Extreme Networks, Inc.

Network Peripherals, Inc.

Stephen R Haddock

Erik R Swenson

Michael Yip

Justin N Chueh

Herb Schneider

Daniel J Cimino

Matthew T Knudstrup

Andrew H Smith

Shehzad T Merchant

David K Parker

R Steven Smith

Sid Khattar

Dwayne Hunnicutt

Michael J Harwood

Siddharth Khattar

Aaron C Tyler

Kevin Fatheree

Herb O Schneider

David Scott Parker

Curt Berg

Erik Rustan Swenson

Thuan D Nguyen

Mark Thomas Lytwyn

Darrell R Scherbarth

Thuan Nguyen

Systems, mechanisms, apparatuses, and methods are disclosed for forwarding Inter-Switch Connection (ISC) frames in a Network-to-Network Interconnect (NNI) topology, for example, via a network switch which includes a first physical switch port to receive a physical switch link from a second network switch; logic to implement a first logical ISC and a second logical ISC' connection to the second network switch via the physical switch link; a second physical switch port to receive an interface connection from a third network switch; and switch forwarding logic to forward frames received at the first network switch to the second network switch via the logical ISC or logical ISC&#x2032; based on whether or not the physical switch link is part of an active topology upon which the network switch operates or is not part of the active topology upon which the network switch operates. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Forwarding inter-switch connection (ISC) frames in a network-to-network interconnect topology

Systems, mechanisms, apparatuses, and methods are disclosed for forwarding Inter-Switch Connection (ISC) frames in a Network-to-Network Interconnect (NNI) topology, for example, via a network switch which includes a first and second physical switch port to receive a first and second physical switch link from a second network switch; logic to implement first and second logical ISC' connections to the second switch via the first and second physical switch links respectively; logic to implement a Primary Forwarder which is interfaced with a Secondary Forwarder in the second switch via the first logical ISC&#x2032; connection; logic to implement a Secondary Forwarder which is interfaced with a Primary Forwarder in the second switch via the second logical ISC&#x2032; connection; and switch forwarding logic to forward frames based on which connection the frames are received by, and/or based on a gateway identifier associated with each received frame. Other embodiments are disclosed.

A Point-to-Point Protocol (PPP) identifier (PPP ID) value of a PPP frame, including data, is converted to an associated Ethernet Virtual Local Area Network (VLAN) tag identifier (ID) value to enable the PPP ID value information to be communicated in an Ethernet frame to the next transmission layer for use in routing the data from the PPP frame.

Look up table (LUT) for Point-to-Point Protocol identification (PPP ID)

In a networked system, in which high speed busses interconnect sources and destinations of data, systems for and methods of flow control and extended burst transfers are described. The present invention is directed to a system for selectively varying the number of burst transfers used to transmit a block of data. The present invention is also directed to a method of selectively varying the number of burst transfers needed to transmit a block of data.

High speed bus with flow control and extended burst enhancements

A metering device has a first token bucket with a profile, a rate, and a maximum number of tokens. The device has another token bucket with its own profile, two associated rates, and a maximum number of tokens. In operation, the device adds tokens in the first token bucket at its rate if the bucket has less than the maximum number of tokens for that bucket, and adds a number of tokens in the other token bucket at the same rate if the first token bucket is full and the other token bucket is not. Additionally, the device adds tokens in the second token bucket according to the second rate associated with the token bucket if it is not full. When receiving a packet, if the packet has a first marking, and the first token bucket has a sufficient number of tokens, the packet's marking is maintained and the number of tokens in the first bucket is decremented, else, if the packet has one of two markings, and the second token bucket has a sufficient number of tokens, the packet's second marking is selected and the second token bucket is decremented, else, if the packet has a marking other than one of the two markings, the packet's marking is maintained as other than one of the two markings.

Multi-priority multi-color markers for traffic metering

A system of and method for communicating control information between two or more entities over one or more backplane connections is described. The control information is stored in a layer of the packet above the physical layer and the packet is then communicated over the one or more backplane connections. A system of and method for performing load balancing over one or more backplane connections is also described. Control information for a packet is mapped into one or more identifiers of one or more of a plurality of backplane connections, and the packet is then communicated over the one or more identified backplane connections. A system of and method for extending the number of ports of a switch is further described. A first switch coupled to a second switch and having a greater number of ports than the second switch is provided. An identifier of a port of the first switch is stored in a layer of the packet above the physical layer. The packet is then communicated between the first and second switches.

System for and method of communicating control information between entities interconnected by backplane connections

Look up table (LUT) for point-to-point protocol identification (PPP ID)

Information is directed across the same corresponding virtual channels in both a first network switch and a second network switch. As a result, any congestion in the second network switch results only in packet dropping associated with the particular congested virtual channel. However, information continues to move across the remaining uncongested virtual channels. As a result, even if congestion occurs in the second network switch, information continues to flow across the single network link between the first and second network switches, i.e., the single network link is not shut down.

Virtual load balancing across a network link

In a networked system in which high speed busses interconnect sources and destinations of data, systems for and methods of flow control and extended burst transfers are described.

High speed bus with flow control and extended burst enhancements between sender and receiver wherein counter is maintained at sender for free buffer space available

A packet switching device having a central shared memory and a number of medium access controllers each coupled to a communications medium to exchange data packets, and a controller coupled to each medium access controller via a data path to exchange data packets with the media access controller. The controller has a number of data path controllers each connected to each medium access controller to exchange a corresponding portion of the data packets with the medium access controller. The data path controllers each have a number of buffers to hold the portion of the data packets exchanged with the corresponding medium access controller. Each data path controller has a selector that selects the buffer from which to exchange the portion of the data packets with the central shared memory and control logic that controls the selector to concurrently select the buffer corresponding to the same medium access controller.

Data path architecture for a LAN switch

A metering device has a first token bucket with a profile, a rate, and a maximum number of tokens. The device has another token bucket with its own profile, two associated rates, and a maximum number of tokens. In operation, the device monotonically increments the number of tokens in the first token bucket at its rate if the bucket has less than the maximum number of tokens for that bucket, and monotonically increments the number of tokens in the other token bucket at the same rate if the first token bucket is full and the other token bucket is not. Additionally, the device monotonically increments the number of tokens in the second token bucket according to the second rate associated with the token bucket if it is not full. When receiving a packet of size s data units, if the packet has a first marking, and the first token bucket has at least s tokens, the packet's marking is maintained and the number of tokens in the first bucket is decremented by s, else, if the packet has one of two markings, and the second token bucket has at least s tokens, the packet's second marking is selected and the second token bucket is decremented by s, else, if the packet has a marking other than one of the two markings, the packet's marking is maintained as other than one of the two markings.

Rate color marker

A flexible, policy-based, mechanism for managing, monitoring, and prioritizing traffic within a network and allocating bandwidth to achieve true quality of service (QoS) is provided. According to one aspect of the present invention, a method is provided for managing bandwidth allocation in a network that employs a non-deterministic access protocol, such as an Ethernet network. A packet forwarding device receives information indicative of a set of traffic groups, such as: a MAC address, or IEEE 802.1p priority indicator or 802.1Q frame tag, if the QoS policy is based upon individual station applications; or a physical port if the QoS policy is based purely upon topology. The packet forwarding device additionally receives bandwidth parameters corresponding to the traffic groups. After receiving a packet associated with one of the traffic groups on a first port, the packet forwarding device schedules the packet for transmission from a second port based upon bandwidth parameters corresponding to the traffic group with which the packet is associated. According to another aspect of the present invention, a method is provided for managing bandwidth allocation in a packet forwarding device. The packet forwarding device receives information indicative of a set of traffic groups. The packet forwarding device additionally receives information defining a QoS policy for the traffic groups. After a packet is received by the packet forwarding device, a traffic group with which the packet is associated is identified. Subsequently, rather than relying on an end-to-end signaling protocol for scheduling, the packet is scheduled for transmission based upon the QoS policy for the identified traffic group.

Growing community of inventors

La Honda, CA, United States of America

Stephen R Haddock