Methods and apparatus for standard protocol validation mechanisms deployed over a switch fabric system
First Claim
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1. An apparatus, comprising:
- a memory; and
a processor operatively coupled to the memory, the processor configured to determine a set of available output ports through which a validation packet can be sent to reach a destination device, the processor configured to encapsulate, for each available output port of the set of available output ports, header information in the validation packet, and information relating to that available output port, to produce a validation packet header,the processor configured to generate, for each available output port of the set of available output ports, a replicated validation packet including the validation packet header and being one of a plurality of replicated validation packets, each replicated validation packet from the plurality of replicated validation packets uniquely corresponding to an available output port from the set of available output ports; and
the processor configured to cause the plurality of replicated validation packets to be sent to the destination device, using the set of available output ports and based on the validation packet header of each replicated validation packet from the plurality of replicated validation packets.
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Abstract
An apparatus includes a destination edge device configured to receive a first validation packet according to a switch fabric validation protocol. The destination edge device is configured to validate multiple data paths through a distributed switch fabric from a source edge device to the destination edge device based on the first validation packet. The destination edge device is configured to send, in response to receiving the first validation packet, a second validation packet to a peripheral processing device. The destination edge device is also configured to send the second validation packet according to a validation protocol different from the first validation protocol.
128 Citations
20 Claims
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1. An apparatus, comprising:
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a memory; and a processor operatively coupled to the memory, the processor configured to determine a set of available output ports through which a validation packet can be sent to reach a destination device, the processor configured to encapsulate, for each available output port of the set of available output ports, header information in the validation packet, and information relating to that available output port, to produce a validation packet header, the processor configured to generate, for each available output port of the set of available output ports, a replicated validation packet including the validation packet header and being one of a plurality of replicated validation packets, each replicated validation packet from the plurality of replicated validation packets uniquely corresponding to an available output port from the set of available output ports; and the processor configured to cause the plurality of replicated validation packets to be sent to the destination device, using the set of available output ports and based on the validation packet header of each replicated validation packet from the plurality of replicated validation packets. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A method, comprising:
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receiving, at a destination device, a signal indicating that a set of switch fabric validation packets will be sent through a switch fabric system; receiving, at the destination device, a predetermined schedule of when the set of switch fabric validation packets will be sent; and when a first subset of the set of switch fabric validation packets is not received at the destination device and a second subset of the set of switch fabric validation packets is received; consolidating, at the destination device, the second subset of the set of switch fabric validation packets into a consolidated switch fabric validation packet including a status state indicator indicating a status of each data path of a plurality of data paths, each data path of the plurality of data paths being associated with a switch fabric validation packet from the first subset of the set of switch fabric validation packets; and sending, from the destination device, the consolidated switch fabric validation packet to a validation gateway. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. An apparatus, comprising:
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a memory storing processor-readable instructions; and a fabric validation (FV) processor operatively coupled to the memory and configured to execute the processor-readable instructions, the FV processor configured, in response to executing the processor-readable instructions, to receive a set of switch fabric validation packets from a source device, the FV processor configured, in response to executing the processor-readable instructions, to compare the set of switch fabric validation packets to a preset schedule indicating a timing and a number of switch fabric validation packets to be received at the FV processor, the FV processor configured, in response to executing the processor-readable instructions, to consolidate the set of switch fabric validation packets into a consolidated switch fabric validation packet, the FV processor configured, in response to executing the processor-readable instructions, to append, to the consolidated switch fabric validation packet and when a switch fabric validation packet indicated in the preset schedule is not included in the set of switch fabric validation packets from the source device, a status state indicator indicating a status of at least one data path between the FV processor and the source device, to produce an appended consolidated switch fabric validation packet, the FV processor configured, in response to executing the processor-readable instructions, to send the appended consolidated switch fabric validation packet to a validation gateway. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification