Forwarding table reduction and multipath network forwarding
US8532099B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Sep 17, 2010 |
| Grant date | Sep 10, 2013 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Aug 24, 2031 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04L49/3009
- WIPO fieldDigital communication
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
Increased usage of network links is provided and smaller forwarding tables are required. A combination of STP and Multipath methods may be implemented in a network. Frames may be forwarded between switches not only according to MAC addresses, but also according to switch IDs and local IDs. Switch IDs do not need to be globally unique, but should be unique within a particular network. Local IDs need only be unique within a particular switch. Some preferred implementations allow frames to be delivered in order to devices requiring in-order delivery. Preferably, core switches need only learn the switch IDs of each core switch and each edge switch, and the appropriate exit port(s) corresponding to each switch. Preferably, the forwarding tables of each edge switch indicate the addresses of each device attached to that edge switch, the address of each device that is in communication with an attached device and the address of every other switch in the network.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.