Abstract:
A method for selectively controlling the flow of data through a network device is discussed. The network device has a plurality of ports, with each port of the plurality of ports having a plurality of priority queues. Congestion at one priority queue of the plurality of priority queues is detected and a virtual channel message is sent to other network devices connected to the network device causing data destined for the one priority queue to be halted. After the congestion at the one priority queue has abated, a virtual channel resume message is sent to the other network devices.
Abstract:
A network switch for network communications includes a first data port interface, wherein the first data port interface supports a plurality of data ports for transmitting and receiving data at a first data rate. The network switch also includes a second data port interface, wherein the second data port interface supports a plurality of data ports for transmitting and receiving data at a second data rate, along with a third data port interface for transmitting and receiving data at a third data rate. A CPU interface is provided and configured to communicate with a CPU. The switch includes a first, second and third internal memory communicating with the first, second and third data port interface. A first and second memory management unit for communicating data and to control access to and from the second internal memory, are also provided. A communication channel is provided for communicating data and messaging information.
Abstract:
A method of filtering data packets in a network device is disclosed. An incoming packet is received from a port and the incoming packet is inspected and packet fields are extracted. The incoming packet is classified based on the extracted packet fields and action instructions are generated. The incoming packet is then modified based on the action instructions. Further, the inspection and extraction includes applying inspection mask windows to any portion of the incoming packet to extract programmable packet fields.
Abstract:
A network device for handling data and a method for handling data in a network device are disclosed. The network device includes at least one media port and at least one high speed docking station, communicating with the at least one media port. At least one master is provided in the network device, where the at least one master is connected to the at least one high speed docking station. The master is configured to handle and process data received by the at least one media port and passed to the master through the at least one high speed docking station. The network device is configured to handle media ports of different media types. Thus, the device can handle data received through different media ports that have different media types with the same master, making the network device easily configured to meet a customer's needs.
Abstract:
A switch assembly having multiple blades in a chassis and a method of using that assembly to switch data is disclosed. A network switch assembly for network communications includes at least one fabric blade and a plurality of port blades. The at least one fabric blade has at least one switch having a plurality of data port interfaces, supporting a plurality of fabric data ports transmitting and receiving data, and a CPU interface, where CPU interface is configured to communicate with a CPU. The at least one fabric blade also has a CPU subsystem communicating with the CPU interface. Each of said plurality of port blades has at least one switch having a plurality of data port interfaces, supporting a plurality of port data ports transmitting and receiving data. The plurality of port data ports communicate with the plurality of fabric data ports along multiple paths such that data received by the port data ports is switched to a destination port of the network switch assembly along a specified path of the multiple paths based on a portion of the received data. In particular, the invention relates to configurations having five and nine blades to provide the requisite switching capacity.
Abstract:
A network switch for switching packets from a source to a destination includes a source port for receiving an incoming packet from a source, a destination port which contains a path to a destination for the packet, and a filter unit for constructing and applying a filter to selected fields of the incoming packet. The filter unit further includes filtering logic for selecting desired fields of the incoming packet and copying selected field information therefrom. The filtering logic also constructs a field value based upon the selected fields, and applies a plurality stored field masks on the field value. The switch additionally includes a rules table which contains a plurality of rules therein. The filtering logic is configured to perform lookups of the rules table in order to determine actions which must be taken based upon the result of a comparison between the field value and the stored filter masks and the rules table lookup.
Abstract:
A network component for processing a packet can include a buffer configured to receive a packet, a forwarding unit configured to forward the packet received at the first buffer to a loopback port, and a transmitting unit configured to transmit the packet out of the loopback port. In addition, the network component can include a loopback unit configured to loop back the packet into the loopback port, a first identification unit configured to identify an egress port, and a second transmitting unit configured to transmit the packet looped back from the loopback port out of the egress port.
Abstract:
A method of forwarding data in a network switch fabric is disclosed. An incoming data packet is received at a first port of the fabric and a first packet portion, less than a full packet length, is read to determine particular packet information including an opcode value. The opcode value allows the fabric to determine the packet type, such a a whether the packet is a broadcast packet, a unicast packet, a multicast packet, etc. Based on the opcode value read, a particular forwarding table of a plurality forwarding tables is read and an egress port bitmap is determined based on entries read from the particular forwarding table. The incoming data packet is then forwarded based on the egress port bitmap. In addition, the architecture of the switch fabric is also disclosed.
Abstract:
A switch is configured to block packets from being transmitted through designated ports. The switch has port bitmap generator configured to obtain a port bitmap and a table is configured to store a block mask indicating which port the packet should not be transmitted. A block mask lookup is configured to determine the block mask for the packet from the table, and a transmit port bitmap generator is configured to determine which ports the packet should be transmitted using the port bitmap and the block mask.
Abstract:
A method for selectively controlling the flow of data through a network device is discussed. The network device has a plurality of ports, with each port of the plurality of ports having a plurality of priority queues. Congestion at one priority queue of the plurality of priority queues is detected and a virtual channel message is sent to other network devices connected to the network device causing data destined for the one priority queue to be halted. After the congestion at the one priority queue has abated, a virtual channel resume message is sent to the other network devices.