US 10,257,001 B1Granted

Multi-mode switch interface board

AssigneeJuniper Networks, Inc.

InventorsSek Wing Siu, Raghuraman Thirumalairajan, Vijit V. Nair

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Abstract

A switch interface board may include a first serializer/deserializer to communicate with a first group of packet processing components of a first chassis via a first port. The first chassis may house the switch interface board and the first group of packet processing components. The switch interface board may include a second serializer/deserializer to communicate with a second switch interface board of the first chassis via a second port. The second switch interface board may be connected to a second group of packet processing components of the first chassis. The second group of packet processing components may be different from the first group of packet processing components. The switch interface board may include a third port to communicate with a third switch interface board of a second chassis or a switching device of a cross-connect chassis.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A switch interface board, comprising:

a first serializer/deserializer to communicate with a first group of packet processing components of a first chassis via a first port,
the first chassis housing the switch interface board and the first group of packet processing components;
a second serializer/deserializer to communicate with a second switch interface board of the first chassis via a second port,
the second switch interface board being connected to a second group of packet processing components of the first chassis,
the second group of packet processing components being different from the first group of packet processing components;
and
a third port to communicate with at least one of:
a third switch interface board of a second chassis,
the second chassis being different from the first chassis, or
a switching device of a cross-connect chassis,
the switching device to direct network traffic between the first chassis and a set of other chassis,
the switch interface board to operate in a first mode to direct network traffic associated with the first group of packet processing components using one or more first wires,
the switch interface board dynamically changing modes to operate in a second mode to direct network traffic in a network associated with the first group of packet processing components to dynamically adjust a capacity of the network without replacing the second switch interface board or the third switch interface board and by using one or more second wires that are different than the one or more first wires, and
the switch interface board to advertise a route based on the second mode.

11 more elements

A network device, comprising:

a set of switching elements;
and
one or more processors to:
configure the set of switching elements for a particular mode of a set of available modes,
the set of available modes including:
a standalone mode to route network traffic between a first group of packet processing components and a second group of packet processing components within a first chassis,
the first chassis housing the set of switching elements,
a back-to-back mode to route network traffic in a network between the first group of packet processing components of the first chassis and a third group of packet processing components of a second chassis,
the second chassis being different from the first chassis, or
a multi-chassis mode to route network traffic in the network between the first group of packet processing components of the first chassis and a cross-connect chassis,
the cross-connect chassis being different from the first chassis and the second chassis,
the cross-connect chassis being associated with directing network traffic in the network between the first chassis and a group of third chassis;
receive network traffic for routing after configuring the set of switching elements;
route the network traffic using one or more first wires based on configuring the set of switching elements;
dynamically reconfigure the set of switching elements for a different particular mode, of the set of available modes, to dynamically adjust a capacity of the network without replacing the set of switching elements in the network by using one or more second wires that are different than the one or more first wires;
and
advertise a reconfigured route based on the reconfigured set of switching elements for the different particular mode.

14 more elements

A method, comprising:

configuring, by a device, a set of switching elements of a particular plane of a first chassis for a particular mode of a set of available modes,
the set of available modes including at least two of:
a first mode to route network traffic between a first group of packet processing components and a second group of packet processing components within the first chassis,
the first chassis housing the set of switching elements,
a second mode to route network traffic in a network between the first group of packet processing components of the first chassis and a third group of packet processing components of a second chassis,
the second chassis being different from the first chassis, or
a third mode to route network traffic in the network between the first group of packet processing components of the first chassis and a cross-connect chassis,
the cross-connect chassis being different from the first chassis and the second chassis,
the cross-connect chassis being associated with directing network traffic in the network between the first chassis and a group of third chassis;
receiving, by the device, network traffic for routing after configuring the set of switching elements;
routing, by the device, the network traffic using one or more first wires based on configuring the set of switching elements;
dynamically reconfiguring, by the device, the set of switching elements for a different particular mode, of the set of available modes, to dynamically adjust a capacity of the network without replacing the set of switching elements in the network by using one or more second wires that are different than the one or more first wires;
and
advertise a reconfigured route based on the reconfigured set of switching elements for the different particular mode.

11 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.