Method and apparatus for router aggregation
AssigneeHewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
InventorsBallard Claude Bare, Shaun Kazuo Wakumoto
Life of this patent
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Abstract
One embodiment disclosed relates to a method of routing a packet by way of a router aggregation. A packet is received from outside the aggregation by an initially receiving router/switch unit. Router functions are performed by the initially receiving router unit, including modification of the packet. The packet is then sent to a layer 2 network of the aggregation, wherein switching functions are performed on the packet. Another embodiment disclosed relates to a cooperative aggregation of router/switch units. The aggregation includes a plurality of the router/switch units, and a switching network interconnecting the units. The cooperative aggregation functions as a single router from a perspective of an external network device coupled to the system.
Claims19
A cooperative aggregation of router/switch units, the cooperative aggregation comprising:
- a plurality of the router/switch units;
- a switching network including and interconnecting said plurality of router/switch units,
- wherein the cooperative aggregation is configured to function as a single router from a perspective of an external network device coupled to the cooperative aggregation,
- wherein each router/switch is configured such that, if the router/switch is an initial router/switch unit that receives a packet from outside the aggregation, then the router/switch is configured to perform routing functions, including modification of the source and destination Media Access Control (MAC) addresses, with respect to the packet, and if the router/switch unit is not the initial router/switch unit in the aggregation to receive the packet, then the router/switch unit is configured to not perform routing functions with respect to the packet;
- each router/switch sharing information with the other router/switch units of the aggregation using a first protocol such that each router/switch is able to determine whether a destination Internet Protocol (IP) address for a packet is within an IP subnet that is directly or externally connected to one of the router/switches of the aggregation.
A method of routing a packet by way of an aggregation of router/switch units, the method comprising:
- sharing routing information between the router/switch units of the aggregation such that each router/switch is capable of determining whether a packet destination Internet Protocol (IP) address is within an IP subnet that is directly or externally connected to one of the other router/switch units of the aggregation:
- receiving a packet from outside the aggregation by an initially receiving router/switch unit;
- performing router functions by the initially receiving router unit, including modification of the source and destination Media Access Control (MAC) addresses of the packet;
- and
- sending the packet to a layer 2 network of the aggregation, wherein switching functions, but no router functions, are performed on the packet.
An apparatus configured to route a packet as part of a an aggregation of router/switch units, the apparatus comprising:
- means for sharing routing information between the router/switch units such that each router/switch unit in the aggregation is capable of determining whether a packet destination Internet Protocol (IP) address is within an IP subset that is directly or externally connected to one of the other router/switch units of the aggregation;
- means for receiving a packet from outside the aggregation by an initially receiving router/switch unit;
- means for performing router functions by the initially receiving router unit, including looking-up a destination internet protocol address from the packet in a routing table and modification of the source and destination Media Access Control (MAC) addresses of the packet;
- and
- means for sending the packet to a layer 2 network of the aggregation wherein switching functions, but no routing functions, are performed on the packet.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.