Multi-threaded multi-path processing

• US 9,614,752 B2
• Filed: 11/11/2013
• Issued: 04/04/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 11/11/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Extreme Networks, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Avaya Incorporated
• Inventors: Ramesh, Deepak
• Primary Examiner(s): MATTIS, JASON E
• Application Number:
  US14/077,101
• Publication Number:
  US 20150131662A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,240 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/4616 LAN interconnection over a LAN backbone
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/4633 Interconnection of networks using encapsulation techniques, e.g. tunneling
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/4641 Virtual LANs, VLANs, e.g. virtual private networks [VPN] LAN interconnection over a bridge based backbone H04L12/462; encapsulation techniques H04L12/4633; routing of packets H04L45/00; packet switches H04L49/00; virtual private networks for security H04L63/0272
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/02 Topology update or discovery
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/24 Multipath
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/74 Address processing for routing

Abstract

One or more implementations can include methods, systems and computer readable media for multi-threaded multipath processing. In some implementations, the method can include determining that a next hop for a destination includes a first next hop and a second next hop. The method can also include generating a first packet having a first destination address based on a nickname of a remote switch and on an identifier of a first path. The method can further include generating a second packet having a second destination address based on the nickname of the remote switch and on an identifier of a second path.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

determining that a next hop for a destination includes a first next hop and a second next hop;

generating a first packet having a first destination address based on a nickname of a remote switch and on an identifier of a first path;

generating a second packet having a second destination address based on the nickname of the remote switch and on an identifier of a second path;

forwarding both the first packet and the second packet to the remote switch on separate egress hops; and

processing the first packet in a first processing thread at the remote switch and processing the second packet in a second processing thread different from the first processing thread at the remote switch, wherein the processing includes deriving customer MAC addresses and passing the customer MAC addresses between the first processing thread and the second processing thread to accomplish equal cost multi-path (ECMP) as the packets are processed in different threads.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the remote switch is a backbone edge bridge.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first path is a primary VLAN.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the second path is a secondary VLAN.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining that a next hop for a destination includes a plurality of next hops.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein an encapsulation scheme for the first packet and the second packet is Mac-in-Mac encapsulation.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising generating a routing entry for both the first destination address and the second destination address in the remote switch.

8. A system comprising one or more processors configured to perform operations including:

determining that a next hop for a destination includes a first next hop and a second next hop;

generating a first packet having a first destination address based on a nickname of a remote switch and on an identifier of a first path;

generating a second packet having a second destination address based on the nickname of the remote switch and on an identifier of a second path;

forwarding both the first packet and the second packet to the remote switch on separate egress hops; and

processing the first packet in a first processing thread at the remote switch and processing the second packet in a second processing thread different from the first processing thread at the remote switch, wherein the processing includes deriving customer MAC addresses and passing the customer MAC addresses between the first processing thread and the second processing thread to accomplish equal cost multi-path (ECMP) as the packets are processed in different threads.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the remote switch is a backbone edge bridge.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the first path is a primary VLAN.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the second path is a secondary VLAN.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the operations further comprise encapsulating the first packet and the second packet according to an encapsulation scheme.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the encapsulation scheme is Mac-in-Mac encapsulation.

14. The system of claim 8, wherein the operations further comprise generating a routing entry for both the first destination address and the second destination address in the remote switch.

15. A nontransitory computer readable medium having stored thereon software instructions that, when executed by a processor of a wireless controller, cause the processor to perform operations including:

determining that a next hop for a destination includes a first next hop and a second next hop;

generating a first packet having a first destination address based on a nickname of a remote switch and on an identifier of a first path;

generating a second packet having a second destination address based on the nickname of the remote switch and on an identifier of a second path;

forwarding both the first packet and the second packet to the remote switch on separate egress hops; and

processing the first packet in a first processing thread at the remote switch and processing the second packet in a second processing thread different from the first processing thread at the remote switch, wherein the processing includes deriving customer MAC addresses and passing the customer MAC addresses between the first processing thread and the second processing thread to accomplish equal cost multi-path (ECMP) as the packets are processed in different threads.

16. The nontransitory computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein the remote switch is a backbone edge bridge.

17. The nontransitory computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein the first path is a primary VLAN.

18. The nontransitory computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein the second path is a secondary VLAN.

19. The nontransitory computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein the operations further comprise encapsulating the first packet and the second packet according to an encapsulation scheme.

20. The nontransitory computer readable medium of claim 19, wherein the encapsulation scheme is Mac-in-Mac encapsulation, and wherein the operations further comprise generating a routing entry for both the first destination address and the second destination address in the remote switch.