Abstract: An information handling system is provided. The information handling system includes systems and methods for providing link bandwidth conservation between a local area network and a TRILL campus network. Such an information handling system includes a plurality of processing modules provided by a computer processor where the plurality of processing modules including a selective packet filter and a control plane unit and memory in communication with the plurality of processing modules. The memory stores a VLAN port bitmap and a snooping table. The information handling system also has a plurality of ports, which includes at least one Ethernet port for connecting the information handling device to a LAN and a plurality of bridging ports for connecting the information handling device to a plurality of routing bridges.

Abstract: An information handling system is provided. The information handling system includes a plurality of routing bridges coupled to at least one node. The node may be multihomed and logically coupled to the rest of the information handling system through a virtual routing bridge. Methods and systems are provided to allow multicast packets originating behind the virtual routing bridge to be properly handled to comply with reverse path forwarding. This may be accomplished by creating and selectively using a plurality of routing trees that include the paths between the virtual routing bridge and neighboring physical routing bridges.

Abstract: An information handling system is provided. The information handling system includes systems and methods for providing an anycast MAC addressing of a virtual redundancy router protocol instance that spans a plurality of aggregation switches. The anycast MAC address may be provided by a virtual bridging device and then used as an address of a virtual IP instance accessible through the virtual bridging device. Using the anycast MAC address with the virtual IP instance, a packet to be routed from one rack to another rack in a data center may be dynamically routed based a current load distribution.

Abstract: A system and method for management of a network link includes a switching device that includes a control unit and a port coupled to the control unit. The port couples the switching device to a partner switching device using a network link. The control unit is configured to receive a first packet over the network link from the partner switching device and determine whether the first packet includes a first traffic type state separation (TTSS) field. When the first packet includes the first TTSS field, the control unit is configured to determine a first network link state for the network link for a first traffic type and a second network link state for the network link for a second traffic type. Otherwise, the control unit is configured to determine a combined network link state for the network link that applies to both the first and the second traffic types.

Abstract: A system and method for handling packets includes receiving the packets at a layer 3 handler in a network device, determining whether the packets are diagnostic packets by examining bit patterns of the packets, determining whether an application in the network device can handle the diagnostic packets when the packets are the diagnostic packets, delivering the diagnostic packets to the application for handling when the application in the network device can handle the diagnostic packets, receiving response packets from the application, and transmitting the response packets. In some embodiments, the bit patterns include a reserved bit of an IP header that is set to one when the packets are the diagnostic packets. In some embodiments, application packets and the diagnostic packets include a same source IP address, a same destination IP address, a same source port; and a same destination port.

Abstract: A system and method of configuration of link aggregation groups includes a control unit and a port coupled to the control unit and configured to couple the network switching device to a neighboring switch. The control unit is configured to transmit a probe message to the neighboring switch, receive a remote switch identifier and link aggregation group (LAG) identifier from the neighboring switch, determine whether the remote switch identifier matches a previously received remote switch identifier and the remote LAG identifier matches a previously received remote LAG identifier. When both match, determine a first LAG associated with the previously received remote switch identifier and the previously received remote LAG identifier and assign the port to the first LAG. When both do not match, to create a second LAG, assign the port to the second LAG, and associate the remote switch identifier and the remote LAG identifier with the second LAG.

Abstract: A provided information handling system includes a plurality of aggregation devices configured to distribute information in a virtual link trunk and a plurality of nodes coupled to the aggregation devices. When an aggregation device receives a reboot command, that aggregation device is configured to transmit a first message to the nodes indicating that the aggregation device is rebooting, and receive a first acknowledgement message from the nodes indicating that they will not send any information to the rebooting aggregation device. The aggregation device is then configured to reboot, receive a second message from the nodes indicating the nodes are ready to receive information from the rebooted aggregation device, transmit a second acknowledgement message to the nodes indicating that the rebooted aggregation device has rebooted and is capable of receiving information, and receive information from one of the nodes for transmission to another node.

Abstract: A system and method for efficiently handling layer 3 proxy routing after mobile devices move between subnets includes a controller and one or more ports coupled to the controller. The controller is configured to receive a gateway address request on the one or more ports, determine whether the gateway address request is received on an inter-domain link from a second gateway, determine whether the gateway address request is originated from the second gateway when the gateway address request is received on the inter-domain link, determine a layer 2 address of the second gateway when the gateway address request is not originated from the second gateway, form a gateway address response including the layer 2 address of the second gateway, and transmit the gateway address response on one of the one or more ports.

Abstract: A switch IHS stacking system includes a plurality of switch IHSs. A least one first switch IHS includes a first processing system and at least one second switch IHS includes a second processing system that is different from the first processing system. A stacking engine is located on each of the plurality of switch IHSs. Following the coupling of the plurality of switch IHSs into a stack and in response to the startup of the plurality of switch IHSs, the each of the stacking engines may exchange capability information with each of the plurality of switch IHSs and determine a control plane processing system affinity and a data plane processing system affinity for each of the plurality of switch IHSs. The stacking engines may then determine a master switch IHS for the stack that has the highest control plane processing system affinity and data plane processing system affinity.

Abstract: A system and method of configuration of link aggregation groups includes a control unit and a port coupled to the control unit and configured to couple the network switching device to a neighboring switch. The control unit is configured to transmit a probe message to the neighboring switch, receive a remote switch identifier and link aggregation group (LAG) identifier from the neighboring switch, determine whether the remote switch identifier matches a previously received remote switch identifier and the remote LAG identifier matches a previously received remote LAG identifier. When both match, determine a first LAG associated with the previously received remote switch identifier and the previously received remote LAG identifier and assign the port to the first LAG. When both do not match, to create a second LAG, assign the port to the second LAG, and associate the remote switch identifier and the remote LAG identifier with the second LAG.

Abstract: A packet switch receives a management packet sent for discovery on a data flow's path through a network. The switch creates a test packet (310T) which looks like a packet belonging to the data flow of interest. The test packet is processed by the switch like the data flow of interest except that the test packet is not necessarily transmitted. The processing results may include the egress ports for the test packet, and if the ports are part of a LAG or ECMP group, the results provide the group and the group members associated with the egress ports. Firewall actions and other information can be included. The switch may forward the results to the originator of the management packet. The switch may insert the results into the management packet and forward the management packet on the ports determined as egress ports for the test packet. Other features are also provided.

Abstract: An extended bridge structure that includes a controlling bridge and port extenders is disclosed. A port extender according to some embodiments of the present invention includes a processor that processes receives packets in a way that executes at least one procedure that substitutes for a function of the controlling bridge. A controlling bridge according to the present invention provides data to the port extender that enables it to execute the at least one procedure that substitutes for a function of the controlling bridge.

Abstract: A system and method for storage and retrieval of neighboring switch tokens includes a switch including one or more processors, memory storing a first token, and a first port configured to couple the switch to a second switch. The one or more processors are configured to send a first token storage request to the second switch, send a first token retrieval request to the second switch requesting the information associated with the first token, and receive a first retrieved token message from the second switch. The first token storage request includes information associated with the first token. The first retrieved token message includes first information associated with the first token.

Abstract: A system and method for traffic polarization during failures includes a communication network cluster including a first network switching unit configured to communicate with a first network node via a first network link and a second network node via a second network link, a second network switching unit configured to communicate with the first network node via a third network link and the second network node via a fourth network link, and a first intra-cluster link coupling the first network switching unit to the second network switching unit. The second network switching unit is further configured to respond to a failure in the fourth network link by broadcasting a route withdrawal message to the first network switching unit and the first network node. The first network switching unit is configured to accept rerouted network traffic from the first network node via the first network link resulting from the route withdrawal message.

Abstract: A system and method of determining the configuration of a network switching unit includes receiving a configuration message on a network link. The network switching unit is associated with a first switch ID and belongs to a domain associated with a first domain ID. The system and method further includes identifying a second domain ID and a second switch ID based on at least information associated with the configuration message; determining whether the first domain ID and the second domain ID match; if the first domain ID and the second domain ID match, adding the network link to a first link aggregation group (LAG) associated with the second switch ID and designating the first LAG as part of an intra cluster link (ICL); and if the first domain ID and the second domain ID do not match, adding the network link to a second LAG associated with the second domain ID.

Abstract: An information handling system is provided. The information handling system includes a plurality of forwarding processors, the plurality of forwarding processors each including a memory having a forwarding host table and a forwarding route table. The information handling system also includes at least one switching device coupled to the plurality of forwarding processors, the at least one switching device including a memory having a destination module and port table, a switching device host table and a switching device route table, wherein the at least one switching device is configured to perform an extended lookup in at least one of the switching device host table and switching device route table based on values included in a fabric header of information routed to the switching device to determine a destination of the information. A method for extending lookup tables is also provided that adds lookup tables in a switching device.

Abstract: An information handling system is provided. The information handling system includes systems and methods for providing link bandwidth conservation between a local area network and a TRILL campus network. Such an information handling system includes a plurality of processing modules provided by a computer processor where the plurality of processing modules including a selective packet filter and a control plane unit and memory in communication with the plurality of processing modules. The memory stores a VLAN port bitmap and a snooping table. The information handling system also has a plurality of ports, which includes at least one Ethernet port for connecting the information handling device to a LAN and a plurality of bridging ports for connecting the information handling device to a plurality of routing bridges.

Abstract: In a packet switch with databases (250, 404) used for packet forwarding, the database pieces are identified by version identifiers (410V) which are used by the packet switch's modules (LCx, RPM0, RPM1) in exchanging information on the databases and requesting updates to the databases. For example, if a primary management module fails and the management is transferred to a secondary management module, the secondary management module requests forwarding modules (e.g. line cards) to identify the database pieces stored on the forwarding modules, and to update the databases as needed. Use of version identifiers reduces the amount of data that has to be transferred in connection with such requests.

Abstract: A packet switch receives a management packet sent for discovery on a data flow's path through a network. The switch creates a test packet (310T) which looks like a packet belonging to the data flow of interest. The test packet is processed by the switch like the data flow of interest except that the test packet is not necessarily transmitted. The processing results may include the egress ports for the test packet, and if the ports are part of a LAG or ECMP group, the results provide the group and the group members associated with the egress ports. Firewall actions and other information can be included. The switch may forward the results to the originator of the management packet. The switch may insert the results into the management packet and forward the management packet on the ports determined as egress ports for the test packet. Other features are also provided.

Abstract: An information handling system is provided. The information handling system includes a plurality of routing bridges coupled to at least one node. The node may be multihomed and logically coupled to the rest of the information handling system through a virtual routing bridge. Methods and systems are provided to allow multicast packets originating behind the virtual routing bridge to be properly handled to comply with reverse path forwarding. This may be accomplished by creating and selectively using a plurality of routing trees that include the paths between the virtual routing bridge and neighboring physical routing bridges.