Determining when to switch to a standby intelligent adjunct network device
First Claim
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1. A method comprising:
- performing configuration operations, whereinthe configuration operations are performed by a controlling network device for an adjunct network device, whereinthe controlling network device comprises one or more switch or router, andthe adjunct network device comprises one of the switch or router, wherein the configuration operations comprise;
assigning port identifiers to a subset of ports included in the adjunct network device,generating forwarding information for storage in the adjunct network device,wherein the forwarding information comprises a forwarding table, the forwarding table comprises a plurality of entries, and each entry identifies an address and a port associated with the address, wherein the address comprises a media access control (MAC) address, andtransmitting the forwarding information to the adjunct network device, wherein the adjunct network device is configured to make forwarding decisions for a plurality of packets using the forwarding information, and the controlling network device is configured to perform forwarding operations, whereinthe forwarding operations are based on the port identifiers, andthe forwarding operations comprise receiving a packet comprising local forwarding information generated by the adjunct network device in response to the adjunct network device being unable to forward the packet locally, wherein the local forwarding information comprises an indication that the forwarding information is inconsistent with the local forwarding information, and wherein a second network device assigns port identifiers to a second subset of the ports of the adjunct network device.
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Abstract
An adjunct network device includes several ports, an uplink interface, and an adjunct forwarding engine coupled to the ports and the uplink interface. A first port is configured to receive a packet, which includes a destination address. The adjunct forwarding engine is configured to send the packet to the uplink interface if the destination address is not associated with any of the ports. The packet is sent to one of the ports if the destination address is associated with the one of the ports.
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Citations
17 Claims
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1. A method comprising:
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performing configuration operations, wherein the configuration operations are performed by a controlling network device for an adjunct network device, wherein the controlling network device comprises one or more switch or router, and the adjunct network device comprises one of the switch or router, wherein the configuration operations comprise; assigning port identifiers to a subset of ports included in the adjunct network device, generating forwarding information for storage in the adjunct network device, wherein the forwarding information comprises a forwarding table, the forwarding table comprises a plurality of entries, and each entry identifies an address and a port associated with the address, wherein the address comprises a media access control (MAC) address, and transmitting the forwarding information to the adjunct network device, wherein the adjunct network device is configured to make forwarding decisions for a plurality of packets using the forwarding information, and the controlling network device is configured to perform forwarding operations, wherein the forwarding operations are based on the port identifiers, and the forwarding operations comprise receiving a packet comprising local forwarding information generated by the adjunct network device in response to the adjunct network device being unable to forward the packet locally, wherein the local forwarding information comprises an indication that the forwarding information is inconsistent with the local forwarding information, and wherein a second network device assigns port identifiers to a second subset of the ports of the adjunct network device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 10, 11)
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4. A system comprising:
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a controlling network device, wherein the controlling network device comprises; one or more switches or routers, an uplink interface coupled to a virtual link bundle, a control module configured to assign port identifiers to a subset of ports included in an adjunct network device, generate forwarding information for storage in the adjunct network device, wherein the controlling network device comprises one or more switch or router, and the adjunct network device comprises one of the switch or router, the forwarding information comprises a forwarding table, the forwarding table comprises a plurality of entries, and each entry identifies an address and a port associated with the address, wherein the address comprises a media access control (MAC) address, and transmit the forwarding information to the adjunct network device, wherein the adjunct network device is configured to make forwarding decisions for a plurality of packets using the forwarding information, and the Controlling network device is configured to perform forwarding operations, wherein the forwarding operations are based on the port identifiers, and the forwarding operations comprise receiving, a packet comprising local forwarding information generated by the adjunct network device in response to the adjunct network device being unable to forward the packet locally, wherein the local forwarding information comprises an indication that the forwarding information is inconsistent with the local forwarding information, and wherein the controlling network device assigns port identifiers to a second subset of the ports of the adjunct network device. - View Dependent Claims (5, 6, 12, 13, 14)
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7. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising program instructions executable by a controlling, network device to:
- perform configuration operations, wherein
the configuration operations are performed by the controlling network device for an adjunct network device, wherein the controlling network device comprises one or more switch or router, and the adjunct network device comprises one of the switch or router, the configuration operations comprise; assigning port identifiers to a subset of ports included in an adjunct network device, generating forwarding information for storage in the adjunct network device, wherein the forwarding information comprises a forwarding table, the forwarding table comprises a plurality of entries, and each entry identifies an address and a port associated with the address, wherein the address comprises a media access control (MAC) address, and transmitting the forwarding information to the adjunct network device, wherein the adjunct network device is configured to make forwarding decisions for a plurality of packets using the forwarding information, and perform forwarding operations based on the port identifiers, wherein the forwarding operations are based on the port identifiers, and the forwarding operations comprise receiving a packet comprising local forwarding information generated by the adjunct network device in response to the adjunct network device being unable to forward the packet locally, wherein the local forwarding information comprises an indication that the forwarding information is inconsistent with the local forwarding information, and wherein a second network device assigns port identifiers to a second subset of the ports of the adjunct network device flooding the packet comprises preventing the packet from being sent to the adjunct network device. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 15, 16, 17)
- perform configuration operations, wherein
Specification