Methods and apparatus for randomly distributing traffic in a multi-path switch fabric

An apparatus, comprising:

• a memory;
• and
• a processor operatively coupled to the memory,
• the processor configured to receive a plurality of sets of cells, each egress port indicator from a list of egress port indicators for a set of cells from the plurality of sets of cells is associated with a credit value,
• the processor configured to, for each set of cells from the plurality of sets of cells, (1) randomly select an egress port indicator from the list of egress port indicators for that set of cells and that each having a first value, (2) reduce the credit value for that egress port indicator, and (3) change that egress port indicator from the first value to a second value when the credit value for that egress port indicator is below a threshold, that egress port indicator representing a status of an egress port of a switch until each egress port indicator from the list of egress port indicators for that set of cells has been selected,
• the switch having a plurality of egress ports, and
• the processor configured to send each set of cells from the plurality of sets of cells via an egress port from the plurality of egress ports based on the egress port indicator selected for that set of cells.

A method, comprising:

• receiving a plurality of sets of data cells, each data cell from the plurality of sets of data cells having a destination indicator from a plurality of destination indicators;
• mapping, for each data cell from the plurality of sets of data cells, the destination indicator of that data cell to a group indicator of that data cell;
• mapping, for each data cell from the plurality of sets of data cells, the group indicator of that data cell to a destination-related indicator of that data cell, each destination-related indicator associated with a set of data cells from the plurality of sets of data cells, each destination-related indicator uniquely associated with a list of egress port indicators, each egress port indicator from the list of egress port indicators representing a status of an egress port from a plurality of egress ports of a switch;
• for each data cell from the set of data cells from the plurality of sets of data cells having the destination-related indicator,
• randomly selecting an egress port indicator from the list of egress port indicators having a first value, and
• changing that egress port indicator from the first value to a second value;
• and
• sending, for each data cell from the set of data cells, the egress port indicator for that data cell causing that data cell to be sent via an egress port from the plurality of egress ports and associated with the egress port indicator for that data cell.