Transparent interconnection of Ethernet fabric switches
First Claim
1. A switch, comprising:
- control circuitry configured to;
maintain a membership in a first network of interconnected switches, wherein the first network of interconnected switches is identified by a fabric identifier; and
determine that a virtual switch representing a second network of interconnected switches is a next-hop switch reachable via a local port;
border circuitry configured to;
determine that an egress switch identifier in a first encapsulation header of a first packet is assigned to the virtual switch, wherein the first packet is forwardable in the first network of interconnected switches based on the first encapsulation header; and
update the first packet by replacing an ingress switch identifier in the first encapsulation header with a first virtual switch identifier representing the first network of interconnected switches, wherein the egress switch identifier is a second virtual switch identifier assigned to the virtual switch, and wherein the first and second virtual switch identifiers are distinct from a switch identifier identifying a physical switch in a network of interconnected switches; and
forwarding circuitry configured to determine the local port as an egress port for the updated first packet based on the egress switch identifier in the first encapsulation header.
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Accused Products
Abstract
One embodiment of the present invention provides a switch. The switch includes a fabric switch module and a border module. The fabric switch module maintains a membership in a first fabric switch. The fabric switch includes a plurality of switches and operates as a single logical switch. The border module determines that the egress switch identifier in a first encapsulation header of a first packet is associated with a switch outside of the fabric switch. The first packet is forwardable in the first fabric switch based on the first encapsulation header. In response to the determination, the border module changes the ingress switch identifier in the first encapsulation header of the first packet to a first virtual switch identifier associated with a first virtual switch. This first virtual switch externally represents the first fabric switch.
485 Citations
25 Claims
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1. A switch, comprising:
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control circuitry configured to; maintain a membership in a first network of interconnected switches, wherein the first network of interconnected switches is identified by a fabric identifier; and determine that a virtual switch representing a second network of interconnected switches is a next-hop switch reachable via a local port; border circuitry configured to; determine that an egress switch identifier in a first encapsulation header of a first packet is assigned to the virtual switch, wherein the first packet is forwardable in the first network of interconnected switches based on the first encapsulation header; and update the first packet by replacing an ingress switch identifier in the first encapsulation header with a first virtual switch identifier representing the first network of interconnected switches, wherein the egress switch identifier is a second virtual switch identifier assigned to the virtual switch, and wherein the first and second virtual switch identifiers are distinct from a switch identifier identifying a physical switch in a network of interconnected switches; and forwarding circuitry configured to determine the local port as an egress port for the updated first packet based on the egress switch identifier in the first encapsulation header. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method, comprising:
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maintaining a membership of a switch in a first network of interconnected switches, wherein the first network of interconnected switches is identified by a fabric identifier; determining that a virtual switch representing a second network of interconnected switches is a next-hop switch reachable via a local port of the switch; determining that an egress switch identifier in a first encapsulation header of a first packet is assigned to the virtual switch, wherein the first packet is forwardable in the first network of interconnected switches based on the first encapsulation header; updating the first packet by replacing an ingress switch identifier in the first encapsulation header with a first virtual switch identifier representing the first network of interconnected switches, wherein the egress switch identifier is a second virtual switch identifier assigned to the virtual switch, and wherein the first and second virtual switch identifiers are distinct from a switch identifier identifying a physical switch in a network of interconnected switches; and determining the local port as an egress port for the updated first packet based on the egress switch identifier in the first encapsulation header. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A computer system;
- comprising;
a processor; a storage device coupled to the processor and storing instructions that when executed by the processor cause the processor to perform a method, the method comprising; maintaining a membership of a switch in a first network of interconnected switches, wherein the first network of interconnected switches is identified by a fabric identifier; determining that a virtual switch representing a second network of interconnected switches is a next-hop switch reachable via a local port of the switch; determining that an egress switch identifier in a first encapsulation header of a first packet is assigned to the virtual switch, wherein the first packet is forwardable in the first network of interconnected switches based on the first encapsulation header; and updating the first packet by replacing an ingress switch identifier in the first encapsulation header with a first virtual switch identifier representing the first network of interconnected switches, wherein the egress switch identifier is a second virtual switch identifier assigned to the virtual switch, and wherein the first and second virtual switch identifiers are distinct from a switch identifier identifying a physical switch in a network of interconnected switches; and determining the local port as an egress port for the updated first packet based on the egress switch identifier in the first encapsulation header. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
- comprising;
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25. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions which when executed by a computer cause the computer to perform a method, the method comprising:
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maintaining a membership of a switch in a first network of interconnected switches, wherein the first network of interconnected switches is identified by a fabric identifier; determining that a virtual switch representing a second network of interconnected switches is a next-hop switch reachable via a local port of the switch; determining that an egress switch identifier in a first encapsulation header of a first packet is assigned to the virtual switch, wherein the first packet is forwardable in the first network of interconnected switches based on the first encapsulation header; updating the first packet by replacing an ingress switch identifier in the first encapsulation header with a first virtual switch identifier representing the first network of interconnected switches, wherein the egress switch identifier is a second virtual switch identifier assigned to the virtual switch, and wherein the first and second virtual switch identifiers are distinct from a switch identifier identifying a physical switch in a network of interconnected switches; and determining the local port as an egress port for the updated first packet based on the egress switch identifier in the first encapsulation header.
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Specification