Switching API
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A data processing system comprising:
- a soft switching entity supported at a privileged software domain, the soft switching entity having a second routing table and being coupled to a second control plane interface arranged to receive routing table instructions; and
a network interface device comprising;
one or more network connection ports for connection to a network;
a first routing table supported at a memory of the network interface device;
a controller operable to modify the first routing table;
a first control plane interface of the controller arranged to receive routing table update instructions carried in one or more control packets received at the said ports; and
a filter configured to monitor data received at the one or more ports and, on identifying the one or more control packets, trap said control packets and pass the control packets or data contained therein to the first and second control plane interfaces,wherein;
the first control plane interface is configured to, on receiving a routing table update instruction, cause the controller to update the first routing table in accordance with the routing table update instruction; and
on receiving a routing table update instruction at the second control plane interface, the second control plane interface is configured to cause the second routing table to be updated in accordance with the routing table update instruction.
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Abstract
A network interface device for a data processing system comprising: one or more network connection ports for connection to a network; a routing table supported at a memory of the network interface device; a controller operable to modify the routing table; and a control plane interface of the controller arranged to receive routing table update instructions carried in one or more control packets received at the said ports; wherein the control plane interface is configured to, on receiving a routing table update instruction, cause the controller to update the routing table in accordance with the routing table update instruction.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A data processing system comprising:
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a soft switching entity supported at a privileged software domain, the soft switching entity having a second routing table and being coupled to a second control plane interface arranged to receive routing table instructions; and a network interface device comprising; one or more network connection ports for connection to a network; a first routing table supported at a memory of the network interface device; a controller operable to modify the first routing table; a first control plane interface of the controller arranged to receive routing table update instructions carried in one or more control packets received at the said ports; and a filter configured to monitor data received at the one or more ports and, on identifying the one or more control packets, trap said control packets and pass the control packets or data contained therein to the first and second control plane interfaces, wherein; the first control plane interface is configured to, on receiving a routing table update instruction, cause the controller to update the first routing table in accordance with the routing table update instruction; and on receiving a routing table update instruction at the second control plane interface, the second control plane interface is configured to cause the second routing table to be updated in accordance with the routing table update instruction. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A data processing system comprising:
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a network interface device comprising a routing table; a device driver for the network interface device supported at a privileged software domain of the data processing system and comprising a first control plane interface arranged to receive routing table instructions; a soft switching entity supported at the privileged software domain, the soft switching entity having a routing table and being coupled to a second control plane interface arranged to receive routing table instructions; and a filter configured to trap control packets carrying one or more routing table instructions received at the network interface device and pass those control packets or data contained therein to the first and second control plane interface, wherein; on receiving a routing table update instruction at the first control plane interface, the first control plane interface is configured to cause the device driver to update the routing table at the network interface device in accordance with the routing table update instruction; and on receiving a routing table update instruction at the second control plane interface, the second control plane interface is configured to cause the soft routing table to be updated in accordance with the routing table update instruction. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A blade server comprising:
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a chassis; a network interface device; and a plurality of blades, wherein the network interface device comprises; one or more network connection ports for connection to a network; a routing table supported at a memory of the network interface device; a controller operable to modify the routing table; and a control plane interface of the controller arranged to receive routing table update instructions carried in one or more control packets received at the network connection ports, the control plane interface being configured to, on receiving a routing table update instruction, cause the controller to update the routing table in accordance with the received routing table update instruction, and wherein each of the blades comprises a blade data processing system having; a blade network interface device comprising a routing table; a device driver for the respective blade network interface device supported at a privileged software domain of the respective blade data processing system and comprising a blade control plane interface arranged to receive routing table instructions; and a filter configured to trap control packets carrying one or more routing table instructions received at the respective blade network interface device and pass those control packets or data contained therein to the respective blade control plane interface, each of the blade control plane interfaces being configured to, on receiving a given routing table update instruction, cause the respective device driver to update the routing table at the respective blade network interface device in accordance with the given blade routing table update instruction. - View Dependent Claims (20)
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19. A method for managing a data processing system accessible to a management unit over a network, the data processing system comprising a filter and presenting a plurality of control plane interfaces to the management unit, each control plane interface having a respective routing table, the method comprising:
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the management unit transmitting to the data processing system one or more control packets that include one or more routing table update instructions; and the data processing system; trapping at the filter control packets carrying one or more routing table update instructions and passing those control packets or data contained therein to the plurality of control plane interfaces; and on receiving routing table update instructions at each of the control plane interfaces each control plane interface causing its respective routing table to be updated in accordance with the routing table update instructions.
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Specification