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US 2006/0186926 A1Published application
Dual-purpose uplinks used in a fault-tolerant stack
AssigneeCisco Technology, Inc., a corporation of California
InventorsCharles Yager, James Edwards, Craig Zimmerman, Gurinderjit Chahal
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A fault-tolerant stack of low cost switches each having only two dual-purpose uplinks is enabled by utilizing a specified topology for connecting the uplinks and implementing a recovery algorithm on each switch.
Claims13
A fault-tolerant stack comprising:
- a plurality of N network devices, where N is a positive integer, with each network device having only first and second dual-purpose uplinks ports, with each dual-purpose uplink port including a copper connector and fiber connector, and with only one connector active at a time, where;
- in each interior switch, S(X), where X is not equal to either 1, 2, N-1, or N, the copper connector of the first port of S(X) is coupled to the copper connector of the second port of S(X−1), the fiber connector of the first port of S(X) is coupled to the fiber connector of the second port of S(X−2), the copper connector of the second port of S(X) is coupled to the copper connector of the first port of S(X+1), and, the fiber connector of the second port of S(X) is coupled to the fiber connector of the first port of S(X+2);
- in a first switch S(1) the copper connector of the first port is not connected and the fiber connector of the first port is used as the uplink connector to the next layer, the second port of the first switch is connected in the same way as an interior switch;
- in a second switch S(2) the copper connector of the first port is coupled to the copper connector of the second port of the first switch S(1), the fiber connector of the first port is used as the uplink connector to the next layer, and the second port of the second switch S(2) is connected in the same way as an interior switch.
- in a fifth switch S(5) the first port is connected in the same way as an interior switch, the copper connector of the second port is coupled to the copper connector of the first port of a sixth switch S(6) and the fiber connector of the second port is coupled to the fiber connector of the second port of the sixth switch S(6);
- in the sixth switch S(6), the first port is connected in the same as an interior switch, the copper connector of the second port is not connected, and the fiber connector of the second port is coupled to the fiber connector of second port of the fifth switch S(5);
- where each dual-purpose uplink port has a management interface and is configured with the copper connector as default, and automatically switches to fiber if the copper link is lost;
- and
- where each network device includes a controller, coupled to the management interface of the first and second dual-purpose uplink ports, configured to force the second port to connect to fiber if the first port looses link.
6 more elements
A fault-tolerant stack comprising:
- a plurality of N network devices, where N is a positive integer, with each network device having only first and second dual-purpose uplinks ports, with each dual-purpose uplink port including a first media-type connector and a second media-type connector, and with only one connector active at a time, where;
- in each interior switch, S(X), where X is not equal to either 1, 2, N-1, or N, the first media-type connector of the first port of S(X) is coupled to the first media-type connector of the second port of S(X−1), the second media-type connector of the first port of S(X) is coupled to the second media-type connector of the second port of S(X−2), the first media-type connector of the second port of S(X) is coupled to the first media-type connector of the first port of S(X+1), and, the second media-type connector of the second port of S(X) is coupled to the second media-type connector of the first port of S(X+2);
- in a first switch S(1) the first media-type connector of the first port is not connected and the second media-type connector of the first port is used as the uplink connector to the next layer, the second port of the first switch is connected in the same way as an interior switch;
- in a second switch S(2) the first media-type connector of the first port is coupled to the first media-type connector of the second port of the first switch S(1), the second media-type connector of the first port is used as the uplink connector to the next layer, and the second port of the second switch S(2) is connected in the same way as an interior switch.
- in a fifth switch S(5) the first port is connected in the same way as an interior switch, the first media-type connector of the second port is coupled to the first media-type connector of the first port of a sixth switch S(6) and the second media-type connector of the second port is coupled to the second media-type connector of the second port of the sixth switch S(6);
- in the sixth switch S(6), the first port is connected in the same as an interior switch, the first media-type connector of the second port is not connected, and the second media-type connector of the second port is coupled to the second media-type connector of second port of the fifth switch S(5);
- where each dual-purpose uplink port has a management interface and is configured with the first media-type connector as default, and automatically switches to second media-type if the first media-type link is lost;
- and
- where each network device includes a controller, coupled to the management interface of the first and second dual-purpose uplink ports, configured to force the second port to connect to second media-type if the first port looses link.
6 more elements
A method for forming a stack of N network devices, with each network device having only first and second dual-purpose uplinks ports, with each dual-purpose uplink port including a first media-type connector and a second media-type connector, and with only one connector active at a time, and where each dual-purpose uplink port has a management interface and is configured with the first media-type connector as default, and each dual-purpose uplink port automatically switches to second media-type if the first media-type link is lost, said method comprising:
- for each interior switch, S(X), where X is not equal to either 1, 2, N-1, or N, coupling the first media-type connector of the first port of S(X) to the first media-type connector of the second port of S(X−1), the second media-type connector of the first port of S(X) to the second media-type connector of the second port of S(X−2), the first media-type connector of the second port of S(X) to the first media-type connector of the first port of S(X+1), and, the second media-type connector of the second port of S(X) to the second media-type connector of the first port of S(X+2);
- for a first switch S(1), coupling the second media-type connector of the first port as an uplink connector to the next layer, and the second port of the first switch in the same way as an interior switch;
- for a second switch S(2), coupling the first media-type connector of the first port to the first media-type connector of the second port of the first switch S(1), the second media-type connector of the first port as the uplink connector to the next layer, and the second port of the second switch S(2) in the same way as an interior switch.
- for a fifth switch S(5), coupling the first port in the same way as an interior switch, the first media-type connector of the second port to the first media-type connector of the first port of a sixth switch S(6), and the second media-type connector of the second port to the second media-type connector of the second port of the sixth switch S(6);
- for the sixth switch S(6), coupling the first port in the same way as an interior switch, and the second media-type connector of the second port to the second media-type connector of second port of the fifth switch S(5);
- and
- at each switch, forcing the second port to connect to second media-type connector if the first port looses link.
4 more elements
A system for forming a stack of N network devices, with each network device having only first and second dual-purpose uplinks ports, with each dual-purpose uplink port including a first media-type connector and a second media-type connector, and with only one connector active at a time, and where each dual-purpose uplink port has a management interface and is configured with the first media-type connector as default, and each dual-purpose uplink port automatically switches to second media-type if the first media-type link is lost, said system comprising:
- for each interior switch, S(X), where X is not equal to either 1, 2, N-1, or N, means for coupling the first media-type connector of the first port of S(X) to the first media-type connector of the second port of S(X−1), the second media-type connector of the first port of S(X) to the second media-type connector of the second port of S(X−2), the first media-type connector of the second port of S(X) to the first media-type connector of the first port of S(X+1), and, the second media-type connector of the second port of S(X) to the second media-type connector of the first port of S(X+2);
- for a first switch S(1), means for coupling the second media-type connector of the first port as an uplink connector to the next layer, and the second port of the first switch in the same way as an interior switch;
- for a second switch S(2), means for coupling the first media-type connector of the first port to the first media-type connector of the second port of the first switch S(1), the second media-type connector of the first port as the uplink connector to the next layer, and the second port of the second switch S(2) in the same way as an interior switch.
- for a fifth switch S(5), means for coupling the first port in the same way as an interior switch, the first media-type connector of the second port to the first media-type connector of the first port of a sixth switch S(6), and the second media-type connector of the second port to the second media-type connector of the second port of the sixth switch S(6);
- for the sixth switch S(6), means for coupling the first port in the same way as an interior switch, and the second media-type connector of the second port to the second media-type connector of second port of the fifth switch S(5);
- and
- at each switch, means for forcing the second port to connect to second media-type connector if the first port looses link.
4 more elements
A fault-tolerant stack comprising:
- a plurality of N network devices, where N is a positive integer, with each network device having only first and second dual-purpose uplinks ports, with each dual-purpose uplink port including a first media-type connector and a second media-type connector, and with only one connector active at a time, where;
- in each interior switch, S(X), where X is not equal to either 1, 2, N-1, or N, the first media-type connector of the first port of S(X) is coupled to the first media-type connector of the second port of S(X−1), the second media-type connector of the first port of S(X) is coupled to the second media-type connector of the second port of S(X−2), the first media-type connector of the second port of S(X) is coupled to the first media-type connector of the first port of S(X+1), and, the second media-type connector of the second port of S(X) is coupled to the second media-type connector of the first port of S(X+2);
- in a first switch S(1) the the first port is used as the uplink connector to the next layer, the second port of the first switch is connected in the same way as an interior switch;
- in a second switch S(2) the first media-type connector of the first port is coupled to the first media-type connector of the second port of the first switch S(1), the second media-type connector of the first port is used as the uplink connector to the next layer, and the second port of the second switch S(2) is connected in the same way as an interior switch.
- in a fifth switch S(5) the first port is connected in the same way as an interior switch, the first media-type connector of the second port is coupled to the first media-type connector of the first port of a sixth switch S(6) and the second media-type connector of the second port is coupled to the second media-type connector of the second port of the sixth switch S(6);
- in the sixth switch S(6), the first port is connected in the same as an interior switch, the first media-type connector of the second port is not connected, and the second media-type connector of the second port is coupled to the second media-type connector of second port of the fifth switch S(5);
- where each dual-purpose uplink port has a management interface and is configured with the first media-type connector as default, and automatically switches to second media-type if the first media-type link is lost;
- and
- where each network device includes a controller, coupled to the management interface of the first and second dual-purpose uplink ports, configured to force the second port to connect to second media-type if the first port looses link.
6 more elements
A fault-tolerant stack comprising:
- a plurality of N network devices, where N is a positive integer, with each network device having only first and second dual-purpose uplinks ports, with each dual-purpose uplink port including a first media-type connector and a second media-type connector, and with only one connector active at a time, where;
- in each interior switch, S(X), where X is not equal to either 1, N-1, or N, the first media-type connector of the first port of S(X) is coupled to the first media-type connector of the second port of S(X−1), the second media-type connector of the first port of S(X) is coupled to the second media-type connector of the second port of S(X−2), the first media-type connector of the second port of S(X) is coupled to the first media-type connector of the first port of S(X+1), and, the second media-type connector of the second port of S(X) is coupled to the second media-type connector of the first port of S(X+2);
- in a first switch S(1) the first media-type connector of the first port is not connected and the second media-type connector of the first port is used as the uplink connector to the next layer, the second port of the first switch is connected in the same way as an interior switch;
- in a fifth switch S(5) the first port is connected in the same way as an interior switch, the first media-type connector of the second port is coupled to the first media-type connector of the first port of a sixth switch S(6) and the second media-type connector of the second port is coupled to the second media-type connector of the second port of the sixth switch S(6);
- in the sixth switch S(6), the first port is connected in the same as an interior switch, the first media-type connector of the second port is not connected, and the second media-type connector of the second port is coupled to the second media-type connector of second port of the fifth switch S(5);
- where each dual-purpose uplink port has a management interface and is configured with the first media-type connector as default, and automatically switches to second media-type if the first media-type link is lost;
- and
- where each network device includes a controller, coupled to the management interface of the first and second dual-purpose uplink ports, configured to force the second port to connect to second media-type if the first port looses link.
5 more elements
A fault-tolerant stack comprising:
- a plurality of N network devices, where N is a positive integer, with each network device having only first and second dual-purpose uplinks ports, with each dual-purpose uplink port including a first media-type connector and a second media-type connector, and with only one connector active at a time, where;
- in each interior switch, S(X), where X is not equal to either 1, N-1, or N, the first media-type connector of the first port of S(X) is coupled to the first media-type connector of the second port of S(X−1), the second media-type connector of the first port of S(X) is coupled to the second media-type connector of the second port of S(X−2), the first media-type connector of the second port of S(X) is coupled to the first media-type connector of the first port of S(X+1), and, the second media-type connector of the second port of S(X) is coupled to the second media-type connector of the first port of S(X+2);
- in a first switch S(1) the first port is used as the uplink connector to the next layer, the second port of the first switch is connected in the same way as an interior switch;
- in a fifth switch S(5) the first port is connected in the same way as an interior switch, the first media-type connector of the second port is coupled to the first media-type connector of the first port of a sixth switch S(6) and the second media-type connector of the second port is coupled to the second media-type connector of the second port of the sixth switch S(6);
- in the sixth switch S(6), the first port is connected in the same as an interior switch, the first media-type connector of the second port is not connected, and the second media-type connector of the second port is coupled to the second media-type connector of second port of the fifth switch S(5);
- where each dual-purpose uplink port has a management interface and is configured with the first media-type connector as default, and automatically switches to second media-type if the first media-type link is lost;
- and
- where each network device includes a controller, coupled to the management interface of the first and second dual-purpose uplink ports, configured to force the second port to connect to second media-type if the first port looses link.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.