Packet forwarding in a star stacking system

A method for packet forwarding by a stacking port control member of a star stacking system, wherein members of the star stacking system comprise at least one stacking control member and at least one stacking port extension member;

• the method comprising:
• receiving a packet;
• forwarding the packet according to a destination port number of the packet when a destination forwarding chip identifier (ID) of the packet is a local forwarding chip ID;
• determining whether the packet is transmitted to a stacking port extension member when the destination forwarding chip ID of the packet is not the local forwarding chip ID;
• detecting whether a forwarding relationship used for forwarding the packet is configured in the local when it is determined that the packet is transmitted to the stacking port extension member;
• when it is detected that the forwarding relationship is configured in the local, forwarding the packet according to the forwarding relationship;
• and
• when it is detected that the forwarding relationship is not configured in the local, forwarding the packet to another stacking control member to cause the other stacking control member to forward the packet to the stacking port extension member.

An apparatus for packet forwarding, wherein the apparatus is capable of acting as a stacking port extension member in a star stacking system;

• wherein the star stacking system comprises at least one stacking control member;
• the apparatus comprising:
• an uplink second-level stacking port, to connect a higher-level stacking port extension member or a stacking control member;
• a storage, to store a forwarding relationship towards a lower-level stacking port extension member;
• and
• a forwarding module, to receive a packet, forward the packet according to a destination port number of the packet when a destination forwarding chip identifier (ID) of the packet is a local forwarding chip ID, determine whether the packet is transmitted to a lower-level stacking port extension member when the destination forwarding chip ID of the packet is not the local forwarding chip ID, forward the packet according to the forwarding relationship towards the lower-level stacking port extension member which is stored in the storage when it is determined that the packet is transmitted to the lower-level stacking port extension member, and otherwise, directly forward the packet through the uplink second-level stacking port.