摘要:
A multiple instance spanning tree protocol (MI-STP) creates a plurality of active topologies (i.e., loop-free paths) within a computer network. These active topologies may be established through the exchange and processing of multiple instance spanning tree bridge protocol data unit messages (MI-STP BPDUs) by the intermediate network devices within the network. The active topologies are preferably created independently of any virtual local area network (VLAN) designations defined within the network. Once the active topologies are defined, each VLAN designation is then mapped to a single active topology, although multiple VLAN designations are preferably mapped to the same active topology to provide load balancing.
摘要:
Disclosed are methods and apparatus for restarting a first network device having a plurality of ports for receiving and transmitting layer 2 data. The first network device belongs to a network of network devices. When a restart of at least a portion of the first network device is imminent whereby the restarting network device portion can no longer alter a spanning tree protocol (STP) state of one or more of the ports and such ports that remain in a fixed state during the restart are referred to as restarting ports, a current state (such as forwarding) of each restarting port is maintained during the restart under predefined conditions. During the restart, each of the restarting ports of the restarting network device portion cooperate with its peer port of a second non-restarting network device that is a neighbor of the first network device so as to prevent layer 2 loops in the network.
摘要:
Methods and apparatus are provided for improving fiber channel packet delivery. Techniques are provided for the in-order delivery of packets by blocking incoming packets associated with a port channel change at a fiber channel switch and sending flush messages onto links associated with a port channel change. Upon receiving acknowledgments for the flush messages, incoming packets are unblocked.
摘要:
High availability for a fibre channel switch in a storage area network can be implemented using redundant supervisors. An active supervisor can identify high availability characteristics associated with a message and determine whether the message should be mirrored onto a redundant supervisor, logged, and/or made persistent. Messages can be logged in a pending transaction buffer and stored using persistent storage services. Mirroring can be performed using synchronization queues that allow messages to be passed asynchronously to a redundant supervisor while maintaining full synchronization between supervisors and causing little delay to operation of the active supervisor.
摘要:
Disclosed are methods and apparatus for restarting a first network device having a plurality of ports for receiving and transmitting layer 2 data is disclosed. The first network device belongs to a network of network devices. When a restart of at least a portion of the first network device is imminent whereby the restarting network device portion can no longer alter a spanning tree protocol (STP) state of one or more of the ports and such ports that remain in a fixed state during the restart are referred to as restarting ports, a current state (such as forwarding) of each restarting port is maintained during the restart under predefined conditions. During the restart, each of the restarting ports of the restarting network device portion cooperate with its peer port of a second non-restarting network device that is a neighbor of the first network device so as to prevent layer 2 loops in the network.
摘要:
Disclosed are methods and apparatus for restarting a first network device having a plurality of ports for receiving and transmitting layer 2 data is disclosed. The first network device belongs to a network of network devices. When a restart of at least a portion of the first network device is imminent whereby STP is no longer functioning for the first network device during the restart and can no longer alter a spanning tree protocol (STP) state of one or more of the ports and such ports that remain in a fixed state during the restart are referred to as restarting ports, a current state (such as forwarding) of each restarting port is maintained during the restart under predefined conditions. During the restart, each of the restarting ports of the restarting network device portion cooperate with its peer port of a second non-restarting network device that is a neighbor of the first network device so as to prevent layer 2 loops in the network.
摘要:
Efficient switched network multicasting techniques are provided. Incoming multicast packets are processed by a central forwarding engine (CFE) in a network switch to generate forwarding indices used to make forwarding decisions for the packets based upon whether the packets are special multicast control packets or data packets. Forwarding of the special multicast control packets is determined by the switch's network management processor (NMP), while data packets are forwarded based upon conventional bridge forwarding techniques.
摘要:
A solution is provided wherein the interfaces between multiple chassis (e.g., edge switches) in a network of layer 2 devices and a spanning tree device are treated as a single emulated switch. This emulated switch effectively enables two different views to the two different sides. Thus, frames from the network of layer 2 switches destined to any port of the emulated switch may take any of the links (through any of the physical switches), thereby enabling effective load-balancing for frames traveling from the layer 2 network side into the spanning tree device. Meanwhile the spanning tree device does not recognize an illegal loop in its connection to two different edge switches as it views the two links as a single logical EtherChannel.
摘要:
According to the present invention, methods and apparatus are provided to improve the link state routing protocol (LSRP) to prevent transient loops during topology changes. Broadcast and shared multicast traffic may be dropped on particular ports upon detecting link state change until neighboring nodes have computed routes using updated link state information. An acknowledgment is sent upon receiving a link state record. Sync and sync-ack packets are used to determine when link state information is synchronized with that of peer nodes.
摘要:
According to the present invention, methods and apparatus are provided to improve the link state routing protocol (LSRP) to prevent transient loops during topology changes. Broadcast and shared multicast traffic may be dropped on particular ports upon detecting link state change until neighboring nodes have computed routes using updated link state information. An acknowledgment is sent upon receiving a link state record. Sync and sync-ack packets are used to determine when link state information is synchronized with that of peer nodes.