Abstract: A method and apparatus for managing the flow of data within a switching device is provided. The switching device includes network interface cards connected to a common backplane. Each interface card is configured to support the maximum transfer rate of the backplane by maintaining a “pending” queue to track data that has been received but for which the appropriate routing destination has not yet been determined. The switching device includes a switch controller that maintains a central card/port-to-address table. When an interface card receives data with a destination address that is not known to the interface card, the interface card performs a direct memory access over a bus that is separate from the backplane to read routing data directly from the central table in the switch controller. Each interface card builds and maintains a routing information table in its own local memory that only includes routing information for the destination addresses that the interface card is most likely to receive.

Abstract: A method and a system for improving communication performance between nodes in a network is disclosed. In one embodiment, the system includes routers, switches, and a communication interface. The communication interface detects a communication flow between a source and a destination in response to a flow criteria. Upon detecting the communication flow, the communication interface issues a resolution request for identifying data path. After receipt of a response to the resolution request, multiple connections between switches are established in response to levels of quality of service (QoS).

Abstract: A technique for establishing a shortcut Virtual Channel Connection (VCC) in a Multi-Protocol Over ATM (MPOA) system detects a packet flow, and then determines whether to establish the shortcut VCC based upon an expected MPOA server response time. Specifically, an expected MPOA server response time is determined based upon an MPOA server response time history. The expected MPOA server response time is then compared to a predetermined MPOA server response time threshold to determine whether the expected MPOA server response time is within the predetermined MPOA server response time threshold. The shortcut VCC is established if the expected MPOA server response time is within the predetermined MPOA server response time threshold. Upon establishing the shortcut VCC, the MPOA server response time history is updated to reflect an actual MPOA server response time incurred when establishing the shortcut VCC.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for performing per-port Internet Protocol (IP) multicast pruning, proxying of IP multicast group membership reports, and generating pseudo membership queries for determining IP multicast group membership are provided. A switch may implement per-port IP multicast pruning by establishing a mapping of IP multicast groups to its ports. The mapping is based upon membership reports received from each end-station participating in an IP multicast group. Based upon the mapping, the switch forwards IP multicast packets only to those of the end-stations that are participating in the IP multicast group addressed. Once per-port IP multicast pruning is implemented, multicast routers must process membership reports from all end-stations participating in an IP multicast group. To reduce this burden, a switch may act as a proxy device. The switch receives a membership report identifying an IP multicast group.