Abstract: A modular switch, comprising a plurality of backplane sub-buses; a plurality of cards which are each allocated one or more of the backplane sub-buses; and a controller which dynamically allocates the backplane sub-buses to the plurality of cards, based on the bandwidth needs of the cards. Preferably, the bandwidth capacity of substantially all the backplane sub-buses is less than the sum of the maximal transmission bandwidth capacities of the cards.

Abstract: A method of managing connectivity between an end-device and one of a plurality of bridging-devices connected to the end-device. The method includes transmitting test messages by each of the bridging-devices, transmitting test messages by the end-device, determining, in each of the bridging-devices, with which of the other devices there is an operative connection, based on the test messages the bridging-device receives and determining, in each of the bridging-devices, whether a port leading to the end-device should be in a forwarding or blocking state responsive to the determination of the operative connections.

Abstract: A method of managing connectivity between an end-device and one of a plurality of bridging-devices connected to the end-device. The method includes transmitting test messages by each of the bridging-devices, transmitting test messages by the end-device, determining, in each of the bridging-devices, with which of the other devices there is an operative connection, based on the test messages the bridging-device receives and determining, in each of the bridging-devices, whether a port leading to the end-device should be in a forwarding or blocking state responsive to the determination of the operative connections.

Abstract: The invention provides a network element that simplifies the forwarding decision and the maintenance of optical paths by locally maintaining and selecting local paths across each network element. According to another aspect of the invention, the forwarding decision relating to data packets destined to output ports of egress elements of the network external routers by allocating a predefined wavelength for each output port such that the selection of a local path that leads to such an output port is performed by a wavelength conversion.

Abstract: The invention provides a network element and method for preventing a disorder of a sequence of data packets traversing a network. Each network element balances the traffic load among local paths across the network element by applying a distribution function such as a hashing function. Data packets that belong to the same class of flows are sent to the same local path across the network element.

Abstract: Network element and a method for propagating a data packet across a network. The network configured to accommodate a plurality of optical paths. At least one optical path includes a packet switched path and at least one optical path includes a circuit switched path. An optical path can include both a circuit switched path and an packet switched path. The distribution of data packet among the optical paths is based upon at least one of the following parameters: (i) the data packet flow; (ii) the ingress network element that received the data packet; (iii) the destination of the data packet; (iv) at least one predefined criterion. Usually, the selection of a selected optical path is preceded by a step of monitoring the propagation of data packets flows across the optical paths and determining whether the data packet flow fulfilled a predefined criterion. The selection is based upon the determination.