Abstract:
A distributed fabric system has distributed line card (DLC) chassis and scaled-out fabric coupler (SFC) chassis. Each DLC includes a network processor and fabric ports. Each network processor of each DLC includes a fabric interface in communication with the fabric ports of that DLC. Each SFC includes at least one fabric element and SFC fabric ports. A fabric communication link connects each SFC fabric port to one DLC fabric port. Each fabric communication link includes cell-carrying lanes. Each fabric element of each SFC detects connectivity between each SFC fabric port of that SFC and one DLC fabric port over a fabric communication link. Each SFC includes program code that reads connectivity matrix from fabric element chips and sends connection information corresponding to the detected connectivity from that SFC to a central agent. A network element includes the central agent, which, when executed, constructs a topology of the distributed fabric system from the connection information sent from each SFC.
Abstract:
A communication protocol in a layer two (L2) network switch comprises, in response to a service request by a source node, registering the source node for packet communication service. The protocol further comprises forwarding one or more packets from the registered source node to one or more destination nodes. The protocol further comprises receiving packets from one or more destination nodes and forwarding each received packet to a corresponding registered node.
Abstract:
A distributed fabric system has distributed line card (DLC) chassis and scaled-out fabric coupler (SFC) chassis. Each DLC chassis includes a network processor and fabric ports. Each network processor of each DLC chassis includes a fabric interface in communication with the DLC fabric ports of that DLC chassis. Each SFC chassis includes a fabric element and fabric ports. A communication link connects each SFC fabric port to one DLC fabric port. Each communication link includes cell-carrying lanes. Each fabric element of each SFC chassis collects per-lane statistics for each SFC fabric port of that SFC chassis. Each SFC chassis includes program code that obtains the per-lane statistics collected by the fabric element chip of that SFC chassis. A network element includes program code that gathers the per-lane statistics collected by each fabric element of each SFC chassis and integrates the statistics into a topology of the entire distributed fabric system.
Abstract:
A distributed fabric system comprises a plurality of independent network elements interconnected by inter-switch links and assigned to a same group. Each network element includes a switching chip, a processor, and memory storing program code that is executed by the processor. The program code of each network element includes a device configuration (DC) stacking module and a switch discovery protocol (SDP) module. The SDP module of each network element, when executed, discovers each other network element in the group and elects one of the network elements as a master network element. The SDP module of the master network element, when executed, sends messages to the DC-stacking module of the master network element. Each sent message identifies one of the network elements in the group. The DC stacking module of the master network element, when executed, maintains a record of all network elements that are currently members in the group.
Abstract:
A distributed fabric system comprises a plurality of independent network elements interconnected by inter-switch links and assigned to a same group. Each network element includes one or more switching chips, a processor, and memory storing program code that is executed by the processor. The program code of each network element includes a switch discovery protocol (SDP) module. The SDP module of each network element, when executed, periodically multicasts SDP data units (SDPDUs) using one of a plurality of transmission rates. The plurality of transmission rates includes a fast transmission rate and a slow transmission rate. The transmission rate used by the SDP module of each network element is the fast transmission rate until the SDP module of that network element determines a criterion is met, in response to which the transmission rate used by the SDP module of that network element changes to the slow transmission rate.
Abstract:
A technique for executing normally interruptible threads of a process in a non-preemptive manner includes in response to a first entry associated with a first message for a first thread reaching a head of a run queue, receiving, by the first thread, a first wake-up signal. In response to receiving the wake-up signal, the first thread waits for a global lock. In response to the first thread receiving the global lock, the first thread retrieves the first message from an associated message queue and processes the retrieved first message. In response to completing the processing of the first message, the first thread transmits a second wake-up signal to a second thread whose associated entry is next in the run queue. Finally, following the transmitting of the second wake-up signal the first thread releases the global lock.
Abstract:
A communication protocol in a layer two (L2) network switch comprises, in response to a service request by a source node, registering the source node for packet communication service. The protocol further comprises forwarding one or more packets from the registered source node to one or more destination nodes. The protocol further comprises receiving packets from one or more destination nodes and forwarding each received packet to a corresponding registered node.
Abstract:
A technique for securing a virtualized computing environment includes retrieving identification information from a packet received on a physical port of a network switch. Port assignment data (maintained by one of a virtual machine monitor and a virtual machine monitor management station) for a virtual machine identified in the received packet is retrieved. The identification information from the received packet is compared with the port assignment data to determine whether the virtual machine is assigned to the port. In response to determining that the virtual machine is assigned to the port, the packet is forwarded to a destination designated in the packet. In response to determining that the virtual machine is not assigned to the port, the packet is blocked.
Abstract:
A distributed fabric system comprises a plurality of independent network elements interconnected by inter-switch links and assigned to a same group. Each network element includes a switching chip, a processor, and memory storing program code that is executed by the processor. The program code of each network element includes a device configuration (DC) stacking module and a switch discovery protocol (SDP) module. The SDP module of each network element, when executed, discovers each other network element in the group and elects one of the network elements as a master network element. The SDP module of the master network element, when executed, sends messages to the DC-stacking module of the master network element. Each sent message identifies one of the network elements in the group. The DC stacking module of the master network element, when executed, maintains a record of all network elements that are currently members in the group.
Abstract:
A distributed fabric system has distributed line card (DLC) chassis and scaled-out fabric coupler (SFC) chassis. Each DLC includes a network processor and fabric ports. Each network processor includes a fabric interface in communication with the fabric ports of that DLC. Each SFC includes at least one fabric element and SFC fabric ports. A fabric communication link connects each SFC fabric port to one DLC fabric port. Each fabric communication link includes cell-carrying lanes. Each fabric element detects connectivity between each SFC fabric port of that SFC and one DLC fabric port over a fabric communication link. Each SFC reads a connectivity matrix from fabric element chips and sends connection information corresponding to the detected connectivity from that SFC to a central agent. A network element includes the central agent, which, when executed, constructs a topology of the distributed fabric system from the connection information sent from each SFC.