Switch assembly having multiple blades in a chassis

A method of handling data packets in a network switch assembly, the method comprising:

• receiving an incoming data packet into an input queue of a port data port of a port blade;
• examining a portion of the incoming data packet to determine a destination address for the incoming packet;
• determining whether the incoming data packet should be forwarded to a switch of at least two switches of a fabric blade based on the determined destination address, wherein each of the at least two switches is operationally coupled with the port blade and configured to:
• transmit and receive data over a plurality of fabric data ports;
• and
• communicate with an external CPU subsystem;
• and
• determining, based on the portion of the incoming data packet, which path of a multiple number of paths between the port blade and the fabric blade the incoming packet should be forwarded along,
• wherein the switch of the at least two switches processes the data packet, when forwarded to the switch of the at least two switches, such that the data packet is forwarded to a particular port associated with the destination address, and
• wherein determining whether the incoming packet should be forwarded to the switch of the at least two switches based on the determined destination address comprises forwarding the incoming packet to a particular port of the port blade, the particular port blade communicating with the fabric blade and operating at a particular data rate based on the destination address.

An apparatus for handling data packets in a network switch assembly, the apparatus comprising:

• receiving means for receiving an incoming data packet into an input queue of a port data port of a port blade;
• examining means for examining a portion of the incoming data packet to determine a destination address for the incoming packet;
• determining means for determining whether the incoming data packet should be forwarded to a switch of at least two switches of a fabric blade based on the determined destination address, wherein each of the at least two switches is operationally coupled with the port blade and configured to:
• transmit and receive data over a plurality of fabric data ports;
• and
• communicate with an external CPU subsystem;
• and
• determining means for determining, based on the portion of the incoming data packet, which path of a multiple number of paths between the port blade and the fabric blade the incoming packet should be forwarded along,
• wherein said switch of the at least two switches processes the data packet when forwarded to the switch of the at least two switches such that the data packet is forwarded to a particular port associated with the destination address, and
• wherein determining whether the incoming packet should be forwarded to the switch of the at least two switches based on the determined destination address comprises forwarding the incoming packet to a particular port of the port blade, the particular port blade communicating with the fabric blade and operating at a particular data rate based on the destination address.