Method of sending packets between trunk ports of network switches

A method of sending packets between trunked network switches, said method comprising:

• receiving a packet from a source at a first port of a trunked network switch;
• identifying that the first switch includes ports which are bundled as a trunk group;
• identifying that the packet received from the source is destined for a destination which must be accessed through the trunk group, by checking a trunk bit in a lookup table;
• identifying an appropriate trunk port of the trunk group on which to send the packet to the destination;
• and
• forwarding the packet to the destination on the appropriate trunk port,
• wherein said step of identifying the trunk port for communication includes a step of performing a lookup of the destination address in the lookup table, and identifying the trunk port based upon the lookup,
• wherein said step of identifying the trunk port further comprises the steps of
• determining a destination address match in the lookup table;
• identifying a rules tag in the lookup table;
• identifying a trunk group identification in a lookup entry;
• determining a trunk port index based upon the rules tag;
• and
• applying the trunk group identification and the trunk port index to a trunk group table, said table therefore identifying a trunk port for communication, and
• wherein said rules tag identifies the trunk port index based upon predetermined bits of at least one of a source IP address and a destination IP address.

A method of sending packets between trunked network switches, said method comprising:

• receiving a packet from a source at a first port of a trunked network switch;
• identifying that the first switch includes ports, an adjustable number of which are bundled as a trunk group;
• identifying that the packet received from the source is destined for a destination which must be accessed through the trunk group, by checking a trunk bit in a lookup table;
• identifying an appropriate trunk port of the trunk group on which to send the packet to the destination by determining a trunk port index based upon a rules tag in a matching lookup entry;
• and
• forwarding the packet to the destination on the appropriate trunk port,
• wherein said step of identifying the trunk port for communication comprises a step of applying trunking information to the trunk group table, and
• wherein said trunk group table is modified to reflect trunk port failures.

A system for sending packets between ports on trunked network switches, said system comprising:

• a first switch having a plurality of communication ports;
• a second switch having a plurality of communication ports;
• a trunk connection between said first switch and said second switch, wherein the trunk connection comprises an adjustable number of ports;
• a sending unit for sending a packet from a first port of said first switch to a second port of said second switch;
• an ingress unit in said first switch for receiving said packet from a source, and for performing an address resolution lookup on one of a source address and a destination address of the packet based upon a lookup table;
• an identifying unit for identifying that the first switch and second switch are connected by the trunk connection by checking a trunk bit in the lookup table, and for identifying an appropriate trunk port of a trunk group on which to send the packet to a destination by determining a trunk port index based upon a rules tag in a matching lookup entry;
• and
• a forwarding unit for forwarding the packet to the destination on the appropriate trunk port.

A system for sending packets between ports on trunked network switches, said system comprising:

• a first switch having a plurality of communication ports;
• a second switch having a plurality of communication ports;
• a trunk connection between said first switch and said second switch;
• a sending unit for sending a packet from a first port of said first switch to a second port of said second switch;
• an ingress unit in said first switch for receiving said packet from a source, and for performing an address resolution lookup on one of a source address and a destination address of the packet based upon a lookup table;
• an identifying unit for identifying that the first switch and second switch are connected by the trunk connection by checking a trunk bit in the lookup table, and for identifying an appropriate trunk port of a trunk group on which to send the packet to a destination;
• and
• a forwarding unit for forwarding the packet to the destination on the appropriate trunk port,
• wherein said lookup table comprises address entries and corresponding rules tag information,
• wherein said lookup table further comprises trunk group identification information,
• wherein said identifying unit identifies the appropriate trunk port by determining a trunk port index based upon a rules tag in a matching lookup entry, and
• wherein said identifying unit is configured to identify the trunk port index based upon predetermined bits of at least one of a source IP address and a destination IP address.

A system for sending packets between ports on trunked network switches, said system comprising:

• a first switch having a plurality of communication ports;
• a second switch having a plurality of communication ports;
• a trunk connection between said first switch and said second switch;
• a sending unit for sending a packet from a first port of said first switch to a second port of said second switch;
• an ingress unit in said first switch for receiving said packet from a source, and for performing an address resolution lookup on one of a source address and a destination address of the packet based upon a lookup table;
• an identifying unit for identifying that the first switch and second switch are connected by the trunk connection by checking a trunk bit in the lookup table, and for identifying an appropriate trunk port of a trunk group on which to send the packet to a destination;
• and
• a forwarding unit for forwarding the packet to the destination on the appropriate trunk port,
• wherein said identifying unit comprises modification means to modify trunk group information to reflect trunk port failures and identifies the appropriate trunk port by determining a trunk port index based upon a rules tag in a matching lookup entry.