Abstract: Techniques are provided for cached 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, 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, based on a set of hash functions. Upon accessing the generated routing entry in the modified routing table responsive to a subsequent lookup request for the source address, the set of caches is modified to include the generated routing entry.

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 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: A distributed switch may include a plurality of sub-switches. These sub-switches may be arranged in a hierarchy that increases the available bandwidth for transmitting multicast data frames across the switch fabric. Moreover, the distributed switch may be compatible with link aggregation where multiple physical connections are grouped together to create an aggregated (logical) link. Link aggregation requires similar data frames to use the same data path when traversing the distributed switch. With a unicast data frame, the sub-switch in the distributed switch that receives the data frame typically identifies the destination port (during a process called link selection) and forwards the data frame to the sub-switch containing that port. However, with multicast data frames, instead of the receiving sub-switch performing link selection to determine the destination port, link selection may be done by a different sub-switch or not done at all.

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 for reacting to events in a switch module. Embodiments provide a plurality of predefined load/store operations stored in a first memory buffer of the switch module. An execution buffer capable of storing load/store operations within the switch module is also provided. Responsive to detecting that a first predefined event has occurred, embodiments copy the plurality of predefined load/store operations from the first memory buffer to the execution buffer for execution. Upon detecting the plurality of predefined load/store operations within the execution buffer, the plurality of predefined load/store operations within the execution buffer are executed.

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 for reacting to events in a switch module. Embodiments provide a plurality of predefined load/store operations stored in a first memory buffer of the switch module. An execution buffer capable of storing load/store operations within the switch module is also provided. Responsive to detecting that a first predefined event has occurred, embodiments copy the plurality of predefined load/store operations from the first memory buffer to the execution buffer for execution. Upon detecting the plurality of predefined load/store operations within the execution buffer, the plurality of predefined load/store operations within the execution buffer are executed.

Abstract: Techniques for reacting to events in a switch module. Embodiments provide a plurality of predefined load/store operations stored in a first memory buffer of the switch module. An execution buffer capable of storing load/store operations within the switch module is also provided. Responsive to detecting that a first predefined event has occurred, embodiments copy the plurality of predefined load/store operations from the first memory buffer to the execution buffer for execution. Upon detecting the plurality of predefined load/store operations within the execution buffer, the plurality of predefined load/store operations within the execution buffer are 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: 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: A method and circuit for implementing end-to-end credit management for enhanced large packet reassembly in an interconnect system, and a design structure on which the subject circuit resides are provided. A transport layer provides buffering and credit control for a super packet received from a source device. A source transport layer sends an End-to-End (ETE) credit request message to a destination transport layer for an outstanding super packet transmission to a destination device. The destination transport layer grants credit to allow at least one source to send a super packet to the destination. The source transport layer fragments the super packet into multiple packets and sends all packets of the super packet only responsive to the credit request being granted by the destination transport layer that is needed to send all packets of the super packet.

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 cached 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, 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, based on a set of hash functions. Upon accessing the generated routing entry in the modified routing table responsive to a subsequent lookup request for the source address, the set of caches is modified to include the generated routing entry.

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 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 cached 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, 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, based on a set of hash functions. Upon accessing the generated routing entry in the modified routing table responsive to a subsequent lookup request for the source address, the set of caches is modified to include the generated routing entry.

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 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.