Directed route load/store packets for distributed switch initialization

• US 9,282,035 B2
• Filed: 02/20/2013
• Issued: 03/08/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 02/20/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Flynn, William T., Walk, Bruce M., Kirscht, Joesph A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Orgad, Edan
• Assistant Examiner(s): Shah, Saumit
• Application Number:
  US13/771,986
• Publication Number:
  US 20140233566A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,112 Days
• Field of Search: 370/225, 370/290, 370/380, 370/386, 370/392, 370/393, 370/396, 370/400, 370/401, 709/230, 709/233
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/34 Source routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/44 Distributed routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/566 Routing instructions carried by the data packet, e.g. active networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/66 Layer 2 routing, e.g. in Ethernet based MAN's
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/72 Routing based on the source address

Abstract

Techniques are described for transmitting a packet from a source switch module to a destination switch module. Embodiments include receiving, at a first switch module, a packet that includes (i) an ordered listing of Ethernet link identifiers, specifying a path to the destination switch module and (ii) payload data to be processed at the destination switch module. Embodiments determine that the first switch module is not a destination of the packet, based on the ordered listing of Ethernet link identifiers. Additionally, an Ethernet port of the first switch module on which to transmit the packet is determined based on the ordered listing of Ethernet link identifiers. Embodiments then transmit the packet to a second switch module using the determined Ethernet port of the first switch module.

Claims

1. A method of transmitting a packet from a source switch module to a destination switch module, comprising:

receiving, at a first switch module, a packet that includes (i) an ordered listing of Ethernet link identifiers, specifying a path for transmitting the packet from the source switch module to the destination switch module, (ii) a second ordered listing of Ethernet link identifiers, specifying a return path for transmitting data packets from the destination switch module to the source switch module, and (iii) a set of load/store operations to be executed by the destination switch module;

determining an incoming Ethernet port of the first switch module on which the packet was received;

modifying the packet by inserting a determined Ethernet link identifier into the second portion of the received packet, the determined Ethernet link identifier corresponding to the determined incoming Ethernet port; and

upon determining that the first switch module is not a destination of the packet, based on the ordered listing of Ethernet link identifiers;

determining an outgoing Ethernet port of the first switch module on which to transmit the packet, by selecting one of the ordered listing of Ethernet link identifiers; and

transmitting the modified packet to a second switch module using the determined Ethernet port of the first switch module, wherein the destination switch module is configured to process the set of load/store operations within the received packet by copying the set of load/store operations into an execution buffer for automatic execution.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the received packet includes a hop counter value, configured to be incremented at each hop along the path from the source switch module to the destination switch module.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein determining the Ethernet port of the first switch module further comprises:

selecting one of the Ethernet link identifiers from the ordered listing of link identifiers, using the hop counter value as an index.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

incrementing the hop counter value within the packet, before transmitting the packet to the second switch module.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the payload data comprises an event identifier for a first event, wherein the source switch module is configured to generate and transmit the packet responsive to an occurrence of the first event.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the Ethernet link identifiers within the ordered listing of Ethernet link identifiers corresponds to a respective hop along the path from the source switch module to the destination switch module.

7. A non-transitory computer-readable medium containing computer-readable program code that, when executed, performs an operation for transmitting a packet from a source switch module to a destination switch module, comprising:

receiving, at a first switch module, a packet that includes (i) an ordered listing of Ethernet link identifiers, specifying a path for transmitting the packet from the source switch module to the destination switch module, (ii) a second ordered listing of Ethernet link identifiers, specifying a return path for transmitting data packets from the destination switch module to the source switch module, and (iii) a set of load/store operations to be executed by the destination switch module;

determining an incoming Ethernet port of the first switch module on which the packet was received;

modifying the packet by inserting a determined Ethernet link identifier into the second portion of the received packet, the determined Ethernet link identifier corresponding to the determined incoming Ethernet port; and

upon determining that the first switch module is not a destination of the packet, based on the ordered listing of Ethernet link identifiers;

determining an outgoing Ethernet port of the first switch module on which to transmit the packet, by selecting one of the ordered listing of Ethernet link identifiers; and

transmitting the modified packet to a second switch module using the determined Ethernet port of the first switch module, wherein the destination switch module is configured to process the set of load/store operations within the received packet by copying the set of load/store operations into an execution buffer for automatic execution.

8. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 7, wherein the received packet includes a hop counter value, configured to be incremented at each hop along the path from the source switch module to the destination switch module.

9. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 8, wherein determining the Ethernet port of the first switch module further comprises:

selecting one of the Ethernet link identifiers from the ordered listing of link identifiers, using the hop counter value as an index.

10. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9, the operation further comprising:

incrementing the hop counter value within the packet, before transmitting the packet to the second switch module.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 7, wherein the payload data comprises an event identifier for a first event, wherein the source switch module is configured to generate and transmit the packet responsive to an occurrence of the first event.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 7, wherein each of the Ethernet link identifiers within the ordered listing of Ethernet link identifiers corresponds to a respective hop along the path from the source switch module to the destination switch module.

13. A system, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory containing a program that, when executed by the processor, performs an operation for transmitting a packet from a source switch module to a destination switch module, comprising;

receiving, at a first switch module, a packet that includes (i) an ordered listing of Ethernet link identifiers, specifying a path for transmitting the packet from the source switch module to the destination switch module, (ii) a second ordered listing of Ethernet link identifiers, specifying a return path for transmitting data packets from the destination switch module to the source switch module, and (iii) a set of load/store operations to be executed by the destination switch module;

determining an incoming Ethernet port of the first switch module on which the packet was received;

modifying the packet by inserting a determined Ethernet link identifier into the second portion of the received packet, the determined Ethernet link identifier corresponding to the determined incoming Ethernet port; and

upon determining that the first switch module is not a destination of the packet, based on the ordered listing of Ethernet link identifiers;

determining an outgoing Ethernet port of the first switch module on which to transmit the packet, by selecting one of the ordered listing of Ethernet link identifiers; and

transmitting the modified packet to a second switch module using the determined Ethernet port of the first switch module, wherein the destination switch module is configured to process the set of load/store operations within the received packet by copying the set of load/store operations into an execution buffer for automatic execution.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the received packet includes a hop counter value, configured to be incremented at each hop along the path from the source switch module to the destination switch module.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein determining the Ethernet port of the first switch module further comprises:

selecting one of the Ethernet link identifiers from the ordered listing of link identifiers, using the hop counter value as an index.

16. The system of claim 15, the operation further comprising:

incrementing the hop counter value within the packet, before transmitting the packet to the second switch module.

17. The system of claim 13, wherein the payload data comprises an event identifier for a first event, wherein the source switch module is configured to generate and transmit the packet responsive to an occurrence of the first event.

18. The system of claim 13, wherein each of the Ethernet link identifiers within the ordered listing of Ethernet link identifiers corresponds to a respective hop along the path from the source switch module to the destination switch module.