Stacked network devices including a protocol engine and distributed trunk ports and method of operating same
US6807182B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jan 31, 2000 |
| Grant date | Oct 19, 2004 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jan 31, 2020 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY02D30/50
- WIPO fieldDigital communication
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A trunk connection to a stack of network switches is coupled to physical ports distributed among the switches. A switch has an internal logical port for a protocol engine. A packet received by way of the trunk at a port on a switch which does not host the protocol engine is sent over a cascade connection to the host switch with a tag that is interpreted within the host switch as if the packet cam from the logical port. The tagging and interpretation distinguishes between packets which might or might not be intended for the protocol engine and did not arrive by way of the trunk from packets which are intended for the protocol engine and have been received by way of the trunk.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.