Network topology manager
First Claim
1. A network comprising:
- a plurality of interconnected switches, wherein said switches are programmable to selectively forward instances of network traffic; and
a plurality of devices coupled to said plurality of interconnected switches, wherein a network interface of a device is physically wired to a switch;
wherein said devices are organized in multiple tiers, wherein a communication path from a first tier to a second tier is actualized by enabling intervening switches to forward an instance of network traffic from said first tier to said second tier, wherein an instance of network traffic sent from said first tier and intended for said second tier is forwarded by said intervening switches only to said second tier; and
wherein said device is removed as a member of said first tier and made a member of said second tier by selectively disabling actualized communication paths to said device and enabling new communication paths to said device with said device remaining physically wired to said switch.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A network infrastructure, and methods for managing and configuring networks, are disclosed. The network infrastructure is physically wired once, and includes a plurality of interconnected switches and a plurality of devices coupled thereto, with each network interface on a device coupled to a single switch. Network traffic is forwarded between devices by programming intervening switches to enable a communication path between the devices. Traffic intended for a particular device is forwarded by the intervening switches only to that device. Traffic is only forwarded between devices for which a communication path has been enabled. The network configuration, the function of a device in a network application, or the position of the device in the network topology, can be changed by programming the switches to disable existing communication paths and/or enable new ones. Accordingly, networked resources are allocated as needed without changing the physical wiring of the network.
57 Citations
28 Claims
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1. A network comprising:
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a plurality of interconnected switches, wherein said switches are programmable to selectively forward instances of network traffic; and a plurality of devices coupled to said plurality of interconnected switches, wherein a network interface of a device is physically wired to a switch; wherein said devices are organized in multiple tiers, wherein a communication path from a first tier to a second tier is actualized by enabling intervening switches to forward an instance of network traffic from said first tier to said second tier, wherein an instance of network traffic sent from said first tier and intended for said second tier is forwarded by said intervening switches only to said second tier; and
wherein said device is removed as a member of said first tier and made a member of said second tier by selectively disabling actualized communication paths to said device and enabling new communication paths to said device with said device remaining physically wired to said switch. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method for configuring a network comprising a plurality of devices coupled to a plurality of interconnected switches, said method comprising:
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identifying a communication path between a first tier of said network and a second tier of said network, said communication path comprising intervening switches coupled between said first and second tiers, wherein a device is physically wired to a switch as a member of said first tier; and actualizing said communication path by enabling said intervening switches to forward network traffic from said first tier to said second tier, wherein an instance of network traffic sent from said first tier and intended for said second tier is forwarded by said intervening switches only to said second tier; disabling selected actualized communication paths to said device to remove said device as said member of said first tier; and enabling a new communication path to said device to make said device a member of said second tier with said device remaining physically wired to the same said switch. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A method for managing a network comprising a plurality of devices coupled to a plurality of interconnected switches, said method comprising:
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configuring said network in a first configuration comprising a first set of actualized communication paths between a first tier of said network and a second tier of said network, wherein said first tier includes a device having a network interface that is physically wired to a switch, wherein instances of network traffic are selectively forwarded through said network by programming said switches, wherein a communication path between said first and second tiers is actualized by enabling intervening switches to forward network traffic between said first and second tiers, wherein an instance of network traffic intended for a particular tier is forwarded only to said particular tier and wherein network traffic is not forwarded between tiers not communicatively coupled by an actualized communication path; and changing said network to a second configuration comprising a second set of actualized communication paths different from said first set, wherein said changing comprises selectively disabling actualized communication paths and enabling new communication paths, wherein said device is removed as a member of said first tier and made a member of said second tier without rewiring the physical wiring between said network interface and said switch. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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Specification