×

Method and apparatus for allowing proprietary forwarding elements to interoperate with standard control elements in an open architecture for network devices

  • US 7,203,740 B1
  • Filed: 12/22/1999
  • Issued: 04/10/2007
  • Est. Priority Date: 12/22/1999
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
Patent Images

1. A computer system comprising:

  • a forwarding element to perform data forwarding in a computer network, the forwarding element configurable with device-specific instruction;

    a control element to perform network signaling and control in the computer network, the control element outputting non-device-specific instructions to configure the forwarding element;

    an interconnecting element operatively connecting the forwarding element to the control element;

    a forwarding element plugin integrated with the control element to conceal from the control element a configuration interface of the forwarding element by receiving the non-device-specific instructions from the control element, translating the non-device-specific instructions into the device-specific instructions of the forwarding element, and transmitting the device-specific instructions to the forwarding element, wherein the forwarding element utilizes the device-specific instructions to configure the forwarding element for performing data forwarding in the computer network; and

    an opaque forwarding element plugin integrated with the control element for receiving the non-device-specific instructions from the control element and transmitting the non-device-specific instructions to the forwarding element plugin, and for receiving the translated, device-specific instructions from the forwarding element plugin and transmitting the device-specific instructions to the forwarding element.

View all claims
  • 1 Assignment
Timeline View
Assignment View
    ×
    ×