Implementing a switch fabric responsive to an unavailable path

A switch fabric comprising:

• a source fabric chip;
• a destination node chip;
• and
• a first fabric chip to receive a packet from the source fabric chip, wherein the packet comprises an identification of the destination node chip, said first fabric chip comprises a port resolution module that is to:
• determine that a first path in the switch fabric along which the packet is to be communicated toward the destination node chip is unavailable;
• determine whether another path in the switch fabric along which the packet is to be communicated toward the destination node chip that does not include the source fabric chip is available;
• communicate the packet along the another path in response to a determination that the another path is available;
• and
• communicate the packet back to the source fabric chip in response to a determination that the another path is unavailable.

A fabric chip comprising:

• a plurality of port interfaces, wherein each of the plurality of port interfaces includes a network chip interface (NCI) block having a port resolution module;
• a crossbar block communicatively coupled with each of the NCI blocks in the plurality of port interfaces;
• wherein the fabric chip is to receive a packet from a source fabric chip through one of the plurality of port interfaces, wherein the packet comprises an identification of a destination node chip, and wherein the port resolution module of the one of the plurality of port interfaces is to:
• determine which of the plurality of port interfaces is to receive the packet from the NCI block;
• determine that a first path in a switch fabric along which the packet is to be communicated toward the destination node chip is unavailable;
• determine whether another path in the switch fabric along which the packet is to be communicated toward the destination node chip that does not include the source fabric chip is available;
• communicate the packet along the another path in response to a determination that the another path is available;
• and
• communicate the packet back to the source fabric chip in response to a determination that the another path is unavailable.