Network Device Having Multiple Forwarding Domains
AssigneeArista Networks, Inc.
InventorsPaul Martin FALLON, Nelson Enrique PEREZ, JR., Karthikeya Kumar PANDIT
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Abstract
A network device is configured with multiple forwarding domains where each forwarding domain has its own view of a front panel, referred to as a virtual front panel. The virtual front panel of a forwarding domain represents the serdes (transceivers) of that forwarding domain as virtual ports. Forwarding domains can be interconnected by an orchestrator in terms of “connecting” their respective virtual ports. The orchestrator can connect two virtual ports by configuring hardware (e.g., crosspoint switch) in the network device to create an electrical path between the physical serdes that correspond to the virtual ports.
Claims20
A method in a network device, the method comprising:
- instantiating a plurality of forwarding domains (subdomains);
- associating a virtual front panel with each subdomain, the virtual front panel representing one or more serdes (serializer/de-serializer circuits) of the associated subdomain, the virtual front panel including virtual ports that represent one or more serdes on the associated subdomain;
- receiving connection information for a connection between a first subdomain and a second subdomain, the connection information comprising a first handle that identifies a circuit location on the first subdomain and a second handle that identifies a circuit location on the second subdomain, wherein the first handle designates a first virtual front panel associated with the first subdomain and a first virtual port in the first virtual front panel, wherein the second handle designates a second virtual front panel associated with the second subdomain and a second virtual port in the second virtual front panel;
- identifying a serdes on the first subdomain that corresponds to the first handle;
- identifying a serdes on the second subdomain that corresponds to the second handle;
- and
- configuring hardware in the network device to establish an electrical path between the serdes on the first subdomain and the serdes on the second subdomain.
A network device comprising:
- one or more computer processors;
- and
- a computer-readable storage device comprising instructions for controlling the one or more computer processors to:
- associate a virtual front panel for each forwarding domain in a plurality of forwarding domains, the virtual front panel including a plurality of virtual ports that correspond to a plurality of input/output (I/O) circuits of the forwarding domain;
- receive input from a user that specifies (1) a first virtual front panel and a first virtual port on the first virtual front panel and (2) a second virtual front panel and a second virtual port on the second virtual front panel, wherein the first virtual front panel and first virtual port identify a first I/O circuit on a first forwarding domain, wherein the second virtual front panel and second virtual port identify a second I/O circuit on a second forwarding domain;
- and
- configure hardware in the network device to establish an electrical path between the first I/O circuit and the second I/O circuit.
A network device comprising:
- a storage system comprising one or more storage devices;
- a physical front panel comprising a plurality of physical ports;
- and
- a plurality of packet processing circuitry (subdomains), concurrently operable to process data packets and to send and receive data packets, the packet processing circuitry of each subdomain comprising a plurality of IC devices that are different from IC device of the packet processing circuitry of other subdomains and operating independently of the IC devices of the other packet processing circuitry of the other subdomains,
- each subdomain associated with a virtual front panel comprising virtual ports that represent physical I/O ports of the packet processing circuitry of that subdomain,
- information for the virtual front panel and virtual ports for each subdomain being stored in the storage system of the network device,
- wherein data paths among the subdomains and the physical front panel are established by making reference to the virtual front panels and virtual ports.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.