Name services for virtual cluster switching

• US 9,848,040 B2
• Filed: 01/25/2016
• Issued: 12/19/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Brocade Communications Systems, Inc. (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Vobbilisetty, Suresh, Koganti, Phanidhar, Willeke, Jesse B.
• Primary Examiner(s): PARK, JUNG H
• Application Number:
  US15/005,967
• Publication Number:
  US 20160173585A1
• Time in Patent Office: 694 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/4625 Single bridge functionality, e.g. connection of two networks over a single bridge
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/4633 Interconnection of networks using encapsulation techniques, e.g. tunneling
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2101/622 Layer-2 addresses, e.g. medium access control [MAC] addresses
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/085 Retrieval of network configuration; Tracking network configuration history
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/00 Routing or path finding of packets in data switching networks routing or path finding in wireless networks H04W40/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/555 Error detection
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/70 Virtual switches
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/611 for multicast or broadcast systems for broadcast or conference H04L12/18; arrangements for broadcast or distribution combined with broadcast H04H20/00; arrangements for broadcast applications with a direct linkage to broadcast information or to broadcast space-time H04H60/00; selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS], H04W4/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1044 Group management mechanisms management of multicast group membership H04L12/185; reconfiguring of node membership in a computing system to eliminate errors G06F11/1425

Abstract

One embodiment of the present invention provides a switch that facilitates name services in a virtual cluster switch. The switch includes a name service database indicating at least one media access control (MAC) address learned at a second switch. The switch also includes a control mechanism. During operation, the control mechanism distributes information on a locally learned MAC address to the second switch. In addition, the control mechanism receives information on a MAC address learned at the second switch.

Claims

1. A switch, comprising:

a storage device;

management circuitry configured to;

identify a media access control (MAC) address and a logical identifier from a payload of a notification message, wherein the logical identifier identifies a switch group comprising a plurality of switches, wherein the notification message includes an encapsulation header forwardable in a routed network;

store the MAC address in association with the logical identifier in a data structure in the storage device; and

construct an update message for a remote switch, wherein the update message comprises a MAC address learned from a local port and a switch identifier of the switch.

2. The switch of claim 1, wherein the management circuitry is further configured to identify a port identifier from the notification message, wherein the port identifier identifies a port from which a remote switch has learned the MAC address.

3. The switch of claim 2, further comprising forwarding circuitry configured to, in response to identifying the MAC address as a destination address of a packet, determine a local port associated with the remote switch as an egress port for the packet.

4. The switch of claim 1, wherein the management circuitry is further configured to:

identify a second identifier associated with the MAC address from a second notification message; and

update the data structure in the storage device by storing MAC address in association with the second identifier.

5. The switch of claim 1, wherein the management circuitry is further configured to identify a virtual local area network (VLAN) tag associated with the MAC address from the notification message.

6. The switch of claim 1, wherein the MAC address is a multicast address associated with a multicast group.

7. The switch of claim 1, wherein the MAC address is assigned to an end device multi-homed with the switch group.

8. A method, comprising:

identifying a media access control (MAC) address and a logical identifier from a payload of a notification message, wherein the logical identifier identifies a switch group comprising a plurality of switches, wherein the notification message includes an encapsulation header forwardable in a routed network;

storing the MAC address in association with the logical identifier in a data structure in a storage device of a switch; and

construct an update message for a remote switch, wherein the update message comprises a MAC address learned from a local port and a switch identifier of the switch.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising identifying a port identifier from the notification message, wherein the port identifier identifies a port from which a remote switch has learned the MAC address.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising, in response to identifying the MAC address as a destination address of a packet, determining a local port associated with the remote switch as an egress port for the packet.

11. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

identifying a second identifier associated with the MAC address from a second notification message; and

updating the data structure in the storage device by storing MAC address in association with the second identifier.

12. The method of claim 8, further comprising identifying a virtual local area network (VLAN) tag associated with the MAC address from the notification message.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein the MAC address is a multicast address associated with a multicast group.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein the MAC address is assigned to an end device multi-homed with the switch group.

15. 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:

identifying a media access control (MAC) address and a logical identifier from a payload of a notification message, wherein the logical identifier identifies a switch group comprising a plurality of switches, wherein the notification message includes an encapsulation header forwardable in a routed network;

storing the MAC address in association with the logical identifier in a data structure in a storage device of a switch; and

construct an update message for a remote switch, wherein the update message comprises a MAC address learned from a local port and a switch identifier of the switch.

16. The storage medium of claim 15, wherein the method further comprises identifying from the notification message one or more of:

a port identifier, wherein the port identifier identifies a port from which a remote switch has learned the MAC address; and

a virtual local area network (VLAN) tag associated with the MAC address.

17. The storage medium of claim 15, wherein the method further comprises:

identifying a second identifier associated with the MAC address from a second notification message; and

updating the data structure in the storage device by storing MAC address in association with the second identifier.

18. The storage medium of claim 15, wherein the method further comprises identifying a virtual local area network (VLAN) tag associated with the MAC address from the notification message.

19. The storage medium of claim 15, wherein the MAC address is a multicast address associated with a multicast group.

20. The storage medium of claim 15, wherein the MAC address is assigned to an end device multi-homed with the switch group.