Systems, methods and devices for scalable expansion of rules-based forwarding paths in network communications devices for distributed computing systems

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to distributed computing systems, and methods and devices relating thereto, said systems comprising a plurality of distributed computing hosts that process client requests from a computing client; and a programmable network switch, comprising two or more network ports for communicatively interfacing said plurality of distributed computing hosts and said computing client, said programmable network switch operable to forward client requests to a given network port based on forwarding rules related to client source addresses; wherein the programmable network switch replaces a request destination address with an incoming network port indicator that identifies on which network port a given client request is received; and wherein the programmable network switch forwards, without reference to the forwarding rules, request responses to the network port associated with the request source address and replaces the response source address with the request destination address associated with the distributing computing system.