Managing packet flow in a switch faric
OwnerVincent E. Cavanna, Michael G. Freyinventors
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Abstract
In a method for managing packet flow in a switch fabric comprising a plurality of fabric chips, wherein a packet comprises a counter, a determination as to whether the packet has been detoured around an unavailable fabric link and a determination as to whether the packet is making forward progress are made. In addition, a value of the counter in the packet is modified in response to a determination that the packet has been detoured around an unavailable fabric link and a determination that forward progress is not being made.
Claims15
A method for managing packet flow in a switch fabric comprising a plurality of fabric chips, wherein a packet comprises a counter, said method comprising:
- determining whether the packet has been detoured around an unavailable fabric link;
- determining whether the packet is making forward progress;
- and
- modifying a value of the counter in the packet in response to a determination that the packet has been detoured around an unavailable fabric link and a determination that forward progress is not being made.
A switch fabric comprising:
- a plurality of fabric chips, each of said plurality of fabric chips comprising a plurality of port interfaces to communicate a packet among each other and to destination node chips, wherein the packet comprises a counter, and wherein the plurality of port interfaces are to,
- determine whether the packet has been detoured around an unavailable fabric link;
- determine whether the packet is making forward progress;
- and
- modify a value of the counter in the packet in response to a determination that the packet has been detoured around an unavailable fabric link and a determination that forward progress is not being made;
- determining whether the counter has rolled-over;
- and
- in response to the counter having rolled-over, terminate the packet from the packet flow.
A fabric chip comprising:
- a plurality of interface ports to communicate a packet among each other and to destination node chips, wherein the packet comprises a counter, and wherein the plurality of interface ports are to,
- determine whether the packet has been detoured around an unavailable fabric link;
- determine whether the packet is making forward progress;
- and
- modify a value of the counter in the packet in response to a determination that the packet has been detoured around an unavailable fabric link and a determination that forward progress is not being made;
- determining whether the counter has rolled-over;
- and
- in response to the counter having rolled-over, terminate the packet from the packet flow.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.