Alcatel Lucent

Ignatius D Santoso

Vincent Magret

Roberto H Jacob Da Silva

Nalinakshan Kunnath

Roberto Henrique Jacob Da Silva

Timothy Hicks

Anand Vinayagam

Gregory G Page

Eric W Tolliver

Stephen Ralph Bates

Chung-Hua Chang

Amy Chung-Hua Chang

Shaofu Wu

Stephen C Hanka

Steve Larsen

Christopher Francis Ravenscroft

Surajit Bhattacharya

Chang Chung-Hua

Roberto H Jacob De Silva

A virtual chassis system includes a plurality of network nodes configured with a master virtual chassis address. The network nodes are connected by virtual fabric link (VFLs) that provide a connection for exchange of data packets between the network nodes. The data packets include source MAC addresses and associated hardware device information, such as source chassis ID, source network interface identifier and source port identifier information. The network nodes use this information to maintain synchronized MAC address tables for forwarding of data packets in the virtual chassis system. One or more control protocols in the network node are used for topology discovery, master network node election, generation of routing tables, health monitoring and other functions.

Virtual chassis system control protocols

A virtual chassis system includes a plurality of network nodes connected by virtual fabric link (VFLs) that provide a connection for exchange of packets between the network nodes. A network node in the virtual chassis system is operable in a pass thru mode. In pass thru mode, the network node receives packets over a VFL and transparently forwards the packet over another VFL to another network node in the virtual chassis system. However, the network nodedisables other port interfaces, such as port interfaces connected to external nodes from the virtual chassis system. The network nodein pass thru mode is operable to receive management commands over one or more VFLs and can still be managed through management commands.

System and method for a pass thru mode in a virtual chassis system

A virtual chassis system includes a plurality of network nodes configured with a master virtual chassis address. The network nodes are connected by virtual fabric link (VFLs) that provide a connection for exchange of packets between the network nodes. The packets include source MAC addresses and associated hardware device information, such as source chassis ID, source network interface identifier and source port identifier information. The network nodes use this information to maintain synchronized MAC address tables for forwarding of packets in the virtual chassis system.

System and method for a virtual chassis system

A stack switch for performing pass-through forwarding operations, assigning stack switch identifiers to a plurality of stack switches, temporarily disabling supervision messages exchanged by stack switches, and electing a primary master stack switch is disclosed. In the pass-through mode, the stack switch automatically forwards packets between stack ports independent of their destination address to maintain connectivity between adjacent stack switches while conventional bridging and routing operations are disabled. The sequential identifiers are also preferably assigned in accordance with the sequential position of the various stack switches to better reflect the topology of those switches. The switch is also preferably adapted to temporarily disable the transmission of supervision messages between stack switches to prevent re-assignment of network management functions when switch resources are low. The switch may execute a stack switch identifier numbering scheme based on the time the switch became operational.

Stack manager protocol with automatic set up mechanism

A stackable Ethernet switch system (SESS) includes a number of stack switch elements in which loops are prevented. In one embodiment, logic is provided for monitoring control management traffic on a stacking port of a stack switch element of the SESS. Also included is logic, operable responsive to determining that there is a loss of control management traffic on a stacking port of a particular switch element of the SESS, for disabling user traffic data on that stacking port while keeping the control management traffic path open. The user data traffic on that stacking port of the particular switch element may be enabled upon detecting that the control management traffic on that stacking port has resumed.

Loop prevention system and method in a stackable ethernet switch system

Growing community of inventors

Thousand Oaks, CA, United States of America

Ignatius D Santoso