Mapping of packets between links of trunk groups using Mux/Demux devices

A method for identifying one of a plurality of output ports of a first Mux/Demux device coupled to corresponding first communication links configured as a first trunk group for transmission of a packet received from a second Mux/Demux device having a plurality of input ports coupled to corresponding second communication links configured as a second trunk group, the number of input ports of said second Mux/Demux device associated with said second trunk group exceeding the number of output ports of said first Mux/Demux device associated with said fit trunk group, said method comprising:

• storing in a port translation table in a round robin sequence output port identifiers identifying said output ports associated with said first trunk group indexed by port identifier tags i times, where i is an integer, and hashing any remaining port identifier tags across all available output ports of said first Mux/Demux device associated with said first trunk group
• receiving at said first Mux/Demux device from said second Mux/Demux device via a communication path, a packet having a preamble containing one of said port identifier tags that identifies one input port of said plurality of second Mux/Demux device input ports on which the respective packet was received;
• identifying one of said plurality of output ports of said first Mux/Demux device for transmission of said packet from said port translation table indexed by said one of said port identifier tags;
• disassociating said one of said port identifier tags from said packet;
• and
• transmitting said packet out of said first Mux/Demux device from the port specified by said port translation table.

A method for generating a port translation table within a first Mux/Demux device having a plurality of output ports associated with a first trunk group, said method comprising the steps of:

• receiving a plurality of packets at said first Mux/Demux device from a second Mux/Demux device having a plurality of input ports corresponding to ports of a second bunk group, wherein each of said packets has an associated port identifier tag that identifies one input port of said plurality of second Mux/Demux device input ports on which the respective packet was received;
• detecting a largest port identifier mag of said plurality of received port identifier tags to identify the number of ports within said second trunk group;
• ascertaining the number of output ports within said plurality of output ports to determine the size of said first trunk group;
• and
• configuring said port translation table in accordance with a mapping technique selected based upon the relative sizes of said second trunk group and said first trunk group.

A method for identifying one of a plurality of output ports of a first Mux/Demux device coupled to corresponding first communication links configured as a first trunk group for transmission of a packet received from a second Mux/Demux device having a plurality of input ports coupled to corresponding second communication links configured as a second trunk group, the number input ports of said second Mux/Demux device being less than the number of output ports of said first Mux/Demux device, said method comprising:

• receiving at said first Mux/Demux device from said second Mux/Demux device via a communication path, a packet having a preamble containing a port identifier tag that identifies one input port of said plurality of second Mux/Demux device input ports through which the respective packet was received;
• selecting one of said plurality of output ports of said first Mux/Demux device for transmission of said packet, based on at least in part of said port identifier tag, wherein said selecting comprises distributing packets received through said plurality of input ports across said plurality of output ports;
• disassociating said port identifier tag from said packet;
• and
• transmitting said packet out of said first Mux/Demux device from the selected one of said plurality of output ports.