Path selection for packet transmission

A method implemented using an apparatus, the apparatus to be used in association with a network switch, the network switch to be communicatively coupled via network links to at least one network, the network switch being configurable for use in association with at least one graphics processing unit (GPU), the network links to be associated with network paths in the at least one network, the at least one network being configurable to include at least one fabric and at least one leaf/spine infrastructure, the apparatus comprising communication circuitry and other circuitry, the method comprising:

• communicating, via the communication circuitry, Ethernet frame data via the network links;
• based, at least in part, upon a size of an Ethernet frame, scheduling, by the other circuitry, one or more equal portions of the Ethernet frame for transmission via one or more of the network links;
• and
• selecting, by the other circuitry, the one or more of the network links for the transmission so as to evenly distribute the one or more equal portions of the Ethernet frame across one or more of the network paths associated with the one or more of the network links;
• wherein:
• the transmission is to be via the communication circuitry;
• the network switch comprises ports;
• the ports are associated with the network links;
• the apparatus is configurable for use in:
• the at least one leaf/spine infrastructure;
• and
• communication via the at least one fabric;
• and
• in event that the size of the Ethernet frame is greater than a certain number of bytes:
• the one or more equal portions comprise multiple equal portions of the Ethernet frame;
• the one or more of the network links comprises multiple of the network links;
• and
• the other circuitry is to schedule the transmission of the multiple equal portions of the Ethernet frame and to select the multiple of the network links so as to evenly distribute the multiple equal portions of the Ethernet frame across multiple of the network paths associated with the multiple of the network links.

At least one non-transitory machine-readable medium storing instructions to be executed by at least one machine, the at least one machine to be used in association with a network switch, the network switch to be communicatively coupled via network links to at least one network, the network switch being configurable for use in association with at least one graphics processing unit (GPU), the network links to be associated with network paths in the at least one network, the at least one network being configurable to include at least one fabric and at least one leaf/spine infrastructure, the at least one machine comprising communication circuitry and other circuitry, the instructions when executed by the at least one machine, resulting in performance of operations comprising:

• communicating, via the communication circuitry, Ethernet frame data via the network links;
• based, at least in part, upon a size of an Ethernet frame, scheduling, by the other circuitry, one or more equal portions of the Ethernet frame for transmission via one or more of the network links;
• and
• selecting, by the other circuitry, the one or more of the network links for the transmission so as to evenly distribute the one or more equal portions of the Ethernet frame across one or more of the network paths associated with the one or more of the network links;
• wherein:
• the transmission is to be via the communication circuitry;
• the network switch comprises ports;
• the ports are associated with the network links;
• the at least one machine is configurable for use in:
• the at least one leaf/spine infrastructure;
• and
• communication via the at least one fabric;
• and
• in event that the size of the Ethernet frame is greater than a certain number of bytes:
• the one or more equal portions comprise multiple equal portions of the Ethernet frame;
• the one or more of the network links comprises multiple of the network links;
• and
• the other circuitry is to schedule the transmission of the multiple equal portions of the Ethernet frame and to select the multiple of the network links so as to evenly distribute the multiple equal portions of the Ethernet frame across multiple of the network paths associated with the multiple of the network links.

A network switch to be communicatively coupled via network links to at least one network, the network switch being configurable for use in association with at least one graphics processing unit (GPU), the network links to be associated with network paths in the at least one network, the at least one network being configurable to include at least one fabric and at least one leaf/spine infrastructure, the network switch comprising:

• ports to be associated with the network links;
• and
• at least one machine comprising:
• communication circuitry to communicate Ethernet frame data via the ports and the network links;
• and
• other circuitry to:
• based, at least in part, upon a size of an Ethernet frame, schedule one or more equal portions of the Ethernet frame for transmission via one or more of the network links;
• and
• select the one or more of the network links for the transmission so as to evenly distribute the one or more equal portions of the Ethernet frame across one or more of the network paths associated with the one or more of the network links;
• wherein:
• the transmission is to be via the communication circuitry;
• the network switch is configurable for use in:
• the at least one leaf/spine infrastructure;
• and
• communication via the at least one fabric;
• and
• in event that the size of the Ethernet frame is greater than a certain number of bytes:
• the one or more equal portions comprise multiple equal portions of the Ethernet frame;
• the one or more of the network links comprises multiple of the network links;
• and
• the other circuitry is to schedule the transmission of the multiple equal portions of the Ethernet frame and to select the multiple of the network links so as to evenly distribute the multiple equal portions of the Ethernet frame across multiple of the network paths associated with the multiple of the network links.

A data center to be used in association with at least one network, the data center comprising:

• at least one graphics processing unit (GPU);
• at least one fabric;
• at least one leaf/spine infrastructure;
• and
• a network switch to be communicatively coupled via network links to the at least one network, the network switch to be used in association with the at the at least one GPU, the network switch being comprised in the at least one leaf/spine infrastructure, the network switch being configured for communication via the at least one fabric, the network links to be associated with network paths in the at least one network, the network switch comprising:
• ports to be associated with the network links;
• and
• at least one machine comprising:
• communication circuitry to communicate Ethernet frame data via the ports and the network links;
• and
• other circuitry to:
• based, at least in part, upon a size of an Ethernet frame, schedule one or more equal portions of the Ethernet frame for transmission via one or more of the network links;
• and
• select the one or more of the network links for the transmission so as to evenly distribute the one or more equal portions of the Ethernet frame across one or more of the network paths associated with the one or more of the network links;
• wherein:
• the transmission is to be via the communication circuitry;
• and
• in event that the size of the Ethernet frame is greater than a certain number of bytes;
• the one or more equal portions comprise multiple equal portions of the Ethernet frame;
• the one or more of the network links comprises multiple of the network links;
• and
• the other circuitry is to schedule the transmission of the multiple equal portions of the Ethernet frame and to select the multiple of the network links so as to evenly distribute the multiple equal portions of the Ethernet frame across multiple of the network paths associated with the multiple of the network links.

An apparatus to be used in association with a network switch, the network switch to be communicatively coupled via network links to at least one network, the network switch being configurable for use in association with at least one graphics processing unit (GPU), the network links to be associated with network paths in the at least one network, the at least one network being configurable to include at least one fabric and at least one leaf/spine infrastructure, the apparatus comprising:

• communication interface device for communicating Ethernet frame data via the network links;
• a scheduling device for scheduling, based, at least in part, upon a size of an Ethernet frame, one or more equal portions of the Ethernet frame for transmission via one or more of the network links;
• and
• a selecting device for selecting the one or more of the network links for the transmission so as to evenly distribute the one or more equal portions of the Ethernet frame across one or more of the network paths associated with the one or more of the network links;
• wherein:
• the transmission is to be via the communication interface device;
• the network switch comprises ports;
• the ports are associated with the network links;
• the apparatus is configurable for use in:
• the at least one leaf/spine infrastructure;
• and
• communication via the at least one fabric;
• and
• in event that the size of the Ethernet frame is greater than a certain number of bytes:
• the one or more equal portions comprise multiple equal portions of the Ethernet frame;
• the one or more of the network links comprises multiple of the network links;
• and
• the scheduling device is for scheduling the transmission of the multiple equal portions of the Ethernet frame, and the selecting device is for selecting the multiple of the network links so as to evenly distribute the multiple equal portions of the Ethernet frame across multiple of the network paths associated with the multiple of the network links.

An apparatus to be used in association with a network switch, the network switch to be communicatively coupled via network links to at least one network, the network switch being configurable for use in association with at least one graphics processing unit (GPU), the network links to be associated with network paths in the at least one network, the at least one network being configurable to include at least one fabric and at least one leaf/spine infrastructure, the apparatus comprising:

• communication circuitry to communicate Ethernet frame data via the network links;
• and
• other circuitry to:
• based, at least in part, upon (1) an allocated size of egress Ethernet frame data to one or more of the network paths associated with one or more of the network links, and (2) one or more sizes of one or more Ethernet frames that are to be associated with the egress Ethernet frame data:
• schedule, in accordance with the allocated size, one or more portions of the one or more Ethernet frames for transmission via the one or more of the network links;
• and
• select the one or more of the network links for the transmission so as to evenly distribute egress Ethernet frame data bandwidth across the one or more of the network paths;
• wherein:
• the transmission is to be via the communication circuitry;
• the network switch comprises ports;
• the ports are associated with the network links;
• the apparatus is configurable for use in:
• the at least one leaf/spine infrastructure;
• and
• communication via the at least one fabric;
• and
• in event that the one or more sizes of the one or more egress Ethernet frames are greater than a certain number of bytes:
• the one or more portions comprise multiple equal portions of the one or more egress Ethernet frames;
• the one or more of the network links comprise multiple of the network links;
• and
• the other circuitry is to schedule the transmission of the multiple equal portions of the one or more egress Ethernet frames and to select the multiple of the network links so as to evenly distribute the multiple equal portions of the one or more Ethernet frames across multiple of the network paths associated with the multiple of the network links.

A method implemented using an apparatus, the apparatus to be used in association with a network switch, the network switch to be communicatively coupled via network links to at least one network, the apparatus comprising communication circuitry and other circuitry, the network switch being configurable for use in association with at least one graphics processing unit (GPU), the network links to be associated with network paths in the at least one network, the at least one network being configurable to include at least one fabric and at least one leaf/spine infrastructure, the method comprising:

• communicating, via the communication circuitry, Ethernet frame data via the network links;
• and
• based, at least in part, upon (1) an allocated size of egress Ethernet frame data to one or more of the network paths associated with one or more of the network links, and (2) one or more sizes of one or more Ethernet frames that are to be associated with the egress Ethernet frame data:
• scheduling, by the other circuitry, in accordance with the allocated size, one or more portions of the one or more Ethernet frames for transmission via the one or more of the network links;
• and
• selecting, by the other circuitry, the one or more of the network links for the transmission so as to evenly distribute egress Ethernet frame data bandwidth across the one or more of the network paths;
• wherein:
• the transmission is to be via the communication circuitry;
• the network switch comprises ports;
• the ports are associated with the network links;
• the apparatus is configurable for use in:
• the at least one leaf/spine infrastructure;
• and
• communication via the at least one fabric;
• and
• in event that the one or more sizes of the one or more egress Ethernet frames are greater than a certain number of bytes:
• the one or more portions comprise multiple equal portions of the one or more egress Ethernet frames;
• the one or more of the network links comprise multiple of the network links;
• and
• the other circuitry is to schedule the transmission of the multiple equal portions of the one or more egress Ethernet frames and to select the multiple of the network links so as to evenly distribute the multiple equal portions of the one or more Ethernet frames across multiple of the network paths associated with the multiple of the network links.

At least one non-transitory machine-readable medium storing instructions to be executed by at least one machine, the at least one machine to be used in association with a network switch, the network switch to be communicatively coupled via network links to at least one network, the at least one machine comprising communication circuitry and other circuitry, the network switch being configurable for use in association with at least one graphics processing unit (GPU), the network links to be associated with network paths in the at least one network, the at least one network being configurable to include at least one fabric and at least one leaf/spine infrastructure, the instructions, when executed by the at least one machine, resulting in performance of operations comprising:

• communicating, via the communication circuitry, Ethernet frame data via the network links;
• and
• based, at least in part, upon (1) an allocated size of egress Ethernet frame data to one or more of the network paths associated with one or more of the network links, and (2) one or more sizes of one or more Ethernet frames that are to be associated with the egress Ethernet frame data:
• scheduling, by the other circuitry, in accordance with the allocated size, one or more portions of the one or more Ethernet frames for transmission via the one or more of the network links;
• and
• selecting, by the other circuitry, the one or more of the network links for the transmission so as to evenly distribute egress Ethernet frame data bandwidth across the one or more of the network paths;
• wherein:
• the transmission is to be via the communication circuitry;
• the network switch comprises ports;
• the ports are associated with the network links;
• the at least one machine is configurable for use in:
• the at least one leaf/spine infrastructure;
• and
• communication via the at least one fabric;
• and
• in event that the one or more sizes of the one or more egress Ethernet frames are greater than a certain number of bytes:
• the one or more portions comprise multiple equal portions of the one or more egress Ethernet frames;
• the one or more of the network links comprise multiple of the network links;
• and
• the other circuitry is to schedule the transmission of the multiple equal portions of the one or more egress Ethernet frames and to select the multiple of the network links so as to evenly distribute the multiple equal portions of the one or more Ethernet frames across multiple of the network paths associated with the multiple of the network links.

A network switch to be communicatively coupled via network links to at least one network, the network switch being configurable for use in association with at least one graphics processing unit (GPU), the network links to be associated with network paths in the at least one network, the at least one network being configurable to include at least one fabric and at least one leaf/spine infrastructure, the network switch comprising:

• ports to be associated with the network links;
• and
• at least one machine comprising:
• communication circuitry to communicate Ethernet frame data via the network links;
• and
• other circuitry to:
• based, at least in part, upon (1) an allocated size of egress Ethernet frame data to one or more of the network paths associated with one or more of the network links, and (2) one or more sizes of one or more Ethernet frames that are to be associated with the egress Ethernet frame data:
• schedule, in accordance with the allocated size, one or more portions of the one or more Ethernet frames for transmission via the one or more of the network links;
• and
• select the one or more of the network links for the transmission so as to evenly distribute egress Ethernet frame data bandwidth across the one or more of the network paths;
• wherein:
• the transmission is to be via the communication circuitry;
• the at least one machine is configurable for use in:
• the at least one leaf/spine infrastructure;
• and
• communication via the at least one fabric;
• and
• in event that the one or more sizes of the one or more egress Ethernet frames are greater than a certain number of bytes:
• the one or more portions comprise multiple equal portions of the one or more egress Ethernet frames;
• the one or more of the network links comprise multiple of the network links;
• and
• the other circuitry is to schedule the transmission of the multiple equal portions of the one or more egress Ethernet frames and to select the multiple of the network links so as to evenly distribute the multiple equal portions of the one or more Ethernet frames across multiple of the network paths associated with the multiple of the network links.

A data center to be used in association with at least one network, the data center comprising:

• at least one graphics processing unit (GPU);
• at least one fabric;
• at least one leaf/spine infrastructure;
• and
• a network switch to be communicatively coupled via network links to the at least one network, the network switch to be used in association with the at the at least one GPU, the network switch being comprised in the at least one leaf/spine infrastructure, the network switch being configured for communication via the at least one fabric, the network links to be associated with network paths in the at least one network, the network switch comprising:
• ports to be associated with the network links;
• and
• at least one machine comprising:
• communication circuitry to communicate Ethernet frame data via the network links;
• and
• other circuitry to:
• based, at least in part, upon (1) an allocated size of egress Ethernet frame data to one or more of the network paths associated with one or more of the network links, and (2) one or more sizes of one or more Ethernet frames that are to be associated with the egress Ethernet frame data:
• schedule, in accordance with the allocated size, one or more portions of the one or more Ethernet frames for transmission via the one or more of the network links;
• and
• select the one or more of the network links for the transmission so as to evenly distribute egress Ethernet frame data bandwidth across the one or more of the network paths;
• wherein:
• the transmission is to be via the communication circuitry;
• the at least one machine is configurable for use in:
• the at least one leaf/spine infrastructure;
• and
• communication via the at least one fabric;
• and
• in event that the one or more sizes of the one or more egress Ethernet frames are greater than a certain number of bytes:
• the one or more portions comprise multiple equal portions of the one or more egress Ethernet frames;
• the one or more of the network links comprise multiple of the network links;
• and
• the other circuitry is to schedule the transmission of the multiple equal portions of the one or more egress Ethernet frames and to select the multiple of the network links so as to evenly distribute the multiple equal portions of the one or more Ethernet frames across multiple of the network paths associated with the multiple of the network links.

An apparatus to be used in association with a network switch, the network switch to be communicatively coupled via network links to at least one network, the network switch being configurable for use in association with at least one graphics processing unit (GPU), the network links to be associated with network paths in the at least one network, the at least one network being configurable to include at least one fabric and at least one leaf/spine infrastructure, the apparatus comprising:

• a communication interface device for communicating Ethernet frame data via the network links;
• a scheduling device for scheduling, based, at least in part, upon (1) an allocated size of egress Ethernet frame data to one or more of the network paths associated with one or more of the network links, and (2) one or more sizes of one or more Ethernet frames that are to be associated with the egress Ethernet frame data, one or more portions of the one or more Ethernet frames for transmission via the one or more of the network links, the scheduling to be in accordance with the allocated size;
• and
• a selecting device for selecting, based, at least in part, upon (1) the allocated size of egress Ethernet frame data, and (2) the one or more sizes of one or more Ethernet frames, the one or more of the network links for the transmission so as to evenly distribute egress Ethernet frame data bandwidth across the one or more of the network paths;
• wherein:
• the transmission is to be via the communication interface device;
• the network switch comprises ports;
• the ports are associated with the network links;
• the apparatus is configurable for use in:
• the at least one leaf/spine infrastructure;
• and
• communication via the at least one fabric;
• and
• in event that the one or more sizes of the one or more egress Ethernet frames are greater than a certain number of bytes:
• the one or more portions comprise multiple equal portions of the one or more egress Ethernet frames;
• the one or more of the network links comprise multiple of the network links;
• and
• the scheduling device is for scheduling the transmission of the multiple equal portions of the one or more egress Ethernet frames and to select the multiple of the network links so as to evenly distribute the multiple equal portions of the one or more Ethernet frames across multiple of the network paths associated with the multiple of the network links.