Forwarding table reduction and multipath network forwarding
First Claim
1. A network comprising:
- a plurality of edge switches that interface with a plurality of host devices, the plurality of host devices identified by Media Access Control (MAC) addresses, each edge switch containing a Remote MAC Table (RMT) that records a correspondence between MAC addresses of the host devices and hierarchical addresses of ports of the plurality of edge switches; and
a plurality of core switches that transfer data packets according to the hierarchical addresses, individual core switches containing switch forwarding tables that contain hierarchical addresses of switches in the network and do not contain MAC addresses of the plurality of host devices.
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Abstract
Increased usage of network links is provided and smaller forwarding tables are required. A combination of STP and Multipath methods may be implemented in a network. Frames may be forwarded between switches not only according to MAC addresses, but also according to switch IDs and local IDs. Switch IDs do not need to be globally unique, but should be unique within a particular network. Local IDs need only be unique within a particular switch. Some preferred implementations allow frames to be delivered in order to devices requiring in-order delivery. Preferably, core switches need only learn the switch IDs of each core switch and each edge switch, and the appropriate exit port(s) corresponding to each switch. Preferably, the forwarding tables of each edge switch indicate the addresses of each device attached to that edge switch, the address of each device that is in communication with an attached device and the address of every other switch in the network.
171 Citations
22 Claims
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1. A network comprising:
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a plurality of edge switches that interface with a plurality of host devices, the plurality of host devices identified by Media Access Control (MAC) addresses, each edge switch containing a Remote MAC Table (RMT) that records a correspondence between MAC addresses of the host devices and hierarchical addresses of ports of the plurality of edge switches; and a plurality of core switches that transfer data packets according to the hierarchical addresses, individual core switches containing switch forwarding tables that contain hierarchical addresses of switches in the network and do not contain MAC addresses of the plurality of host devices. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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Specification