Abstract: Link aggregation is a practice that uses multiple Ethernet links between two end points in order to obtain higher bandwidth and resiliency than possible with a single link. A flow distribution technique is provided to distribute traffic between the two end points equally across all links in the group and achieve greater efficiency. The flow distribution technique generates and sub-divides a hash value based on received packet flow. The divided portions of the hash value are used in a hierarchical fashion to select a link to use for this packet.

Abstract: Techniques for transmitting a packet from a source switch module to a destination switch module. Embodiments receive, at a first port of a first switch module, a packet that includes (i) path information specifying a route to the destination switch module, (ii) a set of load/store operations to be executed by the destination switch module and (iii) return path information specifying a route from the destination switch module to the source switch module. Upon determining that the first switch module is the destination switch module, the set of load/store operations are copied from the received packet into an execution buffer for automatic execution. Once the set of load/store operations are executed, embodiments transmit the packet to a second switch module using the first port on which the packet was received.

Abstract: Techniques for transmitting a packet from a source switch module to a destination switch module. Embodiments receive, at a first port of a first switch module, a packet that includes (i) path information specifying a route to the destination switch module and (ii) a set of load/store operations to be executed by the destination switch module. An indication of the first port is inserted into a return path information portion of the received packet. Upon determining that the first switch module is not the destination switch module, embodiments transmit the packet to a second switch module using a second port, the second port specified in the path information of the received packet, wherein the destination switch module is configured, upon receiving the packet, to copy the set of load/store operations into an execution buffer to be automatically executed.

Abstract: Techniques are described for transmitting a packet from a source switch module to a destination switch module. Embodiments include receiving, at a first switch module, a packet that includes (i) an ordered listing of Ethernet link identifiers, specifying a path to the destination switch module and (ii) payload data to be processed at the destination switch module. Embodiments determine that the first switch module is not a destination of the packet, based on the ordered listing of Ethernet link identifiers. Additionally, an Ethernet port of the first switch module on which to transmit the packet is determined based on the ordered listing of Ethernet link identifiers. Embodiments then transmit the packet to a second switch module using the determined Ethernet port of the first switch module.

Abstract: Techniques are described for transmitting a packet from a source switch module to a destination switch module. Embodiments receive, at the source switch module, from the destination switch module, path information specifying a path from the source switch module to the destination switch module. Upon detecting an occurrence of a predefined event, a packet is generated that includes (i) the received path information and (ii) payload data to be processed at the destination switch module. Embodiments determine an Ethernet port of the source switch module on which to transmit the packet, based on the received path information. The packet is transmitted to a second switch module using the determined Ethernet port.

Abstract: Techniques are described for transmitting a packet from a source switch module to a destination switch module. Embodiments include determining, at the destination switch module, a path from the source switch module to the destination switch module. Path information specifying the determined path from the source switch module to the destination switch module is transmitted from the destination switch module to the source switch module. Additionally, embodiments include receiving, at the destination switch module, from the source switch module, a packet that includes (i) at least a portion of the path information and (ii) payload data to be processed at the destination switch module, wherein the packet was routed using the at least a portion of the path information. The payload data within the received packet is processing by the destination switch module.

Abstract: Techniques for transmitting a packet from a source switch module to a destination switch module. Embodiments retrieve path information specifying a route to the destination switch module. A packet is created that includes (i) at least a portion of the path information and (ii) a set of load/store operations to be executed by the destination switch module. Embodiments then transmit the packet to a first switch module using a first port, the first port specified in the retrieved path information. The first switch module is configured to transmit the packet based on the at least a portion of the path information in the packet, and the destination switch module is configured, upon receiving the packet, to copy the set of load/store operations into an execution buffer to be automatically executed.

Abstract: Techniques for transmitting a packet from a source switch module to a destination switch module. Embodiments receive, at a first port of a first switch module, a packet that includes (i) path information specifying a route to the destination switch module and (ii) a set of load/store operations to be executed by the destination switch module. An indication of the first port is inserted into a return path information portion of the received packet. Upon determining that the first switch module is not the destination switch module, embodiments transmit the packet to a second switch module using a second port, the second port specified in the path information of the received packet, wherein the destination switch module is configured, upon receiving the packet, to copy the set of load/store operations into an execution buffer to be automatically executed.

Abstract: Techniques for transmitting a packet from a source switch module to a destination switch module. Embodiments retrieve path information specifying a route to the destination switch module. A packet is created that includes (i) at least a portion of the path information and (ii) a set of load/store operations to be executed by the destination switch module. Embodiments then transmit the packet to a first switch module using a first port, the first port specified in the retrieved path information. The first switch module is configured to transmit the packet based on the at least a portion of the path information in the packet, and the destination switch module is configured, upon receiving the packet, to copy the set of load/store operations into an execution buffer to be automatically executed.

Abstract: Techniques for transmitting a packet from a source switch module to a destination switch module. Embodiments retrieve path information specifying a route to the destination switch module. A packet is created that includes (i) at least a portion of the path information and (ii) a set of load/store operations to be executed by the destination switch module. Embodiments then transmit the packet to a first switch module using a first port, the first port specified in the retrieved path information. The first switch module is configured to transmit the packet based on the at least a portion of the path information in the packet, and the destination switch module is configured, upon receiving the packet, to copy the set of load/store operations into an execution buffer to be automatically executed.

Abstract: Link aggregation is a practice that uses multiple Ethernet links between two end points in order to obtain higher bandwidth and resiliency than possible with a single link. A flow distribution technique is provided to distribute traffic between the two end points equally across all links in the group and achieve greater efficiency. The flow distribution technique generates and sub-divides a hash value based on received packet flow. The divided portions of the hash value are used in a hierarchical fashion to select a link to use for this packet.

Abstract: Techniques for transmitting a packet from a source switch module to a destination switch module. Embodiments receive, at a first port of a first switch module, a packet that includes (i) path information specifying a route to the destination switch module, (ii) a set of load/store operations to be executed by the destination switch module and (iii) return path information specifying a route from the destination switch module to the source switch module. Upon determining that the first switch module is the destination switch module, the set of load/store operations are copied from the received packet into an execution buffer for automatic execution. Once the set of load/store operations are executed, embodiments transmit the packet to a second switch module using the first port on which the packet was received.

Abstract: Techniques are provided for hash-based routing table management in a distributed network switch. A frame having a source address and a destination address is received. If no routing entry for the source address is found in a routing table of a switch module in the distributed network switch, routing information is determined for the source address and a routing entry is generated. The routing table is modified to include the routing entry and based on a set of hash functions.

Abstract: Techniques are provided for hash-based routing table management in a distributed network switch. A frame having a source address and a destination address is received. If no routing entry for the source address is found in a routing table of a switch module in the distributed network switch, routing information is determined for the source address and a routing entry is generated. The routing table is modified to include the routing entry and based on a set of hash functions.

Abstract: Techniques are provided for hash-based routing table management in a distributed network switch. A frame having a source address and a destination address is received by a switch module having bridge elements and a routing table divided into slices of buckets, each slice having a respective property and including one or more buckets. If a routing entry for the source address is found in a first slice of a first set of buckets of the routing table responsive to a lookup request for the source address, and the property of the first slice satisfies a replication condition, then the routing entry is replicated to a second set of buckets of the routing table.

Abstract: Techniques are provided for multicast miss notification for a distributed network switch. In one embodiment, a bridge element in the distributed network switch receives a frame destined for a multicast group on a network. If a local multicast forwarding table of the bridge element does not include any forwarding entry for the multicast group, a forwarding entry is selected from the local multicast forwarding table as a candidate for being replaced. An indication of the candidate is sent to a management controller in the distributed network switch.

Abstract: Techniques are provided for packet routing in a distributed network switch. The distributed network switch includes multiple switch modules operatively connected to one another, and each switch module includes multiple bridge elements and a management controller. In one embodiment, a shared interface routing (SIR) framework is provided that includes an analysis and bifurcation layer, at least one packet interface, and an analysis assist layer. A packet is received over a first logical network and via a physical port, the packet being destined for at least a first application executing on the management controller. The analysis assist layer analyzes the packet to determine a reason code to assign to the packet. The analysis and bifurcation layer then analyzes the packet based at least in part on the reason code.

Abstract: Techniques are provided for packet routing in a distributed network switch. The distributed network switch includes multiple switch modules operatively connected to one another, and each switch module includes multiple bridge elements and a management controller. In one embodiment, a shared interface routing (SIR) framework is provided that includes an analysis and bifurcation layer, at least one packet interface, and an analysis assist layer. A packet is received over a first logical network and via a physical port, the packet being destined for at least a first application executing on the management controller. The analysis assist layer analyzes the packet to determine a reason code to assign to the packet. The analysis and bifurcation layer then analyzes the packet based at least in part on the reason code.

Abstract: Techniques are provided for hash-based routing table management in a distributed network switch. A frame having a source address and a destination address is received. If no routing entry for the source address is found in a routing table of a switch module in the distributed network switch, where the routing table is divided into slices of buckets, then routing information is determined for the source address and a routing entry is generated. The routing table is modified to include the routing entry and based on a set of hash functions and properties of the slices.

Abstract: Techniques are provided for hash-based routing table management in a distributed network switch. A frame having a source address and a destination address is received. If no routing entry for the source address is found in a routing table of a switch module in the distributed network switch, where the routing table is divided into slices of buckets, then routing information is determined for the source address and a routing entry is generated. The routing table is modified to include the routing entry and based on a set of hash functions and properties of the slices.