Abstract:
A port provision system includes a packet network device having a plurality of ports. A port provisioning system is coupled to the packet network device. The port provisioning system obtains configuration information from a host device coupled to the packet network device. The configuration information includes a virtual network identification assigned to a virtual machine included on the host device. The port provisioning system then retrieves packet information from a packet sent form the host device. The port provisioning system then provisions at least one of the plurality of ports with the virtual network identification included in the configuration information in response to determining that the packet information matches the configuration information.
Abstract:
A network switch is comprised of a control processor and one or more line cards. The control processor includes functionality to register interest with a hypervisor, operating in conjunction with a network host connected to the switch, in data object attributes maintained on the network host by the hypervisor. The hypervisor associated with the network host sends changes in the host attributes to the switch which the switch maintains in a listing of attributes. The switch traps and copies particular packets to the switch control processor where a provisioning function operates on the attribute information in the list with source information included in the packet header in order to configure a forwarding table on the line card.
Abstract:
A high-speed router backplane is disclosed. Because of the large number of high-speed conductive traces present in such a backplane, electromagnetic interference (EMI) can be a serious issue. And because such a router consumes significant amounts of power, some provision must exist (e.g., bus bars in the prior art) within the router for distributing power to the router components. In preferred embodiments, power distribution is accomplished using relatively thick (e.g., three- or four-ounce copper) power distribution planes within the same backplane used for high-speed signaling. To shield these planes from EMI, they are preferably placed near the center of the material stack, shielded from the signaling layers by adjacent digital ground planes. Also, where two power supply planes exist, the power supply planes are placed adjacent, further shielded by their respective power return planes. Each power distribution plane can also include a conductive guard ring to shield that plane from EMI injected at the board edges. And where the backplane includes both high-speed and lower speed signaling traces, at least some lower speed signaling traces are placed on signaling layers, designated as low-speed, that are closest to the power distribution planes.
Abstract:
A packet network device includes a control module, one or more line cards each one or which includes a plurality of ingress and egress ports, and each of the ingress and egress ports are connected to external network links. The line cards maintain forwarding tables and include functionality that employs information in the forwarding tables to determine how incoming packets of information should be forwarded. The control module includes functionality that operates to learn reachability information about other devices connected to the network that are and to use this reachability information to update forwarding tables maintained on the line cards. The control module also includes an enhance ARP functionality that operates in cooperation with standard ARP functionality and other network protocols included on the control module to diminish the amount of data lost in the event that a link connected to one of the egress ports fails.
Abstract:
The disclosed board fabrication techniques and design features enable the construction of a reliable, high-layer-count, and economical backplane for routers and the like that require a large number of signaling paths across the backplane at speeds of 2.5 Gbps or greater, as well as distribution of significant amounts of power to router components. The disclosed techniques and features allow relatively thick (e.g., three- or four-ounce copper) power distribution planes to be combined with large numbers of high-speed signaling layers in a common backplane. Using traditional techniques, such a construction would not be possible because of the number of layers required and the thickness of the power distribution layers. The disclosed embodiments use novel layer arrangements, material selection, processing techniques, and panel features to produce the desired high-speed layers and low-noise high-power distribution layers in a single mechanically stable board.
Abstract:
A high-speed router backplane is disclosed. Because of the large number of high-speed conductive traces present in such a backplane, electromagnetic interference (EMI) can be a serious issue. And because such a router consumes significant amounts of power, some provision must exist (e.g., bus bars in the prior art) within the router for distributing power to the router components. In preferred embodiments, power distribution is accomplished using relatively thick (e.g., three- or four-ounce copper) power distribution planes within the same backplane used for high-speed signaling. To shield these planes from EMI, they are preferably placed near the center of the material stack, shielded from the signaling layers by adjacent digital ground planes. Also, where two power supply planes exist, the power supply planes are placed adjacent, further shielded by their respective power return planes. Each power distribution plane can also include a conductive guard ring to shield that plane from EMI injected at the board edges. And where the backplane includes both high-speed and lower speed signaling traces, at least some lower speed signaling traces are placed on signaling layers, designated as low-speed, that are closest to the power distribution planes.
Abstract:
A high-speed, high-power modular router is disclosed. As opposed to conventional designs using optical backplane signaling and/or bus bars for power distribution, the disclosed embodiments combine high-power, low-noise power distribution with high-speed signal routing in a common backplane. Disclosed backplane features allow backplane signaling at 2.5 Gbps or greater on electrical differential pairs distributed on multiple high-speed signaling layers. Relatively thick power distribution layers are embedded within the backplane, shielded from the high-speed signaling layers by digital ground layers and other shielding features. A router using such a backplane provides a level of performance and economy that is believed to be unattainable by the prior art.
Abstract:
A packet network device includes a control module, one or more line cards each one or which includes a plurality of ingress and egress ports, and each of the ingress and egress ports are connected to external network links. The line cards maintain forwarding tables and include functionality that employs information in the forwarding tables to determine how incoming packets of information should be forwarded. The control module includes functionality that operates to learn reachability information about other devices connected to the network that are and to use this reachability information to update forwarding tables maintained on the line cards. The control module also includes an enhance ARP functionality that operates in cooperation with standard ARP functionality and other network protocols included on the control module to diminish the amount of data lost in the event that a link connected to one of the egress ports fails.