Interconnection link redundancy in a modular switch node

A module within a switch node operatively linkable with a second module within the same switch node, comprising:

• first and second redundant node-internal links connecting the first module to the second module contained in the switch node;
• and
• a routing tagger to receive a stream of data packets destined for the second module and to apply a node-internal routing tag to the data packets in the stream to direct the stream to only one of the first and second redundant links so that only the one link is used to rotate the data packets to the second module;
• a set of device boards outputting the data packets with standard addresses;
• a switch core in communication with the set of device boards to receive the data packets and overwrite the standard addresses with the node-internal routing tags;
• first and second redundant link terminals in communication with the switch core;
• the first link coupled to the first link terminal and to the second module, said first link associated with a first unique one of the routing tags;
• and
• the second link coupled to the second link terminal and to the second module, said second link associated with a second unique one of the routing tags.

A single switch node comprising within the physical boundaries of that node:

• first and second switch modules operatively linked to each other within the single switch node, each module containing:
• a set of device boards for outputting data packets having standard routing tags;
• a switch core in communication with the set of device boards to receive the data packets and overwrite the standard routing tags with modified routing tags;
• first and second redundant link terminals in communication with the switch core;
• a first node-internal link coupled to the first link terminal and to the other of said modules, said first link associated with a first unique one of said modified routing tags;
• and
• a second node-internal link, redundant to the first link, coupled to the second link terminal and to the other of said modules, said second link associated with a second unique modified routing tag, wherein:
• at least one of said first and second link terminals configured to receive said data packets, and wherein:
• said first link terminal is configured to pass said data packets to the first link when the switch core overwrites said standard routing tag with said first unique one of said modified routing tags, and
• said second link terminal is configured to pass said data packets to the second link when the switch core overwrites said standard routing tag with said second unique one of said modified routing tag.

A switch module for use in a switch node, comprising:

• a power distribution layer;
• a clock function layer in communication with the power distribution layer;
• switch planes in communication with the clock functions layer;
• an interconnection links layer for connecting to another interconnection links layer of another of said set of switch modules via at least first and second redundant links, said interconnection links layer for detecting faults in said links and redirecting communication to one of said first and second links whenever faults are detected in the other of said links;
• and
• an applications layer in communication with the interconnection links and providing data packets to said interconnection links layer, said applications layer operating independently of said detecting and re-directing aspects of said interconnection links layer.

A switch node comprising:

• a first switch module operatively communicating with a second switch module through a set of links,
• said set of links including a first set of links actively carrying data packets between the first and second modules and at least one extra link that remains idle until a failure is detected in any one of the first set of links, whereupon the extra link takes the place of the failed link in carrying assigned ones of said data packets,
• each switch module including:
• a power distribution layer;
• a clock function layer in communication with the power distribution layer;
• switch planes in communication with the clock function layer;
• an interconnection links layer for connecting to another interconnection links layer of another of said set of switch modules via said set of links, said interconnection links layer for detecting the failure in said one link and redirecting communication from the failed link to the extra link;
• and
• an applications layer in communication with the set of links and providing data packets to said interconnections links layer, said applications layer operating independently of said detecting and re-directing aspects of said interconnection links layer.

A single switch node comprising:

• a number N of first links and a number M of second links, all connecting first and second switch modules contained within physical boundaries of the single switch node, each of the first and second node-internal switch modules including:
• a fault detector to determine N number of currently operable ones of said N&M first and second links;
• a switch core communicating between at least one device circuit and the first and second links to route data packets from the device circuits to at least the N number of currently operable first and second links;
• and
• a device-side switch port interface between the device circuit and the switch core to add internal routing tags to the data packets identifying only the N number of currently operable first and second links;
• and
• a link-side switch port interface between the switch core and the links to read the internal routing tags and route the data packets to the N number of currently operable first and second links.