Asymmetric packet switch and a method of use
First Claim
1. A method of operating a packet switch connected to a packet-switching network, wherein the packet switch includes a plurality of ports, wherein a first port is configured as a first network port connected to the packet-switching network, the method comprising:
- a) configuring a second port on the packet switch to operate as a first instrument port connected to a first network instrument;
b) configuring a third port on the packet switch to operate as a second instrument port connected to a second network instrument;
c) establishing a logical connection between the first network port and the first and second instrument ports; and
d) for ingress packets received from the packet-switching network through the first network port, distributing a first portion of the ingress packets to the first instrument port and a second portion of the ingress packets to the second instrument port, wherein the first instrument port operates at a first line rate, wherein the second instrument port operates at a second line rate, wherein the first line rate is higher than the second line rate, wherein the first instrument port and the second instrument port are on the same packet switch, and wherein d) comprises;
distributing more ingress packets per unit time to the first instrument port than the second instrument port.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention relates to a packet switch and a packet switching method. An example embodiment of the present invention comprises at least three network ports, at least one instrument port, a mux-switch, a packet switch fabric, and an address table. The embodiment updates the address table to include the source address of each ingress packet of each network port and associate the source address with that network port. The mux-switch routes the ingress packet traffic of each network port according to the identity of the network port so that at least a copy of the packet traffic of one of the network ports is routed to an instrument port. The packet switch fabric routes the packets from the instrument ports to the network ports according the destination address of the packet and the identity of the network port that is associated with the destination address as recorded in the address table.
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Citations
27 Claims
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1. A method of operating a packet switch connected to a packet-switching network, wherein the packet switch includes a plurality of ports, wherein a first port is configured as a first network port connected to the packet-switching network, the method comprising:
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a) configuring a second port on the packet switch to operate as a first instrument port connected to a first network instrument; b) configuring a third port on the packet switch to operate as a second instrument port connected to a second network instrument; c) establishing a logical connection between the first network port and the first and second instrument ports; and d) for ingress packets received from the packet-switching network through the first network port, distributing a first portion of the ingress packets to the first instrument port and a second portion of the ingress packets to the second instrument port, wherein the first instrument port operates at a first line rate, wherein the second instrument port operates at a second line rate, wherein the first line rate is higher than the second line rate, wherein the first instrument port and the second instrument port are on the same packet switch, and wherein d) comprises; distributing more ingress packets per unit time to the first instrument port than the second instrument port. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A packet switch configured to be connected to a packet-switching network and a network instrument, the packet switch comprising:
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a plurality of ports, wherein a first port is configured as a first network port to be connected to the packet-switching network; and a computer-readable medium containing computer-executable instructions to operate the packet switch, comprising instructions to; a) configure a second port on the packet switch to operate as a first instrument port to be connected to a first network instrument; b) configure a third port on the packet switch to operate as a second instrument port to be connected to a second network instrument; c) establish a logical connection between the first network port and the first and second instrument ports; and d) for ingress packets received from the packet-switching network through the first network port, distribute a first portion of the ingress packets to the first instrument port and a second portion of the ingress packets to the second instrument port, wherein the first instrument port operates at a first line rate, wherein the second instrument port operates at a second line rate, wherein the first line rate is higher than the second line rate wherein the first instrument port and the second instrument port are on the same packet switch, and wherein d) comprises instructions to; distribute more ingress packets per unit time to the first instrument port than the second instrument port. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A computer-readable medium containing computer-executable instructions to operate a packet switch configured to be connected to a packet-switching network and network instruments, wherein the packet switch includes a plurality of ports, wherein a first port is configured as a first network port to be connected to the packet-switching network, comprising instructions to:
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a) configure a second port on the packet switch to operate as a first instrument port to be connected to a first network instrument; b) configure a third port on the packet switch to operate as a second instrument port to be connected to a second network instrument; c) establish a logical connection between the first network port and the first and second instrument ports; and d) for ingress packets received from the packet-switching network through the first network port, distribute a first portion of the ingress packets to the first instrument port and a second portion of the ingress packets to the second instrument port, wherein the first instrument port operates at a first line rate, wherein the second instrument port operates at a second line rate, wherein the first line rate is higher than the second line rate wherein the first instrument port and the second instrument port are on the same packet switch, and wherein d) comprises instructions to; distribute more ingress packets per unit time to the first instrument port than the second instrument port. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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Specification