Interface bundles in virtual network devices
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A system comprising:
- a virtual link bundle comprising a first plurality of communication links, whereinthe first plurality of communication links is configured to couple a virtual network device to a first network device external to the virtual network device,the first virtual network device operates in a distribution layer,a first end of each of the first plurality of communication links is configured to be coupled to the first network device,a second end of a first one of the first plurality of communication links is configured to be coupled to a first virtual network device sub-unit within the virtual network device,a second end of a second one of the first plurality of communication links is configured to be coupled to a second virtual network device sub-unit within the virtual network device,the first virtual network device sub-unit is coupled to the second virtual network device sub-unit via a virtual network device link,the first network device comprises a first plurality of ports,each of the first plurality of ports is configured to communicate packets with a respective client,the first network device is configured to append a header to a packet before sending the packet to the virtual network device via one of the first plurality of communication links, andthe header identifies a one of the first plurality of ports having received the packet,the first plurality of communication links provides redundant connections between the first network device and the virtual network device; and
a second virtual link bundle comprising a second plurality of communication links, whereinthe second plurality of communication links is configured to couple the virtual network device to a second network device external to the virtual network device,a first end of each of the second plurality of communication links is configured to be coupled to the second network device,a second end of a first one of the second plurality of communication links is configured to be coupled to the first virtual network device sub-unit within the virtual network device,a second end of a second one of the second plurality of communication links is configured to be coupled to the second virtual network device sub-unit within the virtual network device,the second network device comprises a second plurality of ports,the second plurality of communication links provides redundant connections between the second network device and the virtual network device,the first network device and the second network device operate in an access layer,the first network device and the second network device are satellite network devices which do not perform layer two forwarding or layer three routing,the first plurality of communication links and the second plurality of communication links are uplinks,the second virtual network device sub-unit is configured todisable transmission of the second packet via the virtual link bundle in response to determining that the second packet was received via the virtual network device link,detect a failure of all links of the virtual link bundle coupled to the second virtual network device sub-unit, andenable transmission of the second packet via the virtual link bundle in response to the failure.
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Abstract
A virtual network device includes several different virtual network device sub-units, which collectively operate as a single logical network device. An interface bundle includes interfaces in more than one of the different virtual network device sub-units included in the virtual network device. The interface bundle is coupled to a virtual link bundle, which connects the virtual network device to another device. The interface bundle is managed as a single logical interface.
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Citations
45 Claims
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1. A system comprising:
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a virtual link bundle comprising a first plurality of communication links, wherein the first plurality of communication links is configured to couple a virtual network device to a first network device external to the virtual network device, the first virtual network device operates in a distribution layer, a first end of each of the first plurality of communication links is configured to be coupled to the first network device, a second end of a first one of the first plurality of communication links is configured to be coupled to a first virtual network device sub-unit within the virtual network device, a second end of a second one of the first plurality of communication links is configured to be coupled to a second virtual network device sub-unit within the virtual network device, the first virtual network device sub-unit is coupled to the second virtual network device sub-unit via a virtual network device link, the first network device comprises a first plurality of ports, each of the first plurality of ports is configured to communicate packets with a respective client, the first network device is configured to append a header to a packet before sending the packet to the virtual network device via one of the first plurality of communication links, and the header identifies a one of the first plurality of ports having received the packet, the first plurality of communication links provides redundant connections between the first network device and the virtual network device; and a second virtual link bundle comprising a second plurality of communication links, wherein the second plurality of communication links is configured to couple the virtual network device to a second network device external to the virtual network device, a first end of each of the second plurality of communication links is configured to be coupled to the second network device, a second end of a first one of the second plurality of communication links is configured to be coupled to the first virtual network device sub-unit within the virtual network device, a second end of a second one of the second plurality of communication links is configured to be coupled to the second virtual network device sub-unit within the virtual network device, the second network device comprises a second plurality of ports, the second plurality of communication links provides redundant connections between the second network device and the virtual network device, the first network device and the second network device operate in an access layer, the first network device and the second network device are satellite network devices which do not perform layer two forwarding or layer three routing, the first plurality of communication links and the second plurality of communication links are uplinks, the second virtual network device sub-unit is configured to disable transmission of the second packet via the virtual link bundle in response to determining that the second packet was received via the virtual network device link, detect a failure of all links of the virtual link bundle coupled to the second virtual network device sub-unit, and enable transmission of the second packet via the virtual link bundle in response to the failure. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 44, 45)
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17. A method comprising:
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sending a first packet via a first link of a virtual link bundle if a destination identifier associated with the first packet is associated with the virtual link bundle, wherein the virtual link bundle comprises a first plurality of communication links, the first plurality of communication links is configured to couple a virtual network device to a first network device external to the virtual network device, the first virtual network device operates in a distribution layer, a first end of each of the first plurality of communication links is configured to be coupled to the first network device, a second end of a first one of the first plurality of communication links is configured to be coupled to a first virtual network device sub-unit within the virtual network device, a second end of a second one of the first plurality of communication links is configured to be coupled to a second virtual network device sub-unit within the virtual network device, the first virtual network device sub-unit is coupled to the second virtual network device sub-unit via a virtual network device link, the first network device comprises a first plurality of ports, each of the first plurality of ports is configured to communicate packets with a respective client, the first network device is configured to append a header to the first packet before sending the first packet to the virtual network device via one of the first plurality of communication links, and the header identifies a one of the first plurality of ports having received the packet, the first plurality of communication links provides redundant connections between the first network device and the virtual network device; and sending a second packet via a second link of a second virtual link bundle if a second destination identifier associated with the second packet is associated with the second virtual link bundle, wherein the second virtual link bundle comprises a second plurality of communication links, the second plurality of communication links is configured to couple the virtual network device to a second network device external to the virtual network device, a first end of each of the second plurality of communication links is configured to be coupled to the second network device, a second end of a first one of the second plurality of communication links is configured to be coupled to the first virtual network device sub-unit within the virtual network device, a second end of a second one of the second plurality of communication links is configured to be coupled to the second virtual network device sub-unit within the virtual network device, the second network device comprises a second plurality of ports, the second plurality of communication links provides redundant connections between the second network device and the virtual network device, the first network device and the second network device operate in an access layer, the first network device and the second network device are satellite network devices which do not perform layer two forwarding or layer three routing, the first plurality of communication links and the second plurality of communication links are uplinks, the second virtual network device sub-unit is configured to disable transmission of the second packet via the virtual link bundle in response to determining that the second packet was received via the virtual network device link, detect a failure of all links of the virtual link bundle coupled to the second virtual network device sub-unit, and enable transmission of the second packet via the virtual link bundle in response to the failure. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. A system comprising:
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means for sending a first packet via a first link of a virtual link bundle if a destination identifier associated with the first packet is associated with the virtual link bundle, wherein the virtual link bundle comprises a first plurality of communication links, the first plurality of communication links is configured to couple a virtual network device to a first network device external to the virtual network device, the first virtual network device operates in a distribution layer, a first end of each of the first plurality of communication links is configured to be coupled to the first network device, a second end of a first one of the first plurality of communication links is configured to be coupled to a first virtual network device sub-unit within the virtual network device, a second end of a second one of the first plurality of communication links is configured to be coupled to a second virtual network device sub-unit within the virtual network device, the first virtual network device sub-unit is coupled to the second virtual network device sub-unit via a virtual network device link, the first network device comprises a first plurality of ports, each of the first plurality of ports is configured to communicate packets with a respective client, the first network device is configured to append a header to the first packet before sending the first packet to the virtual network device via one of the first plurality of communication links, and the header identifies a one of the first plurality of ports having received the packet, the first plurality of communication links provides redundant connections between the first network device and the virtual network device; and means for sending a second packet via a second link of a second virtual link bundle if a second destination identifier associated with the second packet is associated with the second virtual link bundle, wherein the second virtual link bundle comprises a second plurality of communication links, the second plurality of communication links is configured to couple the virtual network device to a second network device external to the virtual network device, a first end of each of the second plurality of communication links is configured to be coupled to the second network device, a second end of a first one of the second plurality of communication links is configured to be coupled to the first virtual network device sub-unit within the virtual network device, a second end of a second one of the second plurality of communication links is configured to be coupled to the second virtual network device sub-unit within the virtual network device, the second network device comprises a second plurality of ports, the second plurality of communication links provides redundant connections between the second network device and the virtual network device, the first network device and the second network device operate in an access layer, the first network device and the second network device are satellite network devices which do not perform layer two forwarding or layer three routing, the first plurality of communication links and the second plurality of communication links are uplinks, the second virtual network device sub-unit is configured to disable transmission of the second packet via the virtual link bundle in response to determining that the second packet was received via the virtual network device link, detect a failure of all links of the virtual link bundle coupled to the second virtual network device sub-unit, and enable transmission of the second packet via the virtual link bundle in response to the failure. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
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35. A computer readable medium comprising program instructions executable to:
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send a first packet via a first link of a virtual link bundle if a destination identifier associated with the first packet is associated with the virtual link bundle, wherein the virtual link bundle comprises a first plurality of communication links, the first plurality of communication links is configured to couple a virtual network device to a first network device external to the virtual network device, the first virtual network device operates in an access layer, a first end of each of the first plurality of communication links is configured to be coupled to the first network device, a second end of a first one of the first plurality of communication links is configured to be coupled to a first virtual network device sub-unit within the virtual network device, a second end of a second one of the first plurality of communication links is configured to be coupled to a second virtual network device sub-unit within the virtual network device, the first virtual network device sub-unit is coupled to the second virtual network device sub-unit via a virtual network device link, the first network device comprises a first plurality of ports, each of the first plurality of ports is configured to communicate packets with a respective client, the first network device is configured to append a header to the first packet before sending the first packet to the virtual network device via one of the first plurality of communication links, and the header identifies a one of the first plurality of ports having received the packet, the first plurality of communication links provides redundant connections between the first network device and the virtual network device; and send a second packet via a second link of a second virtual link bundle if a second destination identifier associated with the second packet is associated with the second virtual link bundle, wherein the second virtual link bundle comprises a second plurality of communication links, the second plurality of communication links is configured to couple the virtual network device to a second network device external to the virtual network device, a first end of each of the second plurality of communication links is configured to be coupled to the second network device, a second end of a first one of the second plurality of communication links is configured to be coupled to the first virtual network device sub-unit within the virtual network device, a second end of a second one of the second plurality of communication links is configured to be coupled to the second virtual network device sub-unit within the virtual network device, the second network device comprises a second plurality of ports, the second plurality of communication links provides redundant connections between the second network device and the virtual network device, the first network device and the second network device operate in an access layer, the first network device and the second network device are satellite network devices which do not perform layer two forwarding or layer three routing, the first plurality of communication links and the second plurality of communication links are uplinks, the second virtual network device sub-unit is configured to disable transmission of the packet via the virtual link bundle in response to determining that the packet was received via the virtual network device link, detect a failure of all links of the virtual link bundle coupled to the second virtual network device sub-unit, and enable transmission of the packet in response to the failure. - View Dependent Claims (36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43)
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Specification