Methods for distributing software-determined global load information

A method comprising:

• receiving an indication of a network comprising a plurality of groups of switches, wherein each switch of the plurality of groups of switches comprises a plurality of ports;
• receiving an indication to route a packet from a source group of switches to a destination group of switches;
• identifying a plurality of candidate ports in one or more intermediate groups of switches;
• evaluating each of the plurality of candidate ports based upon determining a global non-minimal global port load for each of the plurality of candidate ports, wherein the global non-minimal global port load for a respective candidate port is based upon a local load on the respective candidate port and a group load associated with the respective candidate port;
• and
• routing the packet to a candidate port of the plurality of candidate ports based upon the global non-minimal global port load for each of the plurality of candidate ports.

A switch comprising:

• an output port;
• and
• logic or circuitry comprising a fabric routing function, wherein the fabric routing function is configured to:
• receive an indication to route a packet to a destination switch in a destination group of switches, wherein a network comprises the switch and the destination switch, and wherein the network comprises a plurality of groups of switches;
• identify a plurality of candidate ports in one or more intermediate groups of switches of the plurality of groups of switches;
• evaluate each of the plurality of candidate ports based upon determining a global non-minimal global port load for each of the plurality of candidate ports, wherein the global non-minimal global port load for a respective candidate port is based upon a local load on the respective candidate port and a group load associated with the respective candidate port;
• and
• transmit, via the output port, the packet to a candidate port of the plurality of candidate ports based upon the global non-minimal global port loads for each of the plurality of candidate ports.

A non-transitory, computer-readable medium, comprising computer-readable instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of one or more computers, cause the one or more computers to:

• receive an indication to route a packet from a source switch in a source group of switches to a destination switch in a destination group of switches, wherein a network comprises the source switch and the destination switch, and wherein the network comprises a plurality of groups of switches;
• identify a plurality of candidate ports in one or more intermediate groups of switches of the plurality of groups of switches;
• evaluate each of the plurality of candidate ports based upon determining a global non-minimal global port load for each of the plurality of candidate ports, wherein the global non-minimal global port load for a respective candidate port is based upon a local load on the respective candidate port and a group load associated with the respective candidate port;
• and
• transmit the packet to a candidate port of the plurality of candidate ports based upon the global non-minimal global port loads for each of the plurality of candidate ports.