Router with routing processors and methods for virtualization

A method for distributing the burden of virtualization among routers of a network, the method comprising:

• a step for receiving first routing information at first router;
• a step for receiving second routing information at a second router;
• a step for receiving at the first router a payload of a first frame;
• a step for determining that the first frame is part of a nonvirtual transaction;
• a step for routing the payload to the second router as part of a nonvirtual transaction;
• a step for receiving at the second router the payload;
• a step for determining that the payload is part of a virtual transaction;
• a step for accessing a tuple of the second routing information;
• a step for redirecting the payload to a nonvirtual entity in accordance with the accessed tuple of the routing information;
• and
• a step for routing the redirected payload.

A method for revising the configuration of a plurality of routing processors of a network, the method comprising:

• a step for facilitating a respective proxy process to route frames of transactions referring to a virtual entity of a first set of virtual entities;
• a step for directing a routing processor to route frames of transactions referring to a virtual entity of the first set to a respective proxy process with no further reference to first routing information;
• a step for repeating the step for directing for each routing processor of a second set of routing processors that implement virtualization for a virtual entity of the first set;
• a step for storing second routing information to implement virtualization for a virtual entity of a third set;
• a step for enabling a routing processor to route frames of transactions referring to a virtual entity of the third set in accordance with the second routing information;
• and
• a step for repeating the step for enabling for each routing processor of a fourth set of routing processors that implement virtualization for a virtual entity of the third set.

A router for routing frames in a network, the router comprising:

• a memory circuit;
• a plurality of routing processors, coupled by the fabric for routing frames to another routing processor of the plurality via the fabric, the memory circuit being accessible by each routing processor of the plurality;
• a managing processor;
• a supervising processor coupled for data transfer between the managing processor and the memory circuit;
• means for receiving routing information, the routing information comprising a plurality of tuples, each tuple comprising indicia of a virtual entity and indicia of a nonvirtual entity;
• means for preparing a routing table in accordance with the routing information;
• means for providing the routing table to the supervising processor for storage in the memory circuit;
• means for receiving at a routing processor of the plurality a frame of a virtual transaction;
• means for accessing a tuple of the routing table at the routing processor;
• means for redirecting the frame to a nonvirtual entity in accordance with the accessed tuple of the routing table;
• and
• means for routing the redirected frame.

A network for distributed virtualization, the network comprising:

• means for receiving first routing information at a first router;
• means for receiving second routing information at a second router;
• means for receiving at the first router a payload of a first frame;
• means for determining that the first frame is part of a nonvirtual transaction;
• means for routing the payload to the second router as part of a nonvirtual transaction;
• means for receiving at the second router the payload;
• means for determining that the payload is part of a virtual transaction;
• means for accessing a tuple of the second routing information;
• means for redirecting the payload to a nonvirtual entity in accordance with the accessed tuple of the routing information;
• and
• means for routing the redirected payload.

A network for orderly reconfiguration of routing processors, the network comprising:

• means for performing at least one proxy process;
• a plurality of routing processors;
• means for facilitating a respective proxy process to route frames of transactions referring to a virtual entity of a first set of virtual entities;
• means for directing a routing processor of the plurality to route frames of transactions referring to a virtual entity of the first set to a respective proxy process with no further reference to first routing information, wherein directing is repeated for each routing processor of a second set of routing processors that implement virtualization for a virtual entity of the first set;
• means for storing second routing information to implement virtualization for a virtual entity of a third set;
• and
• means for enabling a routing processor to route frames of transactions referring to a virtual entity of the third set in accordance with the second routing information, wherein enabling is repeated for each routing processor of a fourth set of routing processors that implement virtualization for a virtual entity of the third set.