is designated as a slave device.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein, after the failed MDLA device is repaired, the system is restored to the same configuration as prior to the failure of the MDLA device.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein, the first and second MDLA devices determine a common key for both the first and second MDLA devices such that the common LAG partner device aggregates links to both the first and second MDLA devices as if both the first and second MDLA devices were a single unitary device.

15. A multi-device link aggregation (MDLA) device comprising:

a port to connect to another MDLA device through an MDLA internal link, wherein each of the interconnected MDLA devices are connectable to a common link aggregation (LAG) partner device by an aggregated link, respectively; and

an MDLA device processing engine to;

if the other MDLA device fails, route the data traffic of the aggregated link associated with the other failed MDLA device.

16. The MDLA device of claim 15, wherein, the processing engine controls the exchange of protocol data units (PDUs) through the MDLA internal link to detect devices that are common to both MDLA devices such that the detected devices are designated as common LAG partner devices.

17. The MDLA device of claim 15, wherein, the common LAG partner device supports Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE) 802.03ad link aggregation control protocol (LACP) to provide an aggregated link to each of the MDLA devices, respectively.

18. The MDLA device of claim 17, wherein, the MDLA devices support IEEE 802.03ad LACP.

19. The MDLA device claim 18, wherein, the processing engine controls the exchange of link aggregation control protocol data units (LACPDUs) that are in accordance with IEEE 802.03ad LACP through the MDLA internal link to detect devices that are common to both MDLA devices such that the detected devices are designated as common LAG partner devices.

20. The MDLA device of claim 15, wherein, the processing engine controls the exchange of system IDs between the MDLA devices, and based upon the system IDs, one of the MDLA devices is designated as a master device and the other MDLA device is designated as a slave device.

21. The MDLA device of claim 15, wherein, the processing engine determines a common key for both the MDLA devices such that a common LAG partner device aggregates links to both the MDLA devices as if the MDLA devices were a single unitary device.

22. A method comprising:

connecting a first multi-device link aggregation (MDLA) device to a second MDLA device, wherein each of the interconnected first and second MDLA devices is connected to a common link aggregation (LAG) partner device by an aggregated link, respectively; and

if one of the first or second MDLA devices fails, routing the data traffic of the aggregated link associated with the failed MDLA device using the non-failed MDLA device.

23. The method of claim 22, further comprising, exchanging protocol data units (PDUs) between the first and second MDLA devices to detect devices that are common to both the first and second MDLA devices such that the detected devices are designated as common LAG partner devices.

24. The method of claim 22, wherein, the common LAG partner device supports Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE) 802.03ad link aggregation control protocol (LACP) to provide an aggregated link to each of the first and second MDLA devices, respectively.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein, each of the first and second MDLA devices supports IEEE 802.03ad LACP.

26. The method of claim 25, further comprising, exchanging link aggregation control protocol data units (LACPDUs) that are in accordance with IEEE 802.03ad LACP between the first and second MDLA devices to detect devices that are common to both the first and second MDLA devices such that the detected devices are designated as common LAG partner devices.

27. The method of claim 22, further comprising, exchanging system IDs between the first and second MDLA devices, and based upon the system IDs, designating one of the first or second MDLA devices as a master device and the other of the first or second MDLA devices as a slave device.

28. The method of claim 22, further comprising, determining a common key for both the first and second MDLA devices such that the common LAG partner device aggregates links to both the first and second MDLA devices as if both the first and second MDLA devices were a single unitary device.

29. A machine-readable medium having stored thereon instructions, which when executed by a first multi-device link aggregation (MDLA) device, cause the first MDLA device to perform the following:

connecting the first multi-device link aggregation (MDLA) device to a second MDLA device, wherein each of the interconnected first and second MDLA devices is connected to a common link aggregation (LAG) partner device by an aggregated link, respectively; and

if one of the first or second MDLA devices fails, routing the data traffic of the aggregated link associated with the failed MDLA device using the non-failed MDLA device.

30. The machine-readable medium of claim 29, further comprising, exchanging protocol data units (PDUs) between the first and second MDLA devices to detect devices that are common to both the first and second MDLA devices such that the detected devices are designated as common LAG partner devices.

31. The machine-readable medium of claim 29, wherein, the common LAG partner device supports Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE) 802.03ad link aggregation control protocol (LACP) to provide an aggregated link to each of the first and second MDLA devices, respectively.

32. The machine-readable medium of claim 31, wherein, each of the first and second MDLA devices supports IEEE 802.03ad LACP.

33. The machine-readable medium of claim 32, further comprising, exchanging link aggregation control protocol data units (LACPDUS) that are in accordance with IEEE 802.03ad LACP between the first and second MDLA devices to detect devices that are common to both the first and second MDLA devices such that the detected devices are designated as common LAG partner devices.

34. The machine-readable medium of claim 29, further comprising, exchanging system IDs between the first and second MDLA devices, and based upon the system IDs, designating one of the first or second MDLA devices as a master device and the other of the first or second MDLA devices as a slave device.

35. The machine-readable medium of claim 29, further comprising, determining a common key for both the first and second MDLA devices such that the common LAG partner device aggregates links to both the first and second MDLA devices as if both the first and second MDLA devices were a single unitary device.