Method and apparatus for MAC address learning
First Claim
1. A method for synchronizing a plurality of forwarding databases of a respective plurality of line cards, the line cards comprising a first line card and a second line card, the method comprising:
- receiving a data packet at the first line card, wherein the data packet comprises a source address and is received via an ingress port, wherein the first line card comprises a forwarding database including a plurality of entries, wherein each of the entries includes respective entry information comprising a source address, an ingress port, and an aging timestamp;
in response to a determination that one of the entries of the forwarding database includes the source address of the received packet and the ingress port via which the packet is received, determining whether the aging timestamp of the one of the entries satisfies a refresh threshold;
when the aging timestamp of the one of the entries satisfies the refresh threshold, resetting the aging timestamp of the one of the entries and generating a control packet adapted to enable an address refresh operation to be performed for the source address on the second line card; and
propagating the control packet toward the second line card via a data forwarding path between the first line card and the second line card.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The invention includes a method and apparatus for synchronizing line card forwarding databases. A method includes receiving a data packet at a line card, generating a control packet for each of at least one other line card to enable an address update operation thereat, and propagating the at least one control packet toward the at least one other line card. The control packet, or packets, is generated in response to a determination to perform an address update operation for the received data packet. The address update process may be implemented as an ingress address update process or an egress address update process. This address update process performed in conjunction with an address aging process.
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Citations
23 Claims
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1. A method for synchronizing a plurality of forwarding databases of a respective plurality of line cards, the line cards comprising a first line card and a second line card, the method comprising:
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receiving a data packet at the first line card, wherein the data packet comprises a source address and is received via an ingress port, wherein the first line card comprises a forwarding database including a plurality of entries, wherein each of the entries includes respective entry information comprising a source address, an ingress port, and an aging timestamp; in response to a determination that one of the entries of the forwarding database includes the source address of the received packet and the ingress port via which the packet is received, determining whether the aging timestamp of the one of the entries satisfies a refresh threshold; when the aging timestamp of the one of the entries satisfies the refresh threshold, resetting the aging timestamp of the one of the entries and generating a control packet adapted to enable an address refresh operation to be performed for the source address on the second line card; and propagating the control packet toward the second line card via a data forwarding path between the first line card and the second line card. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. An apparatus for synchronizing a plurality of forwarding databases of a respective plurality of line cards, the apparatus comprising:
a first line card, the first line card comprising; a forwarding database configured to include a plurality of entries, wherein each of the entries is configured to include respective entry information comprising a source address, an ingress port, and an aging timestamp; and a processor configured to; receive a data packet, wherein the data packet comprises a source address and is received via an ingress port; in response to a determination that one of the entries of the forwarding database includes the source address of the received packet and the ingress port via which the packet is received, determine whether the aging timestamp of the one of the entries satisfies a refresh threshold; when the aging timestamp of the one of the entries satisfies the refresh threshold, reset the aging timestamp of the one of the entries and generate a control packet adapted to enable an address refresh operation to be performed for the source address on the second line card; and propagate the control packet toward the second line card via a data forwarding path between the first line card and the second line card. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions which, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform a method for synchronizing a plurality of forwarding databases of a respective plurality of line cards, the line cards comprising a first line card and a second line card, the method comprising:
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receiving a data packet at the first line card, wherein the data packet comprises a source address and is received via an ingress port, wherein the first line card comprises a forwarding database including a plurality of entries, wherein each of the entries includes respective entry information comprising a source address, an ingress port, and an aging timestamp; in response to a determination that one of the entries of the forwarding database includes the source address of the received packet and the ingress port via which the packet is received, determining whether the aging timestamp of the one of the entries satisfies a refresh threshold; when the aging timestamp of the one of the entries satisfies the refresh threshold, resetting the aging timestamp of the one of the entries and generating a control packet adapted to enable an address refresh operation to be performed for the source address on the second line card; and propagating the control packet toward the second line card via a data forwarding path between the first line card and the second line card.
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Specification