Software configurable cluster-based router using heterogeneous nodes as cluster nodes
DC CAFCFirst Claim
1. A cluster-based router comprising:
- a. a plurality of interconnected router cluster nodes, the routing capacity of the cluster router increasing substantially O(N) with the number N of router cluster nodes in the cluster router, each router cluster node having a group of cluster router external links enabling packet exchange with a plurality of external communication network nodes, wherein said plurality of interconnected router cluster nodes appears to external communications networks and nodes as a single communications network attached router;
b. at least one special purpose cluster node providing special packet processing functionality that is not provided by any other of said router cluster nodes in the cluster router, wherein said at least one special purpose cluster is interconnected in a lattice of the cluster router but cannot be counted on to perform routing functions performed by said others of said router cluster nodes;
c. a plurality of cluster router internal links interconnecting cluster nodes forming an intra-connection network ensuring a high path diversity in providing resiliency to failures; and
d. a provisioned router-cluster-node-centric configuration distributed to each router cluster node for operating in accordance therewith in effecting distributed routing of the conveyed packets, wherein said provisioned router-cluster-node-centric configuration takes into account that said at least one special purpose router cluster node cannot be counted on to be aware of, or be configured via, said distributed cluster-node-centric router cluster node configuration.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A cluster router architecture and methods for performing distributed routing are presented. The cluster router architecture includes off-the shelf Personal Computer (PC) hardware-based router cluster nodes interconnected in an intra-connection network in multiple dimensions. Each PC-based router cluster node is provided with the same routing functionality and a router-cluster-node-centric configuration enabling each router cluster node to provide routing responses for packets pending processing. Packet processing is divided into entry packet processing and routing response processing; special processing; and exit processing. Exit packet processing is performed by router cluster nodes transmitting packets into communication networks in which the cluster router participates. Packet processing is interrupted on determining that special processing is required in respect of a packet, and the packet is handed over to a corresponding special purpose router cluster node.
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Citations
34 Claims
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1. A cluster-based router comprising:
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a. a plurality of interconnected router cluster nodes, the routing capacity of the cluster router increasing substantially O(N) with the number N of router cluster nodes in the cluster router, each router cluster node having a group of cluster router external links enabling packet exchange with a plurality of external communication network nodes, wherein said plurality of interconnected router cluster nodes appears to external communications networks and nodes as a single communications network attached router; b. at least one special purpose cluster node providing special packet processing functionality that is not provided by any other of said router cluster nodes in the cluster router, wherein said at least one special purpose cluster is interconnected in a lattice of the cluster router but cannot be counted on to perform routing functions performed by said others of said router cluster nodes; c. a plurality of cluster router internal links interconnecting cluster nodes forming an intra-connection network ensuring a high path diversity in providing resiliency to failures; and d. a provisioned router-cluster-node-centric configuration distributed to each router cluster node for operating in accordance therewith in effecting distributed routing of the conveyed packets, wherein said provisioned router-cluster-node-centric configuration takes into account that said at least one special purpose router cluster node cannot be counted on to be aware of, or be configured via, said distributed cluster-node-centric router cluster node configuration. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A router cluster node of a plurality of router cluster nodes interconnected in a cluster router, each router cluster node comprising:
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a. a plurality of cluster router internal interconnecting links connected thereto, the internal interconnecting links enabling the exchange of packets with adjacent cluster nodes in the cluster router; b. at least one cluster router external link connected to each of the cluster router nodes interconnected in the cluster router, the at least one external link enabling exchange of packets between communications network nodes external to said cluster router and the cluster router; c. a router-cluster-node-centric configuration to effect distributed routing of the conveyed packets, and wherein the inclusion of said at least one external link in each of the router cluster nodes in the cluster router provides a scalable router. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A router-cluster-node-centric configuration enabling the provision of a distributed packet routing response in a cluster router having a plurality of router cluster nodes, each including at least one external link enabling packet exchange with communication network nodes external to said cluster router, the configuration comprising:
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a. a plurality of routing functional blocks; b. at least one router-cluster-node-centric packet processing flow, via the plurality of routing functional blocks, to effect routing of packets received at the cluster router employing one of a single router cluster node and a group of router cluster nodes; c. an entry-and-routing processing packet processing flow specification; d. a transit packet processing flow specification; and e. an exit packet processing packet processing flow specification, the packet processing flow specifications enabling a received packet to undergo entry and routing processing at an entry router cluster node, optionally transit via at least one intermediary router cluster node, and undergo exit processing at an exit router cluster node. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
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Specification