MULTIPLE MEDIA ACCESS CONTROL (MAC) ADDRESSES

• US 20100306571A1
• Filed: 08/12/2010
• Published: 12/02/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/14/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Juniper Networks Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Juniper Networks Incorporated
• Inventors: RUPAVATHARAM, Sreekanth
• Granted Patent: US 8,493,959 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 714/3
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/40195 by using a plurality of nodes

Abstract

A method for providing multiple media access control (MAC) addresses in a device of a master/slave system may include providing a first MAC address in a MAC address storage of the device. The method may also include providing a second MAC address in a multicast table entry of a multicast hash filter of the device.

Claims

1-23. -23. (canceled)

24. A system comprising:

a master device;

a slave device communicatively connected to master device, the slave device including a media access control (MAC) address storage device that stores a real MAC address of the slave device; and

a programmable multicast hash filter, associated with the system, that is programmed to store a virtual MAC address, which is received from the master device, as an entry in a table of the programmable multicast hash filter,

where the slave device is to use both the real MAC address and the virtual MAC address during a time interval when the slave device assumes the role of the master device.

25. The system of claim 24, where the slave device stores the virtual MAC address in the programmable multicast hash filter when the master device is inoperable.

26. The system of claim 24, where the programmable multicast hash filter is contained in a communication interface of the slave device.

27. The system of claim 24, where the programmable multicast hash filter is contained in the master device.

28. The system of claim 24, where the programmable multicast hash filter is contained in a component of the system other than the master device or the slave device.

29. The system of claim 24, where the virtual MAC address is stored in the programmable multicast hash filter after the slave device becomes the master device.

30. The system of claim 25, where a second slave device is to use both a real MAC address, of the second slave device, and the virtual MAC address, if the slave device fails to assume the role of the master device.

31. A method for providing multiple media access control (MAC) addresses for a device of a master/slave system, the method comprising:

providing, in a MAC address storage of the device, a first MAC address that identifies the device to the master/slave system;

programming a multicast table entry, of a multicast hash filter, of the master/slave system, with a second MAC address, where the second MAC address identifies the device to the master/slave system and permits the device to act as a master device of the master/slave system;

using the first MAC address to continue to access administrative services of the master/slave system during a time interval when the device acts as the master device; and

using the second MAC address to route messages during the time interval when the device acts as the master device.

32. The method of claim 31, where the first MAC address comprises a real MAC address, and the second MAC address comprises a virtual MAC address.

33. The method of claim 31, where the first MAC address comprises a virtual MAC address, and the second MAC address comprises a real MAC address.

34. The method of claim 31, where the device comprises a communication interface of the master/slave system.

35. The method of claim 31, where the device comprises one of a master device or a slave device of the master slave system.

36. The method of claim 31, where programming the programmable multicast hash filter occurs after the device begins to act as the master device.

37. The method of claim 31, further comprising:

using, via a second device, the first MAC address to continue to access administrative services of the master/slave system and the second MAC address to route messages, if the device fails to operate as the master device.

38. A master/slave system, including a slave device connected to a master device, the master/slave system comprising:

a programmable multicast hash filter that is programmed to store a virtual media access control (MAC) address of the master device, as a first entry in a table of the programmable multicast hash filter, and is programmed to store a real MAC address of the slave device, as a second entry in the table of the programmable multicast hash filter,

where the slave device is to use both the real MAC address and the virtual MAC address upon a failure of the master device.

39. The master/slave system of claim 38, where the programmable multicast hash filter is contained in the slave device.

40. The master/slave system of claim 38, where the programmable multicast hash filter is contained in the master device.

41. The master/slave system of claim 38, where the programmable multicast hash filter is contained in a component of the master/slave system other than the master device or the slave device.

42. The master/slave system of claim 38, where the virtual MAC address is stored in the programmable multicast hash filter after the slave device assumes a role of the master device.

43. The master/slave system of claim 38, where a second slave device is to use both a real MAC address, of the second slave device, and the virtual MAC address, if the slave device fails to assume the role of the master device.