Abstract: Methods are provided for overlaying a virtual network on a physical network in a data center environment. An overlay system is arranged in an overlay virtual network to include an overlay agent and an overlay helper. The overlay agent is implemented in an access switch. The overlay helper is implemented in an end station that is in communication with the access switch. Overlay parameters in compliance with an in-band protocol are transmitted between the overlay agent and the overlay helper.

Abstract: A distributed switching fabric system includes multiple network switches coupled to a cell-based switching fabric by cell-fabric ports. A virtual machine runs on a server connected to a network port of one or more of the network switches that are members of a given switching domain. The virtual machine manages a control plane for the given switching domain. The server receives a protocol control packet from one of the network switches and forwards the received protocol control packet to the virtual machine for processing.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method includes sending a request to one or more distributed fabric protocol (DFP) system members in order to retrieve one or more events from the one or more DFP system members, wherein the one or more events are received as data encapsulated in a packet(s), receiving one or more acknowledgements to the request from the one or more DFP system members at a local network switch of the DFP system master, upon receipt of the at least one packet: decoding the at least one packet to retrieve details of the one or more events using a dedicated processor of the DFP system master, creating and sending a message signaled interrupt (MSI) comprising the details of the one or more events to a local processor of the DFP system master using the dedicated processor, and reading the MSI using the local processor of the DFP system master.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention relate to scaled-out and distributed network packet processors and switch central cores. One embodiment relates to a system including multiple central core processing devices, wherein each central core processing device includes: a virtual central core interface for establishing scaled-out and distributed virtual communication connections with the central core processing devices and a packet processor interface manager connected with multiple packet processing interfaces. Multiple packet processors each include: a packet processor thread manager for managing and processing packets received by central core processing devices and multiple central core processing interfaces for providing connectivity between the packet processors and the plurality of central core processing devices. The packet processing interfaces and the central core processing interfaces provide scaled-out and distributed connectivity of the packet processors to one or more central core processing devices.

Abstract: Each of first and second bridges of a data network having respective external links to an external node implement a network bridge component that forwards traffic inside the network and a virtual bridge component that forwards traffic outside of the network. A virtual bridge is formed including the virtual bridge components of the first and second bridges and an interswitch link (ISL) between the virtual bridge components of the first and second bridges. Data frames are redirected via the ISL in response to a link-down condition of one of the external links.

Abstract: Each of first and second bridges of a data network having respective external links to an external node implement a network bridge component that forwards traffic inside the network and a virtual bridge component that forwards traffic outside of the network. A virtual bridge is formed including the virtual bridge components of the first and second bridges and an interswitch link (ISL) between the virtual bridge components of the first and second bridges. Data frames are redirected via the ISL in response to a link-down condition of one of the external links.

Abstract: Reassembly of member cells into a packet comprises receiving an incoming member cell of a packet from a switching fabric wherein each member cell comprises a segment of the packet and a header, generating a reassembly key using selected information from the incoming member cell header wherein the selected information is the same for all member cells of the packet, checking a reassembly table in a content addressable memory to find an entry that includes a logic key matching the reassembly key, and using a content index in the found entry and a sequence number of the incoming member cell within the packet, to determine a location offset in a reassembly buffer area for storing the incoming member cell at said location offset in the reassembly buffer area for the packet for reassembly.

Abstract: A switching network includes first, second and third switches coupled for communication, such that the first and third switches communicate data traffic via the second switch. The first switch is operable to request transmission credits from the third switch, receive the transmission credits from the third switch and perform transmission of data traffic in reference to the transmission credits. The third switch is operable to receive the request for transmission credits from the first switch, generate the transmission credits and transmit the transmission credits to the first switch via the second switch. The second switch is operable to modify the transmission credits transmitted by the third switch prior to receipt of the transmission credits at the first switch.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a first physical overlay switch located at an edge of an IP network includes logic adapted for: receiving a packet having a virtual local area network (VLAN) identifier (ID) from a virtual switch, encapsulating the packet with an overlay header, tunneling the encapsulated packet via the IP network to a second physical overlay switch, receiving a second encapsulated packet having a second overlay header from the second physical overlay switch, de-encapsulating the second encapsulated packet to create a second packet having a second VLAN ID, and sending the second packet to the virtual switch.

Abstract: A distributed fabric system comprises a plurality of independent network elements interconnected by inter-switch links and assigned to a same group. Each network element includes one or more switching chips, a processor, and memory storing program code that is executed by the processor. The program code of each network element includes a switch discovery protocol (SDP) module. The SDP module of each network element, when executed, periodically multicasts SDP data units (SDPDUs) using one of a plurality of transmission rates. The plurality of transmission rates includes a fast transmission rate and a slow transmission rate. The transmission rate used by the SDP module of each network element is the fast transmission rate until the SDP module of that network element determines a criterion is met, in response to which the transmission rate used by the SDP module of that network element changes to the slow transmission rate.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for managing traffic of a switch include logically partitioning a physical port of the switch into a plurality of virtual ports. One or more virtual output queues are uniquely associated with each virtual port. Switching resources of the switch are assigned to each of the virtual ports. A source virtual port is derived from a frame arriving at the physical port. The frame is placed in a given one of the one or more virtual output queues uniquely associated with the source virtual port derived from the frame. A destination virtual port for the frame is determined. The frame is transferred from the virtual output queue in which the frame is placed to an egress queue associated with the destination virtual port and forwarded from the egress queue to a destination physical port of the switch.

Abstract: Reassembly of fragments into a packet comprises receiving an incoming fragment of a packet from a network wherein each fragment comprises a segment of the packet and a header, generating a reassembly key using selected information from the incoming fragment header wherein the selected information is the same for all fragments of the packet, checking a reassembly table in a content addressable memory to find an entry that includes a logic key matching the reassembly key, and using a content index in the found entry and a sequence number of the incoming fragment within the packet, to determine a location offset in a reassembly buffer area for storing the incoming fragment at said location offset in the reassembly buffer area for the packet for reassembly.

Abstract: A network switch, in response to receipt from a source station of a Layer 2 reservation request, establishes a reservation for capacity of an ingress queue of the network switch for a data flow of the source station. In response to a queue overrun condition on the ingress queue of the network switch while the reservation is active, the network switch preserves data frames in the data flow of the source station transmitted pursuant to the reservation and discards other data frames.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a system includes a switching processor and logic integrated with the switching processor, the logic being configured to receive a packet, wherein the packet comprises a header and a payload, determine, without using a look-up table, a destination port based on a destination address stored in the header, and send the packet to the destination port. In another embodiment, a system includes logic integrated with and/or executable by a processor, the logic being configured to create an address allocation table comprising a plurality of values, each value being associated with a plurality of IP addresses which, when an algorithm is applied thereto, result in the associated value, receive a request for an IP address from a device electrically connected to a switch, and determine a port to which the device is electrically connected to the switch based on the port on which the request is received.

Abstract: A distributed fabric system comprises a plurality of independent network elements interconnected by inter-switch links and assigned to a same group. Each network element includes one or more switching chips, a processor, and memory storing program code that is executed by the processor. The program code of each network element includes a switch discovery protocol (SDP) module. The SDP module of each network element, when executed, periodically multicasts SDP data units (SDPDUs) using one of a plurality of transmission rates. The plurality of transmission rates includes a fast transmission rate and a slow transmission rate. The transmission rate used by the SDP module of each network element is the fast transmission rate until the SDP module of that network element determines a criterion is met, in response to which the transmission rate used by the SDP module of that network element changes to the slow transmission rate.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a system includes a switching processor that includes logic configured for receiving a packet having a header and a payload, logic configured for determining, without using a look-up table, a destination port based on a destination address stored in the header, and logic configured for sending the packet to the destination port. In another embodiment, a system includes a processor adapted for executing logic, logic configured for creating an address allocation table having a plurality of values, each value being associated with a plurality of interne protocol (IP) addresses which, when an algorithm is applied thereto, result in the associated value, logic configured for receiving a request for an IP address from a device electrically connected to a switch, and logic configured for determining a port to which the device is electrically connected to the switch based on the port on which the request is received.

Abstract: A clustered network may include a plurality of switch boxes where a master switch box may communicate and control hardware devices in remote switch boxes. The switch boxes in the network may each include a multiplexer, for example, a field programmable array (FPGA) that may process message requests related to hardware devices of a switch box. If the hardware device is in a remote switch box, then the FPGA of the master switch box may process the status data from the remote switch box so that a local processor in the master switch box can read the status data.

Abstract: A distributed device architecture includes a master device and one or more member devices. A simple network management protocol (SNMP) agent of a master device receives an SNMP request from a managing device. Where the SNMP request pertains to a given member device, and where the SNMP request requires involvement of the given member device to fulfill the SNMP request, the master device generates a non-SNMP request corresponding to the SNMP request and transmits the non-SNMP request to the given member device. A non-SNMP agent of the given member device processes the non-SNMP request and transmits processing results back to the master device. The master device generates an SNMP response corresponding to the processing results, and the SNMP agent of the master device transmits the SNMP response back to the managing device.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a switch system includes an external host connected via a peripheral component interconnect express (PCIe) port to a switch system, the external host being configured to perform functionality of a management plane and a control plane for the switch system, the external host having a processor. In another embodiment, a computer program product includes a computer readable storage medium having computer readable program code embodied therewith, the computer readable program code including computer readable program code configured to perform functionality of a management plane and a control plane for a switch system using a processor of an external host. Other systems, computer program products, and methods are described according to more embodiments.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a system includes at least one processor and logic integrated with and/or executable by the at least one processor, the logic being configured to receive, by the at least one processor, a request to assign a media access control (MAC) address to a device on a port, determine, by the at least one processor, the MAC address to assign to the device based at least partially on the port, and send, by the at least one processor, a response to the request with the MAC address. According to a further embodiment, the logic may be configured to create a MAC address allocation table that includes a plurality of hash values, each hash value being associated with one port and a plurality of MAC addresses, wherein the assigned MAC address is one of the MAC addresses associated with the port in the MAC address allocation table.