Transmission buffer under-run protection

A method in a switching device, comprising:

• identifying one or more continuou predetermined intra-frame bit sequences indicating at least one idle period in received bits for a first portion of a data frame;
• temporarily suspending error-checking calculation for the data frame in response to identifying the predetermined intra-frame bit sequences;
• and
• resuming the error-checking calculation for the data frame in response to identifying a received bit sequence for the data frame which is not the predetermined intra-frame bit sequence, wherein the received bit sequence corresponds to a remaining portion of the data frame.

An apparatus, comprising:

• a transmission module operable to associate a first portion of a data frame with an output port prior to receiving a remaining portion of the data frame in a transmission buffer;
• an insertion module operable to continuously insert a number of predetermined intra-frame bit sequences indicating at least one idle period until receiving the remaining portion of the data frame in the transmission buffer;
• and
• wherein the transmission module is further operable to associate the remaining portion of the data frame with the output port from the transmission buffer.

An apparatus, comprising:

• a bit-sequence identification module operable to identify one or more continuous predetermined intra-frame bit sequences indicating at least one idle period in received bits for a first portion of a data frame;
• a suspension module operable to temporarily suspend error-checking calculation for the data frame in response to identifying the predetermined intra-frame bit sequences;
• and
• an error-checking module operable to resume the error-checking calculation for the data frame in response to identifying a received bit sequence for the data frame which is not the predetermined intr-frame bit sequence, wherein the received bit sequence corresponds to a remaining portion of the data frame.

A switching system including an edge device and a core switching device, wherein the edge device comprises:

• a transmission module operable to associate a first portion of a data frame with an output port prior to receiving a remaining portion of the data frame in a transmission buffer;
• and
• an insertion module configurable to continuously insert a number of predetermined intra-frame bit sequences indicating at least one idle period until receiving the remaining portion of the data frame in the transmission buffer;
• wherein the transmission module is further operable to assocaite the remaining portion of the data frame with the output port from the transmission buffer in response to receiving the remaining portion of the data frame.