Distributed route server

A network route server with a scalable switching architecture, comprising:

• a route server element with which a node identity in the network is associated, the route server element including processor means for executing a topology discovery protocol and maintaining a topology database of the network, and for creating a routing table for the route server using the topology database and a routing algorithm, the route server element periodically copying the routing table to each of a scalable array of packet processing elements associated with the route server element;
• each packet processing element having a link-port interface to the network, memory means for storing a copy of the routing table, and processor means for using the copy of the routing table to route packets received by the packet processing element, each packet processing element being enabled to autonomously route packets received by the packet processing element by referencing the copy of the routing table;
• and
• a switch fabric for the switching of packets between the packet processing elements in accordance with routing information provided by the packet processing elements, the scalable array of packet processing elements having an aggregate capacity that is scalable to a capacity of the switch fabric.

A network route server with a scalable switching architecture, comprising:

• a route server element with which a node identity in the network is associated, the route server element including processor means for executing a topology discovery protocol and maintaining a topology database of the network, and for creating a routing table for the route server using the topology database and a routing algorithm, the route server element periodically copying the routing table to each of an array of packet processing elements associated with the route server element, and a call admission control module which is responsible for the admission of connection oriented services through the server, the call admission control module receiving virtual circuit connection requests and downloading to a packet processing element, which is to establish the virtual circuit, data related to the virtual circuit;
• each packet processing element having a link-port interface to the network, memory means for storing a copy of the routing table, and processor means for using the copy of the routing table to route packets received by the processing element, each packet processing element is enabled to autonomously route packets received by the packet processing element by referencing the copy of the routing table, and to route connection oriented packets in accordance with the data downloaded from the route server element when a virtual circuit is set up;
• control connectivity for exchanging control data between the route server element and the packet processing element;
• and
• a switch fabric for the switching of packets between the packet processing elements in accordance with routing information provided by the packet processing elements, the packet processing elements having an aggregate capacity that is scalable to a capacity of the switch fabric.

A method of routing packets or cells in a network using a route server having a route server element, a plurality of packet processing elements with link-port interfaces, a processor and a memory to permit the packet processing elements to perform routing functions to the network and a switch fabric, comprising:

• a) periodically creating at the route server element a routing table using a topology database and a routing algorithm;
• b) periodically copying the routing table to a memory in each of the packet processing elements;
• c) using the copy of the routing table at each packet processing element to route packets received at the link-port interface of the packet processing element;
• and
• d) switching packets between the packet processing elements in accordance with routing information provided by the packet processing elements using the copy of the routing table and the routing functions.