Method of sending information through a tree and ring topology of a network system

• US 7,391,771 B2
• Filed: 03/26/2004
• Issued: 06/24/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/23/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Adva Optical Networking Ltd. (ADTRAN Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Metro Packet Systems Inc. (ADTRAN Holdings, Inc.)
• Inventors: Ramfelt, Lars, Orava, Fredrik
• Primary Examiner(s): Chan; Wing F.
• Assistant Examiner(s): SOL, ANTHONY M
• Application Number:
  US10/810,934
• Publication Number:
  US 20060015643A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,551 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 370/389
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/4645 Details on frame tagging routing of packets H04L45/00; support for virtual LAN H04L49/354
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/12 Discovery or management of network topologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/00 Routing or path finding of packets in data switching networks routing or path finding in wireless networks H04W40/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/48 Routing tree calculation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/76 Routing in software-defined topologies, e.g. routing between virtual machines

Abstract

The method is for sending information through a topology. A first and second node each having a first node having a first access port, a second access port and a first uplink connected to a first router and a second router, respectively. A third node is provided that has a first access port and a first uplink, the first uplink of the third node being connected to the second access port of the first node. A first packet is sent via the first access port to the second node. The second node adds a first port number to a tag of the first packet and sends the first packet via the first uplink of the second node to the first access port of the first node. The first node receives the first packet via the first access port of the first node. The first node adds the first port number to the tag and adds a first port number of the first access port of the first node to the tag. The first node sends the first packet via the first uplink of the first node to a first router.

Claims

1. A method of sending information through a physical topology, comprising:

providing the physical topology with a first node and a second node, the first node having a first access port, a second access port and a first uplink connected to a router, the first access port having a first port number and the second access port having a second port number;

the second node having a first access port and a first uplink, the first uplink of the second node being connected to the first access port of the first node, the first access port of the second node having a third port number;

providing a third node having a first access port and a first uplink, the first uplink of the third node being connected to the second access port of the first node;

sending a first packet via the first access port to the second node, the first packet having a tag having a first nibble field and a second nibble field;

the second node adding the third a port number of the first access port of the second node to the first nibble field of the first packet;

the second node sending the first packet via the first uplink of the second node to the first access port of the first node;

the first node receiving the first packet via the first access port of the first node;

the first node adding the first port number of the first access port of the first node to the first or second nibble field of the tag adjacent to the third port number; and

the first node sending the first packet via the first uplink of the first node to a first router.

2. The method according to claim 1 wherein the method further comprises providing the first node with a second uplink connected to a first sister node, the first sister node being identical to the first node.

3. The method according to claim 2 wherein the method further comprises, the first node sending the first packet via the second uplink to the first sister node.

4. The method according to claim 3 wherein the method further comprises the first sister node sending the first packet via a first uplink of the first sister node to a second router.

5. The method according to claim 1 wherein the method further comprises determining whether the first nibble field is a first non-empty nibble.

6. The method according to claim 5 wherein the method further comprises determining whether the first node is in a leaf mode or in a branch mode.

7. The method according to claim 6 wherein the method further comprises always adding a new tag when the first node is in the leaf mode.

8. The method according to claim 1 wherein the method further comprises the second node removing a port number stored in a first nibble field of a second packet.

9. The method according to claim 8 wherein the method further comprises the second node removing the port number from the first nibble field when the first nibble field is non-empty.

10. The method according to claim 1 wherein the method further comprises forming a tree topology of nodes connected to one another.

11. The method according to claim 1 wherein the method further comprises forming a ring topology of nodes connected to one another.

12. A method of sending information through a physical topology, comprising:

providing the physical topology with a first node and a second node, the first node having a first access port, a second access port and a first uplink connected to a router, the second node having a first access port and a first uplink, the first uplink of the second node being connected to the first access port of the first node;

sending a first packet in an egress direction from the router via the first uplink to the first node, the first packet having a tag having a first nibble field and a second nibble field;

the first node reading a port number in the first nibble field;

the first node removing the port number in the first nibble field of the first packet;

the first node sending the first packet to the second node;

the second node reading the port number in the second nibble;

the second node removing the port number in the second nibble;

the second node sending the first packet, via the port number read in the second nibble, to a destination device.

13. The method according to claim 12 wherein the method further comprises the first node sending the first packet, via the port number read in the first nibble, to the second node.